Page:Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar (1910 Kautzsch-Cowley edition).djvu/441

 (i) Of the attribute of a person or thing, e.g. ;  a precious stone; cf. ,, , , , , , , and the examples of the genitive with a suffix given in. Such a periphrasis for the expression of attributes frequently occurs, even when the corresponding adjectives are in use. Thus especially very frequently serves as a periphrasis for the adjective  (e.g., ), since  is used almost exclusively in reference to persons (hence also with  and , and with  the name of a person); the only exceptions are , , &c.; , ;  as the predicate of ,  f., and of ,. So also the use of is always confined to persons, except in ; elsewhere the periphrasis with  or  is always used, e.g.,.

In a wider sense this use of the genitive also includes statements of the purpose for which something is intended, e.g., ; , ; cf. 51:17 (the cup which causes staggering), ; finally, also, the description of the material, with which something is laden or filled, e.g.  laden with bread and a bottle of wine (but probably  is to be read for ); cf. ,, &c.

Rem. 1. Certain substantives are used to convey an attributive idea in the construct state before a partitive genitive; thus, as in , i.e. our choicest sepulchres; , , ; other examples are,  the evil of your doings, emphatically, for your evil doings; ,  (=the tall cedars thereof), , .—This is the more common construction with the substantive , for all, the whole, every, see ; it is also frequent with , for few, , &c.

2. To the periphrases expressing attributive ideas (see p above) by means of a genitive construction may be added the very numerous combinations of the construct states, , , and their feminines and plurals (including , used only in the plural), with some appellative noun, in order to represent a person (poetically even a thing) as possessing some object or quality, or being in some condition. In English, such combinations are sometimes rendered by single substantives, sometimes by circumlocution.

Examples:—

(a) Of, &c.; , (but   a man of lips, i.e. a boaster);  = a slanderer, ; , ; , ; , , ; cf. further,, , , , , , ; also , ; in the plural, e.g. ; cf. ,, , 10 ; with , e.g. (but read probably ); , ,.

(b) Of, &c.; , ; , ; cf. ,, (a destroyer), 22:24, 23:2 (disposed to eat, greedy), 24:8; feminine