An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

29.
Gen 1:2
ןגָּ ה־ץ ַ ֵע ירִ ְפּ ִמ from the fruit of the tree of the Garden
Gen 3:2
There are exceptions, however, in which the construct phrase is indefinite with the
following genitive definite as a name (## 30–31), a pronoun (# 32), a unique
appellative (# 33), or because of the article (## 34–35; cf. 9.7a).
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
30. תרֶ דֶּ֫ א ַ ל ָל ָשּׁ ַב ארֶ א֫ ֵ וָ
ה ָבוֹט תחַ א ַ ר ָענ ְ ִשׁ
I saw among the spoil a certain beautiful Babylonian
garment.
Josh 7:21 Qere
לאֵ רָ ְשִׂי ת ַלוּת ְבּ a (certain) virgin of Israel
אוּה יחִ ָ
ה ָער ָ םיהלֹ ִ א ֱ ַ
ה ָמ דָ אֲ ה ָ שׁי ִ
Deut 22:19
א He is a brother of mine.
Gen 20:5; cf. 8.4.2a
חוּר a (certain) evil spirit of God
1 Sam 18:10
א a farmer
Gen 9:20
ע ַלסָּ֫ ה ַ קי ִק נְ ִבּ in a (certain) cleft of the rock
Jer 13:4
In most of these cases (## 30, 31, 33, 35), it is clear from context that the genitive
is a specific indefinite, namely, ‘a certain…’; in # 30, the addition of ˒aḥat makes this
clear. The generic noun of class שׁיא is used in # 34 with an article of class (cf.
9.5.3b).
13.5 Common Nouns with the Article
a Common nouns—roughly, all nouns except names and unique appellatives—are
made definite by the article. The conventions of the Hebrew language regularly call
for the use of the article with common nouns in ways similar to the English usage of
the article ‘the’ and in ways that differ noticeably from it. Since the uses of the article
may differ in Hebrew and in English, it is necessary to note its normal uses in Hebrew
in order to avoid distorting the meaning of the Hebrew; a word-for-word translation
would often lead to abnormal English. It is vital to read Hebrew from the Hebrew
speaker’s point of view; it is also important to consider how that point of view can be
represented in English by its normal conventions, without engaging in an extended
commentary.
b There are two major areas that need to be explored in considering Hebrew articular
usage. One area involves the referential side: what does the article reveal about
the[Page 242] functioning of the word it modifies? The other area is syntactic: how
does the article + noun combination fit into the clause?
13.5.1 Referential Features