An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

20.
ה֑ עָ ר ָ ץרֶ א֫ ָ ה־ת ָ ַבּ ִ
דּ a report of the land with reference to evil
Num 14:37
[Page 263] d There are some nouns which have a different sense depending on whether
they are used as adjectives or substantives.
21a. םה ֑ ֵ ם ִמּ רי ֻ ֵע They were naked.
21b.
22a.
Gen 3:7
םֹרי ֵע ְבּ in nakedness
Deut 28:48
הקוֹח ָ ר ְ ץרֶ א֫ ֶ ֵמ from a distant land
22b. ם ֶכיני ֵ בּ ֵ הֶיהִי ְ קוֹחרָ ויני ָ בוּ ֵ
23a.
23b.
םימִ ת ָ הֵיהְ ֶ
1 Kgs 8:41
There shall be a space between you and it.
Josh 3:4 Qere
ו and be blameless
Gen 17:1
םימִ תָ ְבּ in blamelessness
Judg 9:16
More often, an adjective shows no such variation in sense, and expected
accompanying nouns may be omitted, especially if they are broadly generic.
24. ׃י ָל ָע םימִ ק ָ םיבִּ ר ַ Many [people] are rising up against me.
Ps 3:2
In some cases the adjective stands where no concrete noun could do duty.
25. וֹבּ ן ָבל־ר ָ ֶשׁ אֲ which had white [viz., stuff] on it
Gen 30:35; cf. 30:37
The usage may be poetic: in the figure of antimeria (a type of metonymy) an
expected noun is replaced by an adjective describing some essential characteristic of
the elided noun.
26. ה ָנ ָבלּ ְ ה ַ הרָ ְפחֽ ָ וְ
המּ֑ ָ חַ ה ֽ ַ ה ָשׁוֹבוּ
27.
The white [moon] will be abashed, the heat [of the sun]
ashamed.
Isa 24:23
ב ָכּרְ ִנ לק־ל ַ ַע We will ride off on a swift (steed).
Isa 30:16
14.4 Comparative Degree
a In English and other European languages the adjective forms three degrees by
inflection:
degree example
absolute young
comparative younger