Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

Seems to me that this reflects different developments of HEM הם  
(earlier HIM as hinted by the dagesh in the M of HEMAH of Ex. 19:13?)  
and HEN הן (earlier HIN?) as preserved in LA-HEN of Ex. 1:18, a  
development that eventually culminated in the separation of HEM for  
boys and HEN for girls.

Namely, in 2Ki 11:13 HARACIYN = HA-RAC-HEN, while in 2S 15:1 it is  
RACIYM = RAC-HEM.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jan 4, 2012, at 12:28 AM, Pere Porta wrote:

> 1. Suffix -YN (for -YM) for the plural masculine: compare [H]RCYN  
> in 2Ki
> 11:13 with RCYM in 2S 15:1
>
> 2. The use of final -MW for the usual -HEM for the third person plural
> masculine: compare LMW (Hb 2:7 or Ps 44:4) with LHM (Rt 1:6), *to them
> (males)*  (I omit the vowels).