Grammar:Gender/0

From AlHaTorah.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Gender

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

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. SaadiaCommentary Bereshit 19:23About R. Saadia Gaon 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 nonconformity 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 RadakShemuel I 4:17Shemuel I 6:12Yechezkel 37:7About R. David Kimchi 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 EzraYeshayahu 33:9About R. Avraham ibn Ezra there who notes this, but compare ShadalYeshayahu 33:9About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto 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 EzraYeshayahu 33:9Bereshit Lexical Commentary 2:15Bereshit First Commentary 2:15Bereshit First Commentary 30:38About R. Avraham 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 where it 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 25:26 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. Bereshit Lexical Commentary 2:15About R. Avraham ibn Ezra
  • סיר – Though this is generally treated as masculine, 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 RadakYeshayahu 2:11About R. David Kimchi there, Zekharyah 3:9Zekharyah 4:10 and Mishlei 4:25,.
  • עַם – Though usually masculine, see Shofetim 18:7 (הָעָם... יוֹשֶׁבֶת לָבֶטַח) where it takes a feminine verb and Yirmeyahu 8:5 (שׁוֹבְבָה הָעָם הַזֶּה) where it is treated as both feminine and masculine in one verse. See also Ibn Ezra Yeshayahu 33:9Bereshit Lexical Commentary 2:15Bereshit First Commentary 2:15Bereshit First Commentary 30:38Shemot Second Commentary 5:16Tehillim Second Commentary 3:3About R. Avraham ibn Ezraand ShadalBereshit 30:38Bereshit 50:20Shemot 5:16Yeshayahu 33:9Yirmeyahu 4:30About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto 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).
  • צעקה – Though most of the time this noun is treated as feminine, see Shemot 11:6 where it takes both feminine and masculine modifiers in the same sentence: "וְהָיְתָה צְעָקָה גְדֹלָה  מִצְרָיִם אֲשֶׁר כָּמֹהוּ לֹא נִהְיָתָה".
  • 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 MosheShemuel I 6:12Esther 5:6About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi 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 (as when one is speaking of a man or woman), there is nonetheless nonconformity between it and the accompanying verb or between it and the gender of the pronoun used to refer to it.

Noun and Verb

Following are several examples of cases where a subject is clearly masculine or feminine but there is nonetheless nonconformity between it and its accompanying verb:

I. The root "היה" – The phenomenon is particularly common when a noun is used with the root "היה". Many commentators33 note that this root often does not conform with the gender (or number) of the subject 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), Kohelet 11:2 (מַה יִּהְיֶה רָעָה)34

II. Other Verbs – The same nonconformity is found with regards to other verbs as well, but in many of these cases, some commentators are more hesitant to attribute this to "the way of the text" and attempt to explain away the nonconformity:

  • Implied Subject – Nonconformity might result from the fact that the subject of the verb is only implied and not mentioned explicitly in the text:
    • Melakhim I 2:21 ("יֻתַּן אֶת אֲבִישַׁג הַשֻּׁנַמִּית") – As Avishag is a female, one would have expected a feminine verb.  Cf. RadakMelakhim I 2:21Tehillim 120:1About R. David Kimchi that there must be an assumed subject, "מתן".
    • Chavakkuk 1:16 "וּמַאֲכָלוֹ בְּרִאָה" – See Ibn Ezra that this is short for "מאכלו אכילה בריאה"
  • Ambiguous Subject – When the subject is ambiguous, it might lead to the conclusion that there is nonconformity while in reality it might be that the verb is simply modifying a different word
    • Shemuel I 1:6 (וְכֵן יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה) – See AbarbanelShemuel I 1:6About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel that since both the previous verse and the continuation of this verse speak of Penina, a female, one would have expected "תעשה", but that such nonconformity is common ("ורבים ככה").  Many other commentators, instead, suggest that the subject of the verb is the male Elkanah, mentioned in verse 4.
    • Shemuel II 14:10 ("וַהֲבֵאתוֹ אֵלַי") – Though the king is speaking to the Tekoite women, he uses a masculine verb "וַהֲבֵאתוֹ" (and not: "והבאתיו"). See Radak that the king might actually be addressing one of the male servants who would be in charge of bringing someone to the king.
    • Other examples: Divrei HaYamim I 2:48 (פִּילֶגֶשׁ כָּלֵב מַעֲכָה יָלַד),35
  • Miscellaneous

