Grammar:Number/0

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Number

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Nonconformity Between Number and Verb

Number and Verb

In Biblical Hebrew there is not always conformity between number and verb, with a plural subject sometimes taking a single verb form and vice versa.  Some commentators attribute this to "דרך המקרא", the way of the text,1 and do not attempt to explain the various cases, while others try to explain the nonconformity in each case.

  • "היה" – Many commentators2 note that the phenomenon is especially prevalent with regards to the root "היה".
    • Ibn Ezra Bereshit Lexical Commentary 1:14Bereshit First Commentary 1:14About R. Avraham ibn Ezraexplains that this is "the way of the text" and that the lack of conformity might stem from the word's prevalence.3 ShadalBereshit 1:14About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto 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. RashbamBereshit 1:14About R. Shemuel b. Meir 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 include: Bereshit 1:14 ("יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם"),‎4  Shemot 17:12 (וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה),5 Bemidbar 9:6 (וַיְהִי אֲנָשִׁים), Yeshayahu 23:18 (וְהָיָה סַחְרָהּ וְאֶתְנַנָּהּ)
  • Other roots – With other verbs, as well, number and verb might not match.  In many of these cases, however, some commentators are more hesitant to attribute this to "the way of the text" and attempt to explain away the nonconformity:
    • Ambiguous subject – When the subject of a verb 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:6
      • Bereshit 4:10 (קוֹל דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ צֹעֲקִים) – Though the word "קוֹל" is singular, the verb "צֹעֲקִים" is plural.7 Many commentators8 explain away the nonconformity by suggesting that really the referent of "צֹעֲקִים" is not the singular "קוֹל" but the plural "דמי אחיך".‎9
      • Shemuel I 2:4 ("קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים חַתִּים") – Though the word "קֶשֶׁת" is singular, the word "חַתִּים" is plural.  This leads Radak and Ralbag to suggest that the word "חַתִּים" modifies "גִּבֹּרִים" rather than "קֶשֶׁת" and the verse's intent is that the mighty men, and not just their bows, were broken.‎10 
      • Shofetim 5:26 (יָדָהּ לַיָּתֵד תִּשְׁלַחְנָה וִימִינָהּ לְהַלְמוּת עֲמֵלִים) – Though the plural "תִּשְׁלַחְנָה" does not conform to the singular "hand", Radak cites his father that perhaps the subject of the verb is both "יָדָהּ" and "וִימִינָהּ".
    • Unmentioned / Implied subject – Nonconformity might result from the fact that the subject of the verb is only implied and not mentioned explicitly in the text:
      • Shemot 1:10 ("כִּי תִקְרֶאנָה מִלְחָמָה") –  Though "מִלְחָמָה" is singular "תִקְרֶאנָה" is plural. While Rashbam notes that this is simply "the way of the text", Ibn Ezra11  raises the possibility that the verse is truncated and really means "כִּי תִקְרֶאנָה קורות מִלְחָמָה", in which case the plural "תִקְרֶאנָה" matches the plural "קורות".
      • Shemot 17:2 ("וַיָּרֶב הָעָם עִם מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ תְּנוּ לָנוּ מַיִם") – Though the verse implies that the nation is speaking only with Moshe, the people nonetheless address him in the plural, saying, "תְּנוּ". This leads Ibn Ezra and Radak to suggest that the nation must have been speaking to Aharon as well, even though he is not mentioned.
      • Tehillim 124:5 ("עָבַר עַל נַפְשֵׁנוּ הַמַּיִם הַזֵּידוֹנִים") – Though "הַמַּיִם" is plural, the verb "עָבַר" is singular.  See Ibn Ezra Tehillim Second Commentary 124:5About R. Avraham ibn Ezraand RadakTehillim 124:5About R. David Kimchi that the word "נחל" of the previous verse applies here as well, so the clause would read " עָבַר נחל הַמַּיִם הַזֵּידוֹנִים".
    • Each of many – At times a plural noun will be treated as singular because the verse's intent is to say "each of many --".
      • Tehillim 66:3 ("מַה נּוֹרָא מַעֲשֶׂיךָ") – See Rashi and Ibn Ezra that the word "נּוֹרָא" is in singular despite the plural "מַעֲשֶׂיךָ" since the verse's intent is "how awesome is each of your deeds".
      • Bereshit 49:22 (בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר) – See Rashi, Rashbam and Ibn Ezra, who explain the singular "צָעֲדָה" by saying that each of the many boughs climbed.12
      • Shemuel I 19:20 (וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים... וַיַּרְא) – Though many messengers were sent by Shaul, the verse states in singular that "he saw".  Radak explains that the form implies that "each of the messengers saw".13
      • Other examples – Other verses have been explained in a similar manner. See: Yehoshua 2:4, (ותִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה אֶת שְׁנֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וַתִּצְפְּנוֹ),14 Shemuel I 4:15 ("וְעֵינָיו קָמָה"),15 Yeshayahu 2:11 ("עֵינֵי גַּבְהוּת אָדָם שָׁפֵל"),16 Yeshayahu 5:23 (וְצִדְקַת צַדִּיקִים יָסִירוּ מִמֶּנּוּ),17 Yeshayahu 45:8 (וְיִפְרוּ יֶשַׁע וּצְדָקָה תַצְמִיחַ יַחַד אֲנִי י״י בְּרָאתִיו),18 Yeshayahu 56:5 (וְנָתַתִּי לָהֶם... אֶתֶּן לוֹ ),19  Yeshayahu 59:12 ("וְחַטֹּאותֵינוּ עָנְתָה בָּנוּ"), Yirmeyahu 31:14 ("מֵאֲנָה לְהִנָּחֵם עַל בָּנֶיהָ כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ"),20 Yirmeyahu 46:15 ("מַדּוּעַ נִסְחַף אַבִּירֶיךָ"), Yirmeyahu 51:29 ("כִּי קָמָה עַל בָּבֶל מַחְשְׁבוֹת י"י"), Tehillim 37:31 (לֹא תִמְעַד אֲשֻׁרָיו),21 Tehillim 22:30 ("לְפָנָיו יִכְרְעוּ כׇּל יוֹרְדֵי עָפָר וְנַפְשׁוֹ לֹא חִיָּה")22
    • Miscellaneous
      • Bemidbar 19:20 (מֵי נִדָּה לֹא זֹרַק עָלָיו ), Bemidbar 26:19 ("וַיָּמׇת עֵר וְאוֹנָן"), Devarim 30:10 ("מִצְוֺתָיו וְחֻקֹּתָיו הַכְּתוּבָה"),23 Yirmeyahu 2:34 ("נִמְצְאוּ דַּם נַפְשׁוֹת"),24 Yirmeyahu 48:41 (נִלְכְּדָה הַקְּרִיּוֹת),25 Yechezkel 14:1 (וַיָּבוֹא אֵלַי אֲנָשִׁים),26

