Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Nir cohen - Prof. Mat." <nir AT ccet.ufrn.br>]

dear pere,

you are speaking of two different constructions 
which have nothing in common and by chance have equal form.


(I) the modern $IKBH is the usual hebrew feminine suffix which creates an
(often abstract) noun out of a verb. here, in binyan kal

          GARAS--> GIRSAH, PARAC-->PIRCAH, SAMAX-->SIMXAH 
(or PIEL: ZIMER-->ZIMRAH, NIQER-->NIQRAH etc).

 
(II) in contrast, gen 39:7 is the ancient "long imperative" 
which has scores of example in the OT and seems to have a 
less imperative, more persuasive tone than the short form. 
it is also used in the cohortative: ELXA/NELXA instead of 
ELEX/NELEX. it is also documented, i believe, in canaanite and arabic. 
the ending has nothing to do with feminine; on the contrary, it was 
NOT used in the feminine (where, in those days, the stronger 
imperative was the default ...) i believe that in the following 
sources

A. Shulman, The use of modal verb forms. Thesis 1996. Toronto

Peter J. Gentry, The system of the finite verbs in classical biblical Hebrew.
Hebrew studies Journal, 1998

you can find a listing of all such words in the OT, if i recall, 
between 100 and 200 cases. 

observe that construction (I) uses the normal "past" form of the verb
($AKAB-->$IKBAH) whereas (II) is based on the future/imperative form
($KAB-->$IKBAH where xirik replaces the shwa). though this difference
might not be evident at first sight.

nir cohen



De: Pere Porta <pporta7 AT gmail.com>
Cópia: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Para: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
Data: Tue, 24 May 2011 07:51:38 +0200
Assunto: Re: [b-hebrew] Others?
We have in Gn 39:7 an Imperative form, $IKBAH, lie down (you, male)! (an
alternative to $:KAB found in 2Sa 13:5)
In today Hebrew we find the common noun $IKBAH, layer, social stratum.

Apparently, an old Imperative form has become a feminine common noun today.

I'm looking for other analogous cases: do you know of some others?

Regards

-- 
Pere Porta

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org<mailto:b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>