Pronouns

Sometimes Tanakh uses a feminine pronoun to refer to a male and vice versa:

  • את / אתה – The Masoretes note that there are three places where the word "את" is used to refer to a male:
    • Bemidbar 11:15 (וְאִם כָּכָה אַתְּ עֹשֶׂה לִּי הׇרְגֵנִי נָא הָרֹג) – As Moshe is speaking to Hashem one would have expected "אתה".  RashiBemidbar 11:15Shemuel I 6:12Yeshayahu 35:9Yechezkel 2:9About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki suggests that the language hints that Moshe grew weak like a woman.  Cf. Ibn EzraBemidbar 11:15About R. Avraham ibn Ezra that while "אתה" can be used for males only, "את" can be used for either gender, comparing it to the words "לך", "בך" and "עמך", whose pausal form is feminine even when referring to males.
    • Devarim 5:23 ("וְאַתְּ תְּדַבֵּר אֵלֵינוּ אֵת כׇּל אֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר י"י") – The people address Moshe, yet refer to him as "את" in feminine. As above, some suggest that the language hints to weakness,39 while other suggest that this is normal for Biblical Hebrew (Ibn Ezra, as above).40
    • Yechezkel 28:14 ("אַתְּ כְּרוּב מִמְשַׁח הַסּוֹכֵךְ וּנְתַתִּיךָ בְּהַר קֹדֶשׁ")
  • אותו-אותה
  • אותם / אותן
  • ממנה-ממנו
  • Possessive pronouns
    • Bemidbar 36:6 ("לַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיהֶם תִּהְיֶינָה לְנָשִׁים") – The verse refers to the daughters of Tzelophchad so one would have expected "בעיניהן".

Androgynous Verbs

Sometimes a verb will combine a masculine and feminine form. For example:

Double Feminine

Sometimes a word will have two feminine markers (often, both a "ה" and a "ת"). Radak Yehoshua 6:17Shemuel I 4:17Shemuel I 6:12Shemuel II 1:26Yechezkel 37:7Tehillim 3:3Tehillim 120:1About R. David Kimchisuggests that in such cases, the doubling serves as an intensifier while Ibn EzraTehillim Second Commentary 3:3About R. Avraham ibn Ezra asserts that it is simply for poetic beauty.43

Undefined Subject or Object

In Biblical Hebrew, when referring to an undefined 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. ShadalBereshit 50:20About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto notes that this is a general rule: "כנוי הנקבה חוזר אל הדבר... כל מקום שמשמיטין מלת דָבָר אומרים לשון נקבה". See also Ibn Janach in his ספר הרקמה שער מ"ב, that in such cases one can substitute the words "פעולה" (action) or "אמרה" (statement) for the undefined matter making it feminine.

 Several examples follow:

  • Bereshit 15:6 – "וְהֶאֱמִן בַּי״י וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה"
  • Bereshit 42:7 – "וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם קָשׁוֹת"
  • Shemot 7:23 – וְלֹא שָׁת לִבּוֹ גַּם לָזֹאת
  • 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 14:41 – " לָמָּה זֶּה אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת פִּי י״י וְהִוא לֹא תִצְלָח"
  • 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"
  • Shemuel II 2:26 – " הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתָּה כִּי מָרָה תִהְיֶה בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה"
  • Shemuel II 20:9 – "הֲתַחַת זֹאת לֹא יוּמַת שִׁמְעִי"
  • Yeshayahu 7:7 – "לֹא תָקוּם וְלֹא תִהְיֶה"
  • Yirmeyahu 33:3 "וְאַגִּידָה לְּךָ גְּדֹלוֹת וּבְצֻרוֹת""
  • Tehillim 12:4: "לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדֹלוֹת"
  • Tehillim 132: "‏‎הִנֵּה שְׁמַעֲנוּהָ בְאֶפְרָתָה מְצָאנוּהָ בִּשְׂדֵי יָעַר"‎47
  • Iyyov 5:27: "הִנֵּה זֹאת חֲקַרְנוּהָ כֶּן הִיא שְׁמָעֶנָּה"

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).48  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.

Nation