The reason it's not reduced is that it bears the accent on the first syllable. ...
No, at least not in BHS, where the accent mark is firmly under the resh which is the secodn syllable. Anyway, this argument confuses cause and effect.
... Accordance parses it as construct.Don't expect me to believe this on the basis of an authority. Accordance (actually the WTS databse, I think) simply follows traditional interpretations in such cases where the actual form is ambiguous. But I accept James Price's argument that the accentuation suggests a construct form - at least, that that was probably the understanding of the Masoretes and of the pronunciation tradtion which they wrote down.
I note that LXX (24:17) has hAI QLIYEIS THS KARDIAS MOU EPLATUNQHSAN, "the troubles of my heart were widened", which also supports the construct interpretation. This agreement between LXX and the Masoretes suggests that this is the original meaning - or at least a very ancient understanding.
Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.