An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

18. תוֹא ֵמ־עבַ ְשׁוּ ףלֶ א֫
ֶ
ףלֶ א ֶ֫
םירִ ְשׂ ֶעו ְ םי ִשׁ רָ ָפּ
י֑ לִ גְ ר ַ שׁיאִ 1,700 cavalry and 20,000 infantry
2 Sam 8:4
[Page 283] d In large counting expressions, the elements are often given in decreasing
order: thousands → hundreds → decimals → units (## 19–22). The opposite,
increasing order is rare (# 23).
19. ף ֶלא ֶ֫
םי ִשּׁ מִ חֲ ו ַ ה ָשׁלֹ ְשׁ
׃תוֹא ֵמ עבַּ רְאַ וְ
20. תוֹא ֵמ עבַ ְשׁ םִיפַּ ֫ לְ אַ
׃םי ִשּׁ מִ חֲ וַ
21.
53,400
Num 1:43
2,750
Num 4:36
׃םִיתא ָ֫
ָמוּ םיפִ לָ א ֲ ת ֶשׁ ֵשׁ ֫ 6,200
22. םִיפַּ לְ א ַ אוֹבּר ִ עבַּ רְאַ ׃םי ִשּׁ ִשׁ תוֹא ֵמ־שׁלֹ ְשׁ
23. שׁלֹ ְשׁוּ םי ִשּׁ ִשׁ ו ְ ה ָשּׁ מִ חֲ
ףלֶ א֫ ֶ ו ָ תוֹא ֵמ
Num 3:34
42,360
Ezra 2:64
1,365
Num 3:50
A mixed order is attested also: myriads → thousands → units → decimals →
hundreds.
24. . . . ר ָכז ָ רוֹכבּ־ל ְ ָכּ
ףלֶ א ֶ֫
םירִ ְשׂ ֶעו ְ םִינ ַ֫
ְשׁ
םי ִע ְב ִשׁ ו ְ ה ָשׁלֹ ְשׁ
׃םִיתא ָ֫
ָמוּ
and all the first born males…22,273
Num 3:43
15.2.6 Determination and Cardinals
a The numerals are deemed to have a certain determination in themselves,and the
article is used sparingly with them. When it is used, it has the meanings analyzed
above (see 13.5, 14.3.1d). Apart from the numeral ‘one,’ the article is rarely used with
both the numeral and the thing enumerated. 23 Generally it is found with the thing
numbered, and, as noted earlier, the numeral may precede (## 1–4) or follow (## 5–
6).
1.
שׁיאִ ה ָ תוֹא ֵמ שׁלֹ ְשׁ ִבּ among the three hundred men
23 Num 16:35, the one instance in which the numeral has the article and the following
noun has no article, is textually suspect; the Samaritan Pentateuch lacks the article.