An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

16.
17.
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18.
טי ִל ָפּה ַ אֹ בָ יּ ַ
ראַ נַּ֫ ה ַ ץרָ ָיּ֫ ַ
דיגִּ ַמּ ה ַ אֹ בָ יּ ַ
ו One who had escaped came.
Gen 14:13
ו A young man ran.
Num 11:27
ו A messenger came.
2 Sam 15:13
This use is also found in the expression םוֹיּה ַ יהְי ִ ַ
19. ח ַבּזִיּ ְ ו ַ םוֹיּה
ַ יהְי ִ וַ
ה֑ נָ קָ ְלא ֶ
One day Elkanah came to sacrifice.
1 Sam 1:4
The analogous English constructions should not mislead: all these occurrences,
and others like them, are definite in Hebrew.
f The use of the article to mark out the particular and unique, as well as the situationally
pertinent, is balanced by the generic use. 10 The article of class marks out not a
particular single person or thing but a class of persons, things, or qualities that are
unique and determined in themselves. Sometimes the class is regarded as a unity,
while at other times an individual within the species is singled out to represent the
genus. This use is much more extensive in Hebrew than in English. The generic
article may be used with a collective singular (see 7.2.1b).
20.
רקָ בָּ הַ the cattle (or, the herd)
21.
ע ָשׁ רָ ה־ת ָ אֶ ו ְ קידִּ ַצּה־ת ַ ֶ
Gen 18:7
א the righteous and the wicked
Qoh 3:17
This use is especially common with animals: an individual of a species may refer
to the whole.
22. וּל ְכאֹ ת אֹ ל הז־ת ֶ א ֶ ךְאַ . . . ל ָמ ָגּה־ת ַ אֶ
. . .
ןפָ ָשּׁ ה־ת ַ אֶ וְ
23.
ה֑ עוּשׁ ָ תְ ל ִ סוּסּה ַ רקֶ ֫
ו.
But these you may not eat…the camel,…the coney…
Lev 11:4–5
ֶשׁ A horse is a vain hope for victory.
Ps 33:17
Moreover, it is especially common in comparisons, with (## 24–27) or without
animals (## 28–30).
24. הֵירְ אַ ה ָ ב ְ
ל ְכּ like the heart of a lion
10 Joüon uses the term “imperfect determination” for the generic use; §137m / p. 425.