Page:Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar (1910 Kautzsch-Cowley edition).djvu/407

 (2) On the sense of motion away from anything depends the use of after such ideas as to take away from, to beware, to be afraid of, to flee, to escape, to hide oneself from (cf. καλύπτω ἀπό, custodire ab), sometimes again in pregnant expressions, e.g. . On the idea of starting from anything depends finally the very frequent causative use of  (cf. our that comes from...), prae, e.g.,.

(e). The two original local meanings of this preposition are upon (ἐπί) and over (ὑπέρ, super).

(1) From the original meaning upon is explained the use of after ideas of commanding, commissioning, &c., inasmuch as the command, obligation, &c., is laid upon the object. The construction is self-evident in the case of to lie, rest, lean, rely, press upon something; cf. also, for the last, such examples as, , , and especially  prop. upon me would it have been, it would have been incumbent upon me, &c.

(2) From the original meaning over is explained the use of after ideas of covering, protecting, guarding, ; also the combinations ..., ,  some one, arise from the idea of a compassionate or protective bending over something. Cf. also  = to fight for some one, i.e. in his defence.

(3) Moreover is used after verbs of standing and going, to express a towering over some one or something, sometimes in phrases, in which the original local idea has altogether fallen into the background, and which are therefore to be rendered in English by means of other prepositions (by, with, before, near), e.g., &c., Pharaoh... stood  (above the water level; cf. ), and so especially  in the pregnant sense to stand serving before some one (prop. over one who sits or reclines at table)  (cf. , where  is used for );  by command before some one, , &c. Cf. also,  near, at (on) the side of some one or something.

(4) From the original meaning above (not, as formerly, explained, on to something, at something) there arise finally all the various constructions with in the sense of towards, against. The original idea (which in many of these constructions has become wholly unrecognizable) starts from the view that the assailant endeavours to take up his position over the person attacked, so as to reach him from above, or to over power him; cf. especially to rise up over, i.e. against some one, then with a transference of