Lexical: Cognates and Loanwords

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

אַדְמָתוֹ – The phrase "וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ" in Devarim 32:43 is difficult from a syntactic perspective.¹

While Rashi² suggests that the verse should be read as if written, "וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ ועַמּוֹ", that Hashem will expiate both the land and people, Ralbag suggests that it be understood as if written "וְכִפֶּר אדמת עַמּוֹ",‎³ that Hashem will purify the land of His nation. Ibn Ezra offers a third possibility, "וכפר עמו [על] אדמתו",‎⁴ that the nation itself will expiate the land.
Tur Sinai⁵ has alternatively suggested that the word "אַדְמָתוֹ" is related to the Akkadian, "adamaֿtu", used in poetic passages to mean "red blood". Hashem will expiate not the land of His nation (which is not mentioned in the verse), but their blood that has been spilled. Y. Avishur⁶ instead suggests a reading that does not entail adding or deleting letters from the verse, proposing that the phrase means "וכפר דמעות עמו,"‎⁷ similar to the Akkadian, "dimtassa ikkapar". After avenging the nation's blood, Hashem will wipe away (כפר = מחה), the nation's tears.

Dictionary:Cognates and Loanwords/0