§ 787. The place of is sometimes supplied by the preposition in, among, showing that the quality predicated of an object distinguishes it among all those of its class, and consequently exists in the highest degree,* e. g. pe ban the greatest man among

אַלְפִי הַדָּל בִּמְנַשֶׁה וְאָנֹכִי הַצְעִיר בְּבֵית אָבִי .15 :14 .the Anakim, Josh

my family (is) the poorest in Manasseh, and I the least in my father's house, Judg. 6: 15., Dip the least among the nations (and) the most despised among men, Jer. 49: 15., strongest among beasts, Prov. 30: 30.,

the the fairest among women, Cant. 1:8. 5:9. 6:1.; so too when the attribute is con.

I am the most exalted אָרוּם בַּגּוֹיִם אָרוּם בָּאָרֶץ .tained in a verb, e. g

among the nations, I am the most exalted in the earth, Ps. 46: 11.

§ 788. 1. Sometimes, instead of employing either or, the attributive is placed in the close connection of the construct state with the name of the class of objects to which it refers.† As the construction here points out the same relation as that indicated in the preceding case by the preposition (see § 796. 1.), the effect is precisely the same, e. g. the oldest of the priests, Is. 37: 2., (lit. the old men of the priests, those who were old xar' ¿ov in comparison with the rest of the priests, hence the oldest); so terrible of the nations, Ezek. 28: 7.,

the earth, Is. 23: 8. Prov. 30: 24.,

city, 2 Kings 10:6.

the most the most respected of the greatest men of the

2. Sometimes an abstract noun is adopted in this construction in lieu of an attributive (see § 732. 1.), e. g. the goodness of the land of Egypt, i. e. the best of the land, Gen. 45: 18, 20. Is. 1: 19.; so the choicest of his captains, Ex. 15:4. Deut. 12:11. Is. 22:7. Ezek. 24: 4, 5., the best of the

מְרוֹם הָרִים ..... קוֹמַת אֲרָזָיו מִבְחוֹר בְּרְשָׁיו .9,15 : 15 .sheep, 1 Sam

the highest mountains,..... its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses, 2 Kings 19: 23. Is. 37:24.

* The same idiom occurs in New Testament Greek, e. g. svλoynμévn où ev yvvaiživ, thou (art) the most blessed among women, Luke 1: 28.

†This construction is frequent in Arabic, e. g.

O worst of يَا أَشَرِّ الْوُحُوشِ ه

beasts! Loc. fab. 19.,

امة

بير

the best of the people, Kor. 3: 106.; as is also an

equivalent one in Greek and Latin, e. g. doloμýta déan, Hom., sancte deorum,

Virg.

§789. 1. A noun is sometimes qualified superlatively by placing in construction with it a noun conveying the idea of primariness, and hence of superiority, e. g. the chief of my joy, i. e. my chief joy, Ps. 137:6. Cant. 4:14., the beginning of nations, i. e. the first, the greatest nation, Num. 24 : 20. Amos 6: 1,6., the first-born of the poor, i. e. the poorest people, Is. 14:30., the first-born of death, i. e. the most deadly disease,

Job 18: 13.

2. Or by placing it in construction with one of the same kind in the plural, e. g. □ a servant of servants, i. e. a servant of the lowest class, Gen. 9:25., the holy of holies, i. e. the

the God אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וַאֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים .26:33 .most holy place, Ex

of gods and the Lord of lords, i. e. the most exalted of gods and of lords, Deut. 10: 17., vanity of vanities, i. e. the most excessive vanity, folly, Eccl. 1:2. Occasionally the second noun, either the same or synonymous with the first, is put in the singular, e. g. ny the wickedness of your wickedness, i. e. your most vile wickedthe gladness of my joy, i. e. my ex

ness, Hos. 10: 15., treme joy, Ps. 43: 4.

