An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

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8.
9. םִי ר֫ ַ ְפא ֶ תוֹב ְבר ִ םהֵ ׃ה ֶשּׁ נַ ְמ יפֵ לְ א ַ םהֵ ו ְ
תוֹאֹבּר ִ ליפִּ ה ִ He shall cast down myriads.
Dan 11:12
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim, such are the
thousands of Manasseh.
Deut 33:17
b The numerals for ‘two hundred’ and ‘two thousand’ are dual forms, םִי ַ֫
םִי ַפ ֫ לְ ַ
תא ָמ and
א. Enumerated items follow the numeral in the singular (## 10–11) or in the
plural (## 12–13).
10. שׁיא ִ םִיפַּ ֫ לְ אַ ְכּ about 2,000 men
11.
12.
13.
Josh 7:3
םחֶ ֶלמִ ֫ יתא ַ ָמ 200 (loaves of) bread
1 Sam 25:18
ףסֶ כּ ֶ֫
םי ִלקָ ְשׁ םִיתא ַ֫
ָמ 200 sheqels of silver
םיסוּס ִ םִיפַּ ֫ לְ ַ
Josh 7:21
א 2,000 horses
2 Kgs 18:23
c In the higher cardinals, the units take their gender by opposition to the larger number:
units three-ten with האמ and הבבר, etc., have masculine form, while those units
with ףלא have feminine form. These numbers may stand before a singular (## 14–
15) or a plural noun (# 16).
14. הרָ ֲענ ַ תוֹא ֵמ עבַּ רְאַ ה ָלוּת ְב
15. וֹבּר ִ הרֵ ְשׂ ֶע־םיתֵּ ְשׁ מִ
םדָ אָ
16.
400 young women
Judg 21:12
120,000 men
Jonah 4:11
םי֑ לִ ָעוּשׁ תוֹא ֵמ־שׁלֹ ְשׁ 300 foxes
Judg 15:4
Mixed coordinated constructions are found, with one noun in the singular, the
other in the plural.
17. ב ֶכר ֫ ֶ ף ֶלא ֶ֫
םי ִשׁלֹ ְשׁ
םי ִשׁ רָ ָפּ םי ִפ לָ א ֲ ת ֶשׁ ֵשׁ ֫ וְ
30,000 chariots and 6,000 cavalry 22
1 Sam 13:5
22
The use of rkb singular and prs̆ym plural is usual; for the pair without numerals, see,
e.g., 1 Kgs 1:5, 10:26; 2 Kgs 2:12, 13:14, 18:24; Isa 22:6.