Page:Introductory Hebrew Grammar- Hebrew Syntax (1902).djvu/61

 THE ADJECTIVE

§ 30. The adj. as attribute, being virtually in apposition to the noun, is placed after it, and agrees with it in gend., numb., and case. Gen. 21:8 וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל he made a great feast; 20:9 הֵבֵאתָ עָלַי הֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה thou hast brought on me a great sin; Is. 5:9 בָּתִּים רַבִּים לְשַׁמָּה many houses shall be desolate. It also agrees in determination, being without the Art. if its noun be indef., but having the Art. if the noun be determined in any way (by Art., def. gen. or suff.). Gen. 21:8; 20:9 above. 2 K. 4:9 אִישׁ אלהים קָדוֹשׁ a holy man of God; 1 S. 12:22 שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל his great name; 17:13 שְׁלשֶׁת בְּנֵי יִשַׁי הַגְּדֹלִים the three eldest sons of Jesse; Is. 8:7 מֵי הַנָּהָר הָֽעֲצוּמִים the many waters of the River. If there be several adj. the concord of all is the same; Is. 27:1 בְּחַרְבּוֹ הַקָּשָׁה וְהַגְּדוֹלָה וְהַֽחֲזָקָה with his sore and great and strong sword.

The concord of the adj. when pred. is the same as when it is qualificative, though liable to be less exact. The position of pred. in the sentence is also variable (§ 103 seq.). The pred. is usually indefinite.

§ 31. The adj. having no dual is used in plur. with dual nouns; Is. 35:3 בִּרְכַּיִם כּֽשְׁלוֹת failing knees; 42:7 לִפְקֹחַ עֵינַיִם עִוְרוֹת to open blind eyes; Ex. 17:12 וִידֵי משֶׁה כְּבֵדִים the hands of M. were heavy (hand mas. only here, cf. Ez. 2:9). Gen. 29:17, 1 S. 3:2, Ps. 18:28; 130:2, Pr. 6:17, 18.

With collectives agreement may be grammatical in the sing., or ad sensum in the plur.; 1 S. 13:15 הָעָם הַנִּמְצְאִים עִמּוֹ the people that were present with him; but in v. 16 העם הַנִּמְצָא. § 115.

With the plur. of eminence the adj. is usually sing.; Is. 19:4 אֲדֹנִים קָשֶׁה a harsh master. Ps. 7:10 אלהים צַדִּרק righteous God; but in some parts of the Hex. (E) plur.,