Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <Yigal.Levin AT biu.ac.il>]

For Brurya Yodan:

 

Shalom!

 

The word K.V.H.-LI (usually pronounced KAVAH-LI) appears twice – in Numbers 22:11 and 2:17.

 

Looking at the facsimile copy of the LC, I see that BEIT has a DAGESH the first time this word is mentioned (Numbers 22:11) but not the second time. There is also a Raphe over the BEIT, which makes it a peculiar situation, as a letter cannot have both a Dagesh and a Raphe at the same time.

 

The BHS, BHL, the on-line Westminster LC, and all the Tanakh editions show both time BEIT without Dagesh.

 

My question:

 

Does anyone know if what I see in the facsimile copy of the LC is real – is it a real dot inside the BEIT or is it some spec to which no one (but me?) is paying attention?

 

If it’s a real dot, it’s an interesting situation because this is a “strange” word that may be more properly KOBAH (with a Kamatz Katan) than KAVAH. (Yes, I know that the Masoretes used the same vowel sound for each Kamatz and that the classification into K Gadol and K Katan are later…).

 

Thank you in advance for responding.

 

Bruryah (Yodan)