Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Indeed. And we need not cast far for more examples. 

The present standard form is שמרתי = שמר-תי = שמר-אתי $AMAR-TIY = 

$AMAR-ATIY, 'I guarded', with the attached archaic, obsolete, personal 

pronoun ATIY instead of the currently used אני ANIY, 'I', and 

שמרני = שמר-ני = שמר-אני $AMARNIY = $AMAR-ANIY 

(the form $MARANIY is reserved for 'he guarded me'.) 

On the other hand, for the many it is 

as expected שמרנו = שמר-נו = שמר-אנו $AMARNU 

= $AMAR-NU = $AMAR-ANU, 'we guarded', with the attached current 

personal pronoun אנו ANU, 'we'. 

It is as expected שמרתני = שמר-אתה-אני $MARTANIY = $AMAR-ATAH-ANIY, 

'you guarded me', and not שמרתתי = שמר-אתה-אתי $AMAR-ATAH-ATIY. 

The obsolete form אכה AKAH for ATAH, 'you', 

appears in שמרתיך = שמר-אתי-אכה $MARTIKA = $AMAR-ATIY-AKAH, 

'I have guarded you', instead of the expected שמרניתה = שמר-אני-אתה 

$MARNITA = $AMAR-ANIY-ATAH.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Oct 28, 2012, at 3:38 AM, George Athas wrote:

 It's just a throwback to an older form.