§ 790. The superlative is likewise denoted by an attributive noun with the definite article, which points it out as the object preeminently distinguished above all others of the kind by the quality specified, e. g.

and behold the youngest (is) this day with וְהִנֵּה הַקָּטוֹן אֶת־אָבִינוּ הַיּוֹם

=

our father, Gen. 42: 13. (lit. the young one, scil. as regards us all the youngest), 1 Sam. 17: 14., nghe and the neighbour nearest his house, Ex. 12: 4. (lit. his near neighbour, i. e. he to whom above all the others this appellation belongs, his nearest neighbour), Deut. 21: 3, 6.

B. 791. The absolute superlative, which represents an object as possessed of some quality or attribute in the highest degree of inten. sity, without intimating any comparison with other objects, is expressed in Hebrew by placing the noun in construction with one or other of the appellations of the Deity, thus attributing to it the idea of the highest excellence, e. g. most powerful wrestlings, lit. wrestlings of God, divine wrestlings, Gen. 30: 8.; so a most profound sleep, 1 Sam. 26 : 12.,*a most lofty mountain,

It may be doubted whether this expression should be rendered as above, or rather be taken in its more obvious sense of "divine sleep," i. e. one sent by

הסכימו הוא לאחד משני פנים, : God. Kimhhi has on it the following remarks

Ps. 68: 16.,

the loftiest mountains, Ps. 36:7., the

finest cedars, 80: 11., the finest trees, 104: 16.,

a most powerful flame, Cant. 8 : 6. Sometimes the relation of the two nouns is indicated by prefixing to the last the preposition or apt e. mbi

חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ .3:3 .a most immense city, Jon עִיר גְדוֹלָה לֵאלֹהִים .g .6

a most powerful and strong one, Is. 28:2., min? a most mighty hunter, Gen. 10: 9.

CHAPTER V.

RELATIONS OF NOUNS TO NOUNS.

§ 792. It has already been stated that a noun whether subject or object may be specified either by an attributive or by another noun (§§ 705, 709. 4. b.). The laws respecting the union of adjectives with nouns we have endeavoured to develope in the two preceding chapters. The subject next to be considered is therefore the specification or description of one noun by means of another. This in Hebrew is performed in two different modes, called construction and apposition.

או פרושי תרדמה גדולה, כי הדבר שרצא למגדילו סמוך אתו לאל י"ת כמו מאֵפֶל יָהּ, שַׁלְהֶבֶת יָהּ, כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל, עִיר גְדוֹלָה לֵאלֹהִים, וַתְּהִי לְחַרְבוֹת אֱלֹהִים, או פרושו להודיע כי התרדמה היתה סבא מאת האל כדי שלא ירגישו בדוד ולאבישי

07:01 3 bonpa, i. e. "they (the commentators) have agreed that it has one of these two meanings: either it signifies a deep sleep, since those things which a writer desires to represent as great or powerful he unites to the

; or else it is intended to intimate that the sleep was caused by God, in order that David and Abishai might not be perceived as they took away the cruse and spear." The doubt may be extended to other instances, especially to those in Ps. 68: 16. (comp. v. 17.) and 104: 16. (comp. Num. 24:6.).

†This idiom occurs also in the New Testament, e. g. άorelos tỷ Deų most beautiful, Acts 7:20. Though to this rendering are opposed the Arabic and Syriac versions, which have by God.

193

907

xUÍ Mic bus and foj i beloved

Construction.

§ 793. The means for denoting the specifying relations of noun to noun are position, inflection, and the use of particles; and these expedients are employed sometimes singly and sometimes conjointly. As regards the Hebrew, all the immediate relations which one noun can bear to another, i. e. all that can be expressed without an intervening word, are indicated by the position alone. This consists in a close connection of the two nouns, which both together convey one specific idea, and are nearly equivalent to a compound term in the Indo-European languages. As the specifying noun serves in lieu of a qualificative, it is always placed last (see § 771), thus tree of fruit, i. e. fruit tree, the name of Jehovah.