Number and Noun

  • The sons of" – In several verses, though only one son or daughter is mentioned, the verse speaks of them in the plural.  Some suggest that this is "simply the way of the text" or "the way of men",27 while other give local explanations for each case (see below).
    • Bereshit 46:7 (בְּנֹתָיו וּבְנוֹת בָּנָיו) and 46:15 ("כׇּל נֶפֶשׁ בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשָׁלֹשׁ") – Though only one daughter (בת) and granddaughter (בת בנו) is listed among those who descend to Egypt, the verse mentions "daughters" in the plural. See Bavli Bava Batra 123a-b that perhaps Dinah had a twin sister or that Yocheved is included in the count. Ibn Ezra similarly suggests that maybe Dinah had maidservants who are referred to as "daughters". Cf. R"Y Bekhor Shor, Radak, and Ramban that this might be "the way of the text".
    • Bereshit 46:23 ("וּבְנֵי דָן חֻשִׁים")  – Chizkuni suggests that maybe Dan had two sons, one of which died.
    • Bemidbar 26:8 ("וּבְנֵי פַלּוּא אֱלִיאָב")
    • Shemuel I 23:32 ("בְּנֵי יָשֵׁן יְהוֹנָתָן")
    • Divrei HaYamim I 2:8 (" וּבְנֵי אֵיתָן עֲזַרְיָה")

Divine Plurals

A subsection of cases of nonconformity relates specifically to plural language surrounding God.  As one would have thought that the text would want to emphasize the singularity of God and dispel polytheistic notions, such cases are particularly troubling:

Hashem as a "We"

I. Examples – At times, Hashem seems to render Himself in plural form, speaking as a "we".

  • In Bereshit 1:26,  before creating Adam, Hashem says, "נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ"
  • In Bereshit 3:22, after Adam and Chavvah sin by eating from the tree, Hashem says, " הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ לָדַעַת טוֹב וָרָע"
  • In Bereshit 11:7, after the people build the tower of Bavel, Hashem says, "הָבָה נֵרְדָה וְנָבְלָה שָׁם שְׂפָתָם".

II. Explanations – Such cases have been explained in several ways:

  • Way of the World – The plural language might be the way of human speech, where kings and other honored people sometimes speaks of themselves using the "royal we" or majestic plural (R. Saadia Gaon, R. Hirsch). Alternatively, people might speak in the plural when exhorting themselves into action (Cassuto)
  • Way of the Text – According to some commentators, these examples are no different than other examples of nonconformity discussed above, which are simply "the way of the text" (i.e. in Biblical Hebrew noun and number need not always conform).
  • Partnership – Others suggest that God was speaking not just of Himself, but  including others in His speech - the angels.
  • See Divine Plurals for elaboration.

