Grammar:Gender/0
Gender
Dual Gendered Nouns
There are several words in Tanakh which are treated as both masculine and feminine, at times taking a masculine verb or adjective and at other times taking a feminine one. R. Saadia suggests that in such cases one must conclude either that these words are dual gendered, or that the verse is assuming a missing word and it is that word which conforms with the gender of the verb or adjective that follows.1 It is also possible that in some of these cases the noun is actually one gender and there is simply noncorformity between it and the connected verb or modifier.
- ארון – Though the word is usually treated as masculine, at times it takes feminine modifiers as well. See Shemuel I 4, where verse 11 reads, "וַאֲרוֹן אֱלֹהִים נִלְקָח", while verse 17 reads, "וַאֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים נִלְקָחָה".2 See Radak there for discussion.
- ארץ - Compare Bereshit 1:2 (הָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה), where "ארץ" is feminine (as is usually the case), with Yechezkel 21:24 (מֵאֶרֶץ אֶחָד), where it is masculine.3 See also Yeshayahu 33:9 where the word takes both a feminine and masculine adjective (אָבַל אֻמְלְלָה אָרֶץ). See Ibn Ezra there who notes this, but compare Shadal who suggests that the verse should be understood as if written: "אָבַל יושב האָרֶץ ואֻמְלְלָה אָרֶץ".
- אש – Compare Shemot 22:5 where it takes a feminine verb (כִּי תֵצֵא אֵשׁ)4 with Yirmeyahu 48:45 where it takes a masculine one (כִּי אֵשׁ יָצָא).5 See also Iyyov 20:26 where it takes both masculine and feminine modifiers in the very same verse (תְּאׇכְלֵהוּ אֵשׁ לֹא נֻפָּח).6
- בית – Compare Mishlei 2:18 where it is feminine (כִּי שָׁחָה אֶל מָוֶת בֵּיתָהּ) with Devarim 8:12 (בָתִּים טֹבִים) where it is masculine (like most occurrences).7
- גן – Compare Bereshit 2:15 where it takes a feminine referent (וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ בְגַן עֵדֶן לְעׇבְדָהּ וּלְשׇׁמְרָהּ),8 with Shir HaShirim 4:12, where it takes a masculine adjective ("גַּן נָעוּל").9 Ibn Ezra further notes that the plural form of the verb also sometimes appears with a masculine ending (גנים)10 and sometimes with a feminine one (גנות).11
- גפן – This word is usually treated as feminine,12 but see Hoshea 10:1 where t is treated as masculine (גֶּפֶן בּוֹקֵק יִשְׂרָאֵל) and Yechezkel 19:11 wher eit takes both masculine and feminine modifiers (וַיִּהְיוּ לָהּ... וַתִּגְבַּהּ קוֹמָתוֹ) .
- דרך – Compare Bereshit 28:20 where it is masculine ("וּשְׁמָרַנִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה")13 with Shemot 18:20 where it is feminine ("הַדֶּרֶךְ יֵלְכוּ בָהּ").14 See also Yeshayahu 35:8 where it us treated as both masculine and feminine in one verse (וָדֶרֶךְ וְדֶרֶךְ הַקֹּדֶשׁ יִקָּרֵא לָהּ לֹא יַעַבְרֶנּוּ).15
- חצר – Though it usually acts as a feminine noun, as in Melakhim I 6:36 (הֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית),16 see Yechezkel 40:19-23 where it takes a masculine adjective ("לֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִי"). See also Shemot 35:17 where in the same verse, it is referred to as both feminine and masculine ("אֵת קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר אֶת עַמֻּדָיו וְאֶת אֲדָנֶיהָ").17
- יד – Compare Bereshit 26:25 where it is feminine ("וְיָדוֹ אֹחֶזֶת")18 with Shemot 17:12 where it is masculine ("וִידֵי מֹשֶׁה כְּבֵדִים").19 See also Yechezkel 2:9 where it takes both forms in the same verse, "וְהִנֵּה יָד שְׁלוּחָה אֵלָי וְהִנֵּה בוֹ".20
- מחנה – Compare Bereshit 33:8 where it is treated as masculine (הַמַּחֲנֶה הַזֶּה)21 with Tehillim 27:3 where it is treated as feminine (תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה).22 See also Bereshit 32:923 where in the very same verse it takes both a feminine and masculine adjective (הַמַּחֲנֶה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ... הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר).
- מלאכה –Though normally treated as feminine, in several verse it takes a masculine verb or adjective. See, for example, Shemot 12:16, "כׇּל מְלָאכָה לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה בָהֶם,"24 and Vayikra 11:32. See also Shemuel I 15:9 where it takes both a feminine and masculine adjective in one verse: "וְכׇל הַמְּלָאכָה נְמִבְזָה וְנָמֵס".25
- מקום – The word is usually masculine, but see Ibn Ezra Bereshit 2:15.
- סיר – Though this is generally treated as masculin, see yechezel 24, where sometimes it is treated as masculine (verse 3: וְגַם יְצֹק בּוֹ מָיִם) and sometimes as feminine (verse 6: אֲשֶׁר חֶלְאָתָה בָהּ). See Radak there that since the pot is a metaphor for Jerusalem, which is feminine, it is treated as such.
