[n] 6. Subjects in the dual are construed with the plural of the predicate, since verbs, adjectives, and pronouns, according to § 88 a, have no dual forms; thus עֵינַ֫יִם, Gn 29 וְעֵינֵי לֵאָה רַכּוֹת and Leah’s eyes were dull; 2 S 24, Is 30, Jer 14, Mi 7, ψ 18, 38 (on the other hand, in 1 S 4 the predicate is in the feminine singular after the subject, and in Mi 4 before it; on both constructions cf. k above); so also אָזְנַ֫יִם ears, 2 Ch 6; יָדַ֫יִם hands, Is 1, Jb 10, 20 (in Ex 17 even with the plural masculine כְּבֵדִים; cf. p); שְׂפָתַ֫יִם lips, 1 S 1, Jb 27; שָׁדַ֫יִם breasts, Ho 9.
[o] 7. Variations from the fundamental rule (see above, a) very frequently occur when the predicate precedes the subject (denoting animals or things[1]). The speaker or writer begins with the most simple form of the predicate, the uninflected 3rd singular masculine, and leaves us without indication as to which of the following subjects (and so which gender or number) is to define the predicate thus left temporarily indefinite.[2] Thus inflexions are omitted in—
(a) The verb, with a following singular feminine, Is 2 וְשַׁח גַּבְהוּת הָֽאָדָם and bowed down shall be the loftiness of man; 9:18, 14:11, 28:18, 47:11; 1 S 25 (see note 1 below); 1 K 8b, 22:36, 2 K 3, Jer 51, Ec 7; with a following plural masc., Is 13 וְעָנָה אִיִּים and there shall cry wolves, &c.; Ju 13 Keth., 20:46, 1 S 1, 4, 2 S 24, 1 K 13, Jer 51, ψ 124, Est 9 (see note 1 below); Gn 1 יְהִי מְאֹרֹת let there be lights; with a following plural feminine, Dt 32, 1 K 11a, Is 8, Jer 13, Mi 2, ψ 57; before collectives and mixed subjects, e.g. Gn 12, 13, 30, 32, &c.; before a following dual, Is 44, ψ 73 (where, however, with the LXX עֲוֹנָ֫מוֹ should be read).
[p] Rem. 1. The instances in which a preceding predicate appears in the plural masculine before a plural (or collective singular) feminine of persons (Ju 21, 1 K 11b), of animals (Gn 30 where however צאֹן may refer specially to male animals) or of things (Lv 26, Jer 13, Ho 14, ψ 16, Jb 3, Ct 6), or before a dual (2 S 4, Zp 3, 2 Ch 15) are to be explained not on the analogy of the examples under o, but from a dislike of using the 3rd plur. fem. imperf., for this is the only form concerned in the above examples (cf., however, Na 3 תְּהִי instead of תִּֽהְיִי); cf. the examples of a following predicate in the 3rd plur. masc., instead of the fem., under t and u, and on an analogous phenomenon in the imperative, see § 110 k.
[q] 2. As in the case of verbs proper so also the verb הָיָה, when used as a copula, frequently remains uninflected before the subject; cf. Gn 5, 39:5,
- ↑ Only rarely does an uninflected predicate precede a personal subject, as 1 S 25 (but הֵבִ֫יאָה should probably be read, as in verse 35); Est 9 (before a plur. mass.). Such examples as Jb 42 are to be explained according to § 121 a.
- ↑ In a certain sense this is analogous to the German es kommt ein Mann, eine Frau, &c.
