Grammar:Person/0

Person

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Change of Person

At times Tanakh switches person (from first person to second, or second to third etc.) when it seems unwarranted. In many such cases,  commentators debate the verse's intent, whether a new person is speaking or being addressed, an d if not, why the verse makes it sound as if there is.  Some examples:

• The Decalogue – The first two commandments of the Deaclogue ("I am your God", "You shall have no other gods...") are spoken in first person, with Hashem referring to himself as "I", "me" and the like. The rest of the ten, however, speak of Hashem in third person ("Do not take Hashem's name in vain" rather than: "Do not take My name...")
• Ruth 3 ("אִם תִּגְאַל גְּאָל וְאִם לֹא יִגְאַל הַגִּידָה לִּי") – Compare