God Referred to in the Plural

When the narrative voice speaks of God, it, too, sometimes uses the plural form.  Thus, the word אלוהים, even when used to refer to Hashem, sometimes takes a plural modifier or verb despite it referring to a singular entity. Other verses, too, which speak of Hashem without naming Him might use the plural. Some examples follow:

Plural = One of Many

"Royal We"

Shortened Plural Form

The normal suffix to portray the masculine plural form is "ים". Several commentators note that sometimes the plural ending has just a "י" and no final "‎ם".‎30  For example, Radak suggests that the phrase ""שְׁלֹשָׁה סַלֵּי חֹרִי" of Shemot 40:16 is equivalent to "שְׁלֹשָׁה סַלֵּי חֹרִים". However, not all agree with this understanding of the phenomenon, and sometimes the unusual form is explained in other ways (as below).  Several examples follow:

  • Shofetim 5:15: "וְשָׂרַי בְּיִשָּׂשכָר"  – See Rashi, R"Y Kara and others that this means "ושרים שביששכר". Cf. the anonymous Northern French commentary who suggests that "שָׂרַי" is a possessive form, and that Devorah sings: "My officers who are in Yissachar".
  • Tehillim 50:10 "בְּהַרְרֵי אָלֶף" – See Radak that this is short for "בְּהַרְרים אָלֶף", meaning "a thousand hills".  Cf. R. Moshe ibn Chiquitilla that the word "אָלֶף" means cattle, and the phrase means: "on the hills of cattle".
  • Tehillim 144:2: "הָרוֹדֵד עַמִּי תַחְתָּי" – See Radak, Meiri and Hoil Moshe that "עמי" is short for "עמים", assuming that the psalmist is .thanking Hashem for subduing enemy nations. Cf. Sforno that it means "my people" and the psalmist is referring to rebellion from within, when members of Israel itself were subdued.
  • Eikhah 3:14 "הָיִיתִי שְּׂחֹק לְכׇל עַמִּי" – See Hoil Moshe that this is like: "‏‎‎‎‎‏לכל עמים".‎31  Cf. Ibn Ezra who maintains the simple sense of "my people".32 Alternatively, Ibn Ezra suggest that perhaps the "י" is extraneous and the verse should read as if written: "לכל עם".
  • Divrei HaYamim II 33:19 "דִּבְרֵי חוֹזָי" – See Radak that this is short for "חוזים", "the words of prophets" but cf. Metzudat Zion that "חוֹזָי" is the proper name of a certain prophet.
  • Other examples – Shofetim 19:22 (אַנְשֵׁי בְנֵי בְלִיַּעַל),33 Shemuel II 23:8 ("רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁלִשִׁי),34 Melakhim I 6:4 (חַלּוֹנֵי שְׁקֻפִים),35 Melakhim I 10:15 (מֵאַנְשֵׁי הַתָּרִים),36  Yirmeyahu 22:14 (וְקָרַע לוֹ חַלּוֹנָי),37 Yeshayahu 17:10 (תִּטְּעִי נִטְעֵי נַעֲמָנִים),38 Yeshayahu 20:4 (וַחֲשׂוּפַי שֵׁת),39 Yechezkel 13:18 (אַצִּילֵי יָדַי),40 Yechezkel 23:14 (אַנְשֵׁי מְחֻקֶּה עַל הַקִּיר)41

Combined Forms

  • Tehillim 132: (וְעֵדֹתִי זוֹ אֲלַמְּדֵם) – See Ibn Ezra that this word combines the plural "עדות" with a singular ending "תִי".  [One would have expected "עֵדֹתַי".] Cf. Radak that the cholam is not part of the plural marker, but is simply replacing the shuruk of עֵדוּת.
  • Devarim 29:59 (וְהִפְלָא י״י אֶת מַכֹּתְךָ) – One would have expected either "מַכָּתְךָ" or "מַכֹּתֶךָ". Here, too, Ibn Ezra suggests that this might be a combined form, "לשון יחיד עם רבים מורכבת".
  • Shemot 18:26 (וְכׇל הַדָּבָר הַקָּטֹן יִשְׁפּוּטוּ הֵם) – See R. Hirsch that the unusual form "יִשְׁפּוּטוּ" might be a combination of the plural "ישפטו" and singular  "‏‎‏ישפוט".‎‏42  Cf. Ibn Ezra that this might be a pausal form.