Biblical Hebrew Forum

[George Athas <George.Athas AT moore.edu.au>]

Steve, I'm not sure your reasoning works for this, though I see what you're 
getting at. As a common noun, בעל may have the article or not. It all depends 
on its usage (definite or indefinite) within the relevant clause, just like 
any other common noun. It happens to be a common noun that is used as a 
title, in which case, again it may take the article or not, depending on 
usage. It's technically not a Proper Noun, though as a title it often 
functions as one. So the analogy with the article on toponyms doesn't quite 
match the issue here. The distinction between the common noun בעל and the 
derived title is not really grammatical as such—it's a distinction of 
function within clause. In other words, you need to combine semantics, 
syntax, and meaning to determine the use.


GEORGE ATHAS
Dean of Research,
Moore Theological College (moore.edu.au)
Sydney, Australia


From: Steve Miller <smille10 AT sbcglobal.net<mailto:smille10 AT sbcglobal.net>>
Reply-To: "steve AT voiceInWilderness.info<mailto:steve AT voiceInWilderness.info>" 
<steve AT voiceInWilderness.info<mailto:steve AT voiceInWilderness.info>>
Date: Monday, 6 August 2012 10:49 AM
To: 'Philip Hardy' <technologist1 AT gmx.us<mailto:technologist1 AT gmx.us>>
Cc: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org<mailto:b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>>
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] יהוה vs הבעל

Philip,

If I understand you right, your proposed meaning of ha-baal is the exact 
opposite of the way the definite article is used on a proper noun in Biblical 
Hebrew.  It seems you are saying that when "baal" has the definite article, 
it is not a name, but "the husband".  In English that would be true, but in 
Hebrew it is the opposite. Baal can be a word or a proper name. To refer to 
the name, Baal, rather than the word baal, in Hebrew you put the definite 
article on it. So Ha-Baal means Baal the idol (unless the context might refer 
to a previously-mentioned husband).  Baal without the definite article is 
usually the word baal, meaning husband, etc.

[…]