Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Nir:

Thanks for your response.

On Sun, Dec 18, 2011 at 5:54 AM, Nir cohen - Prof. Mat. 
<nir AT ccet.ufrn.br>wrote:

> karl,friends,
>
> indeed, in all the five examples
>
> Ex 14:2 נכחו תחנו
> Is 57:2  הלך נכחו
> Ez 46:9   כי נכחו יצא
> Gen 30:38    לנכח הצאן
> Pr 4:25    עיניך לנכח יביטו
>
> the function of לנכח is not verbal but as an adverb.
>

לנכח is used only three times (according to an electronic search): Genesis
25:21, 30:38, Proverbs 4:25. The latter two uses are clearly adverbial. The
first one I question. As I said before, that questioned one is the only one
I say may be an infinitive.

>
> it does not necessarily contain the element of "going in front", but only
> the
> element of "in front". in fact "going in front" is out of the question in
> Ex
> 14:2 and Pr 4:25, which are static, and is superfluous in Is 57:2 and Ez
> 46:9
> where the verb הלך,יצא already specifies the dynamics.
>

My understanding is that it refers to going frontwards, straight forwards.
Hence the derivatives have the ideas of being in front (adjective and
adverb), straight forwards, straight in front of (e.g. the menorah straight
in front of the table on the other side of the room Exodus 25:36), straight
in a moral or judicial sense could include being just, right Proverbs 8:9,
24:26.

>
> also, assuming an infinitive, these examples would create double-verb
> constructions of types which do not exist elsewhere in the OT and of
> unclear meaning.
>

The only place I suggested an infinitive is in Genesis 25:21. There are
only two other places where I suggested that verbal use may be the case.
Look at my original posting.

There are other cases of consecutive verbs without intervening words, one
example being the actions of Sisera in Judges 5:27. So when I read Exodus
14:2 I see no problem in reading it as consecutive verbs.

 There are also examples of consecutive nouns without intervening words,
the hardest to read being 1 Chronicles 1: I find reading all those names
deadly. I do not look forward to reading them.

>
> i assume that נכח was really a noun whose meaning was "front". (i wonder if
> some etymological connection can be made between נכח and מצח.)
>
> the correct use of the associated adjective would be לנכחו (compare with
> לידו,
> לצדו, לפניו, לרגליו as associated with יד,צד,פנים,רגלים); except that the
> noun
> disappeared, and so the initial ל was eventually dropped, obtaining נכחו.
>

I tend not to speculate on possible etymologies, rather emphasize the forms
as they exist now.

>
> also relevant is the construction
>  מעליו-->עליו , מתחתיו-->תחתיו
> which shows a similar dropping of the preposition as לנכחו-->נכחו.
>
>
> i think that also נכחה is used in the OT, as an adverb. can anybody verify?
>

נכחה is found in Isaiah 59:14 and Amos 3:10 in both context and form
indicating that it is a feminine noun whose meaning has no exact equivalent
in English. This is a noun referring to an abstract concept (not uncommon
for a feminine noun ending with a heh) related to being upfront, straight.


> what about ?נוכח,


Isaiah 1:18 is from the verb יכח “Let us …”

Job 23:7 quotes Job, and again I think it is from the verb יכח


> להוכיח
>

Habakuk 1:12, the form indicates that it is from the verb יכח hiphil
infinitive. That is the only place where that form is found.

As far as I can tell, יכח has the meaning of “to set forth one’s case ⇒ to
argue (for) (as in court), to make known (for teaching, judgment), to
upbraid, reprove”.

>
> nir
>
> Thanks, discussions like this help sharpen my understanding of Hebrew.

Karl W. Randolph.