- עיניים – Though often feminine (see Bereshit 27:11 or Bereshit 29:17), it can also take a masculine referent. See, for instance, Yeshayahu 2:11 and Radak there, Zekharyah 3:9, Zekharyah 4:10 and Mishlei 4:25,.
- עַם – Though usually masculine, see Shofetim 18:7 (הָעָם... יוֹשֶׁבֶת לָבֶטַח) or Yirmeyahu 8:5 (שׁוֹבְבָה הָעָם) where it treated as feminine. See also Ibn Ezra and Shadal on Shemot 5:16.26
- פחת – Radak notes that this word appears once in the feminine, in Shemuel II 17:9 (בְּאַחַת הַפְּחָתִים) and once in the masculine, in Shemuel II 18:17 (הַפַּחַת הַגָּדוֹל).
- רוח – Compare Bereshit 1:2 where it is takes a feminine verb ("יוְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת")27 with Bemidbar 11:31 where it takes a masculine verb ("וְרוּחַ נָסַע"). See also Melakhim I 19:1128 and Iyyov 1:1929 in each of which it acts as both masculine and feminine in the very same verse.30
- שאלה – Though this word is almost always treated as a feminine noun, compare Esther 5:6 and 7:2, where the word is used in the very same phrase once with a feminine verb and once with a masculine one (מַה שְּׁאֵלָתֵךְ אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה וְתִנָּתֵן לָךְ vs.מַה שְּׁאֵלָתֵךְ וְיִנָּתֵן לָךְ). See Hoil Moshe on Esther 5:2 that the connotation there must be "מה דבר שאלתך", and it is the assumed word "דבר" that conforms to the masculine "וְיִנָּתֵן".
- שמש – Compare Bereshit 15:17 where it takes a feminine verb (הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה)31 and Bereshit 19:23 where it takes a masculine verb (הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יָצָא).32 See, though, R. Saadia that in the latter cases perhaps the verses mean "אור השמש יצא".
Nonconformity
Sometimes, even when a subject is clearly masculine or feminine, there is nonetheless nonconformity between it and the verb.
I. The root "היה" – This is particularly true when a noun is used with the root "היה", which many times does not conform with the gender (or number) of the subject. Many commentators33 note the phenomenon and suggest that it should be recognized as "the way of the text", normal for Biblical Hebrew.
- Ibn Ezra explains that the lack of conformity might stem from the word's prevalence. Shadal compares it to the Italian "impersonale" construction, often used to express a non specific subject ("one", "they" etc) which similarly does not always conform to number.
- Cf. Rashbam who agrees that the nonconformity is simply "the way of the text" but adds that if one nonetheless wanted to look for conformity, one might suggest that in all such cases there is an assumed subject which is implied by the text: "מעשה" and it is this which conforms to the verb. Thus, such verses would read as if written: "and [an event] happened, that..."
- Examples of the phenomenon: Bereshit 24:14, (וְהָיָה הַנַּעֲרָ אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ), Bereshit 24:43 (וְהָיָה הָעַלְמָה הַיֹּצֵאת לִשְׁאֹב), Devarim 20:3 (וְהָיָה הָעִיר הַקְּרֹבָה), Devarim 22:23 (כִּי יִהְיֶה נַעֲרָ בְתוּלָה), Yeshayahu 33:6 (וְהָיָה אֱמוּנַת עִתֶּיךָ), Kohelet 11:2 (מַה יִּהְיֶה רָעָה)
II. Other Examples
- Melakhim 2:21 "יֻתַּן אֶת אֲבִישַׁג הַשֻּׁנַמִּית" – As Avishag is a female, one would have expected a feminine verb. Cf. Radak that there must be an assumed subject, "מתן".
- Yirmeyahu 4:30 "וְאַתְּ שָׁדוּד" – See the opinion in Radak (and Shadal similarly) that the verse should be read if written "את כשדוד" (you are as one who is desolate). Radak himself explains that since the referent is Israel, the nation can be referred to as either masculine or feminine.
- Shofetim 4:20 "עֲמֹד פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל" – Sisera tells Yael to stand at the entrance, but uses the masculine form of the command ("עֲמֹד" rather than "עִמְדִי"). Rashi suggests that Sisera is emphasizing that Yael should prepare herself like a man. Cf. R"Y Bekhor Shor (on Vayikra 22:28) that this is simply the way of the text and Radak that this is an infinitive, short for "לעמוד".
Androgynous Verbs
Sometimes a verb will combine a masculine and feminine form. For example:
- Bereshit 30:38 – "וַיֵּחַמְנָה בְּבֹאָן לִשְׁתּוֹת" (as opposed to the expected "ותחמנה"). See Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, Shadal and R. D"Z Hoffmann. Cf. Hoil Moshe who suggests that perhaps the androgynous form is used because the verse speaks of mating.
- Shemuel I 6:12 – "וַיִּשַּׁרְנָה הַפָּרוֹת בַּדֶּרֶךְ" (as opposed to the expected "ותישרנה"). See Rashi, the commentary attributed to R"Y Kara, and Radak.