§794. The close connection that exists between the two words forming the compound expression, frequently gives rise to certain changes in the vowels and final letters of the first or specified noun, which is said to be in the state of construction (see § 567), or the two nouns are said to be in regimen, i. e. in a state where one noun governs the other. But to avoid erroneous conceptions on the subject, it must be constantly borne in mind, that these changes are simply the result of the close connection between the two words, and are by no means essential to the expression of their relations to each other; since this is accomplished by their position alone, and is equally manifest when the specified noun, as is often the case, undergoes no change of form whatever (see § 569). As the changes which do take place and the cases wherein they occur have already been detailed at length in the Etymology, there only remains for us to show, 1st, on what occasions the state of construction, or regimen, is employed; and 2dly, what relations it serves to express.

§795. The Hebrew construct state is not restricted to the uses of the Indo-European genitive, but serves, as we have said, to indicate all the direct relations of nouns to each other. The number of these relations is very great, their precise nature depending chiefly on the cha ⚫racter of the nouns themselves. It would therefore be in vain to attempt a complete enumeration of them; though we may describe the princi. pal ones by arranging them according to the several kinds of nouns which are placed together in this connection. These are as follows:

1. One concrete noun specified by another. 2. A concrete specified by an abstract.

3. An abstract specified by a concrete.

4. An abstract specified by another abstract.

I. When two concrete nouns are in regimen.

§796. 1. The second noun may restrict the meaning of the first by indicating the whole of which it forms a part, e. g. the tops of the mountains, Gen. 8:5., the door of the house,

שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר .4:18 .the horns of the altar, Lev קַרְנוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ .11: 19

the brink of the river, Ex. 2 : 3., in the side of the wall, Josh. 2:5., the socket of the thigh, Gen. 32: 26.,

the sole of the foot, Deut. 2: 5., Pharaoh's heart, Ex. 14:5., 7

the אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר: 155;1 .the heads of your tribes, Deut שִׁבְטֵיכֶם

men of the city, Gen. 24: 13. Deut. 21: 3, 4., the strong men of Moab, Gen. 48: 41. 49: 22. 51:30.

2. Or the material of which it is composed, e. g. in an ark of papyrus, Ex. 2:3., vessels of silver and vessels

of gold, 3:22.,

tablets of stone, 34: 1.,

altar of brass, the brazen altar, 38: 30.,

Ps. 2: 9., Ty a crown of pure gold, 21: 4.

na nar the

a sceptre of iron,

3. a. Or its possessor, him to whom it belongs or is subjected, e. g. the house of God, Gen. 28: 17.,

their father's flock,

Ex. 2:16., in thy enemy's ass, 23:5.; or for whom it is intended, e. g. in the Lord's offering, i. e. the offering to be made to the Lord, Num. 9:7, 13.

b. On the other hand, it may also indicate the thing possessed, the king of Egypt, Ex. 5: 4.,

e. g.

by the owner of the ox, 21:28, 34., the Lord of all the earth, Josh. 3:11., the rulers of the provinces, Esth. 8:9.

9:3.

4. Or the person of whom the first noun indicates a relative, e. g.

the daughter of בַּת בְּתוּאֵל .11:29 .Abram's wife, Gen אֲשֶׁת אַבְרָם

Bethuel, 24: 24., in the sister of Laban, 25: 20.,

the father of Abraham, Josh. 24: 2.,

14:12.

T

Abram's brother, Gen.

§ 797. 1. The second noun specifies the first by indicating its producing cause or author, or the source whence it proceeds, e. g. 7 the words of Jeremiah, Jer. 1: 1. Eccl. 1: 1., in the word of the Lord, Hos. 1:1., the works of the Lord, Ps. 107: 24., Tiểu hon the proverbs of Solomon, Prov. 1: 1., Nạt 27 goats' milk, Prov. 27: 27.,

the gold of Sheba, Ps. 72: 15.,

the blood of grapes, Gen. 49: 11.