An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

i The so-called “datival accusative” involves a pronominal direct object where a
prepositional object (viz., a “dative”) would be expected. 13 Several instances are
mentioned above in the treatment of direct-object accusatives; the pattern cited
there for ykl and[Page 169] ng˓ (## 26–29) also obtains for other verbs. The verb
ntn takes the preposition l for nouns indicating the donnee (the person to whom
the object is given; # 56) and sometimes pronouns (# 57), but a pronoun indicating
the donnee can be suffixed directly to the verb (# 58).
56.
57.
םִ יּוִ ְלה־ת ַ אֶ
התָּ תַ ָנוְ וי֑ נָ ָבלוּ ְ ןֹרהֲ אַ ְל
ךָ ְשׁ פְ ַנ־תא ֶ ךָ ְל יתִּ תַ ָנוְ ל ָל ָשׁ ְל
58. תִי ַשׁ ֫ רימִ ָשׁ ינִ ֫
ֵנתִּי־י ְ מִ
ה ָמ חָ ְל ִמּ ַבּ
And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his
offspring.
Num 3:9
I’ll give to you your life as booty.
Jer 45:5
Oh, that he (indefinite) would give me (i.e., Oh that
I had) thorns and briers to battle!
Isa 27:4
The verb z˓q normally takes the preposition ˒el before the noun or pronoun
indicating the addressee (## 59–60), but a pronoun indicating the addressee can be
expressed with a suffixed pronoun (# 61).
59.
60.
לאוּמ ֵ ְשׁ ק ַעזִיּ ְ וַ
הוהי־לאֶ And Samuel cried to YHWH.
1 Sam 7:9
וּנתֵ ֫ רָ ָצּ ִמ ךָי ֶל֫ אֵ
ק ַעזְ נִ וְ
And we will cry to you from our troubles.
֫ ְ ַ
61. ךָוּק ָעזִיּ ו
2 Chr 20:9
They cried to you.
62.
63.
Neh 9:28
Other “datival accusatives” occur with less well documented verbs.
׃ינִ ֵשׁ ֫ נָּ תִ אֹ ל You will not be forgotten by me.
Isa 44:21
׃ינִ א ָ֫
ינִ תֻּ ֫ ְמ ַצ םוֹצחֲ Did you fast for me!?
13 Since the West Semitic languages do not regularly use a dative function, the term
“dative” (derived from Latin grammar) is more objectionable than other case
vocabulary; it has nonetheless become established among grammarians. On this class
of suffixes see M. Bogaert, “Les suffixes verbaux non accusatifs dans le sémitique
nord-occidental et particulièrement en hébreu,” Biblica 45 (1964) 220–47.