- Yirmeyahu 49:11 – "וְאַלְמְנוֹתֶיךָ עָלַי תִּבְטָחוּ" (as opposed to "תבטחנה")
- Yechezkel 37:7 – "וַתִּקְרְבוּ עֲצָמוֹת" (as opposed to "ותקרבנה"). See Radak, and see Malbim who attempts to explain the unusual usage.34
- Daniel 8:22 – "אַרְבַּע מַלְכֻיוֹת מִגּוֹי יַעֲמֹדְנָה" (as opposed to "תעמדנה"). See Rashbam, Shadal and R. D"Z Hoffmann.
Double Feminine
Sometimes a word will have two feminine markers (often, both a "ה" and a "ת"). Radak suggests that in such cases, the doubling serves as an intensifier while Ibn Ezra asserts that it is simply for poetic beauty.35
- הֶחְבְּאַתָה – See Yehoshua 6:17 which describes Rachav's hiding of Yehoshua's spies: "כִּי הֶחְבְּאַתָה אֶת הַמַּלְאָכִים" (as opposed to the expected "החביאה"). Radak explains that the connotation is that Rachav had hidden the spies very well.
- יְשׁוּעָתָה – See Tehillim 3:3, "אֵין יְשׁוּעָתָה לּוֹ" (as opposed to the expected "ישועה"). Radak explains that the word refers to a "great salvation".
- עֶזְרָתָה – See Tehillim 44:27, 63:8, 94:17 where this form replaces the expected "עזרה". Radak explains that in each case the people are either requesting or thanking Hashem for abundant aid.
- תָּבוֹאתָה – See Devarim 33:16, "תָּבוֹאתָה לְרֹאשׁ יוֹסֵף" (as opposed to "תבוא"),36 and Shemuel I 25:34 "כִּי לוּלֵי מִהַרְתְּ וַתָּבֹאת".37
- בַּצָּרָתָה – See Tehillim 120:1, where the psalmist cries: "בַּצָּרָתָה לִּי קָרָאתִי וַיַּעֲנֵנִי" (as opposed to "בצרה"), and see Radak38 that the extra feminine marker emphasizes the greatness of the psalmist's distress.
- נִפְלְאַתָה – See Shemuel II 1:26 where David eulogizes Yonatan, "נִפְלְאַתָה אַהֲבָתְךָ לִי מֵאַהֲבַת נָשִׁים". Radak explains, "והכפל לחזק פליאת האהבה".
- Other examples: "בְּעַוְלָתָה" (Tehillim 125:3),
Indefinite Subject or Object
In Biblical Hebrew, when referring to an indefinite subject / object, the feminine is generally used. For example, in Bereshit 50:20, Yosef tells the brothers: "וְאַתֶּם חֲשַׁבְתֶּם עָלַי רָעָה אֱלֹהִים חֲשָׁבָהּ לְטֹבָה". The "matter" that Hashem thought of for good is not specific, and could be either male of female, but is marked as feminine. Shadal notes that this is a general rule: "כנוי הנקבה חוזר אל הדבר... כל מקום שמשמיטין מלת דָבָר אומרים לשון נקבה".
Several examples follow:
- Bereshit 15:6 – "וְהֶאֱמִן בַּי״י וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה"
- Bereshit 42:7 – "וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם קָשׁוֹת"
- Shemot 10:11 – "וְעִבְדוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה כִּי אֹתָהּ אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים"
- Shemot 17:14 – "כְּתֹב זֹאת זִכָּרוֹן בַּסֵּפֶר"
- Vayikra 5:22 – "עַל אַחַת מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָאָדָם לַחֲטֹא בָהֵנָּה"
- Bemidbar 22:18 – "לֹא אוּכַל לַעֲבֹר אֶת פִּי י״י אֱלֹהָי לַעֲשׂוֹת קְטַנָּה אוֹ גְדוֹלָה"
- Bemidbar 27:11 – "וְהָיְתָה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְחֻקַּת מִשְׁפָּט"
- Yehoshua 10:13 – "הֲלֹא הִיא כְתוּבָה עַל סֵפֶר הַיָּשָׁר"
- Shemuel I 10:12 – "עַל כֵּן הָיְתָה לְמָשָׁל"
- Shemuel I 11:2 – "בְּזֹאת אֶכְרֹת לָכֶם בִּנְקוֹר לָכֶם כׇּל עֵין יָמִין"
- Shemuel i 18:23 – "וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד הַנְקַלָּה בְעֵינֵיכֶם הִתְחַתֵּן בַּמֶּלֶךְ"
- Yeshayahu 7:7 – "לֹא תָקוּם וְלֹא תִהְיֶה"
Pausal Form
Words sometimes slightly change their form when they appear at the end of a semantic unit (at the end of a verse or clause).39 This is known as the pausal form since in many cases the vocalization is slightly elongated, causing the reader to pause. After the prepositions בְ, לְ, אֵת the suffix ־ְךָ in pausal form becomes ־ָךְ, (for example: בָּךְ, לָךְ, אִתָּךְ). Though these words appear as "feminine", they are simply the pausal forms of their male counterparts.