§ 16. Of MaqqeÒph and MeÊtheçg.

1. MaqqeÒph (@Qeme i.e. binder) is a small horizontal stroke between the upper part of two words which so connects them that in respect of tone and pointing they are regarded as one, and therefore have only one accent. Two, three, or even four words may be connected in this way, e.g. ~d'ña'-lK' every man, bf,[eñ-lK'-ta, every herb, Gn 1:29, Al-rv,a]-lK'-ta, all that he had, Gn 25:5.

b

Certain monosyllabic prepositions and conjunctions, such as -la, to, -d[; until, -l[; upon, -~[i with, -la; ne, -~ai if, whether, -!mi from, -!P, lest, are almost always found with a following MaqqeÒph, provided they have not become independent forms by being combined with prefixes, e.g. l[;meà~[ime, in which case MaqqeÒph as a rule does not follow. Occasionally MaqqeÒph is replaced by a conjunctive accent (see above, § 9 u, 1 c), as, according to the Masora, in Dt 27:9, 2 S 20:23, Jer 25:30, 29:25, Ec 9:4 in the case of -lK' la ä,; y Ps 47:5, 60:2, Pr 3:12 in the case of -ta,, the objective particle. Longer words are, however, connected by MaqqeÒph with a following monosyllable, e.g. x;n*o-%L'h;t.hi Gn 6:9, !k†e-yhiy>w); Gn 1:7; or two words of more than one syllable, e.g. rf'['-h[†'b.vi seventeen, Gn 7:11. Cf. the Greek proclitics evn( evk( eivj( eiv( w`j( ouv, which are atonic, and lean on the following word.

d

It is divided into: 1. The light MeÊtheçg. This is subdivided again into (a) the ordinary MeÊtheçg of the counter-tone, as a rule in the second (open) syllable before the tone, e.g. ~d'ña'h†' (cf. also such cases as rco-%l,m†,); but also in the third when the second is closed, e.g. ~y[iñB'r>a;h†' (also in such cases as %l,m,h;-db,[†,), and when the third is not suitable for it, even in the fourth (open) syllable before the tone. This MeÊtheçg may be repeated in the fourth syllable before the tone, when it already stands in the second, e.g. ~k,ñyte[†obuv†'. Finally it is always added to the vowel of an open ultima, which is joined by MaqqeÒph to a word beginning with a toneless syllable and so without MeÊtheçg (e.g. laer'f.yI-yn)eB., on the other hand tv,q+'-ypev.rIàhy<h.a†,-aol), or to a word beginning with Sè^ewaÖ before the tone-syllable, e.g. ^ñl.-ym†iàynIòb.-hm†o l{v., &c.; the object being to prevent the Sè^ewaÖ from becoming quiescent.

e

The ordinary light MeÊtheçg is omitted with a movable W copulative, consequently we do not find !ynIb'W(, &c. (nor even ynEb.W(, &c., contrary to b, a; but bh;z:W>(, &c., according to b, d, cf. § 10 g. b).

f

(b) The firm or indispensable MeÊtheçg. (a) With all long vowels (except in certain cases, W copulative, see above), which are followed by a Sè^ewaÖ mobile preceding the tone-syllable; e.g. War>y)iàWnv.y)i, &c. (b) To emphasize a long vowel in a closed syllable immediately before MaqqeÒph, e.g. yli-tv†' Gn 4:25 (not sëoçth–liÖ); hence also with -lK†o y Ps 138:2, and -ta†e Jb 41:26 (for -lK' and -ta,; cf. also -ta†eme Jos 15:18, &c.). (g) with SÍere, which has become toneless through retraction of the tone, in order to prevent its being pronounced as S^eghoÖl, e.g. t[;D+' bh†eaoñ Pr 12:1 (not ‘oÖheçbh). (d) With all vowels before composite Sè^ewaÖ, e.g. dmo[]y:à~yqi[]c(o, &c. (except when the following consonant is strengthened, e.g. WNb,ñQ†.yI Is 62:2, because the strengthening by Dagesë excludes the retarding of the vowel by MeÊtheçg); so in the cases discussed in § 28 c, where a short vowel has taken the place of a HÍatÌeph, as Wdm.[;†y:, &c. (e) In the preformative syllable of all forms of hy:h' to be, and hy:x' to live, when Sè^ewaÖ quiescens stands under the h or x, e.g. hy<h.y)iàhy<x.T†i (yih–yeÊ, tihÌ–yeÊ), &c., cf. § 63 q. (z) With the QamesÌ of the plural forms of tyIB;ñ house (thus ~yTiñB'†' baÖttiÖm, cf. § 96 under tyIB;), and with hN"òa'†² prithee ! to guard against the pronunciation boçttiÖm, oçnnaÒ.— Every kind of light MeÊtheçg may in certain circumstances be changed into a conjunctive accent, e.g. ~yTiBä' 2 Ch 34:11, &c.

g

2. The grave MeÊtheçg (GaÇyaÒ in the more limited sense) is especially employed in the following cases in order more distinctly to emphasize a short vowel or an initial Sè^ewaÖ (a) with the PathahÌ of the article or of the prefixes bÃkÃl, when followed by Sè^ewaÖ under a consonant without Dagesë, e.g. hL'sim.h†;àhL'sim.l†;, &c., but not before y> (before which y: also remains without MeÊtheçg, with the exception of yhiy>w); and yxiy>w);, when they are followed by MaqqeÒph, or accented with PasëtÌaÒ), nor before the tone-syllable of a word, and neither before nor after the common MeÊtheçg; likewise not in words which are connected by a conjunctive accent with the following word; (b) with the interrogative h; with PathahÌ (except when it precedes y>, Dagesë forte or the tone-syllable of the word ), e.g. %leaeh†;. When a Sè^ewaÖ follows the h; and after the Sè^ewaÖ there is an untoned syllable, Baer places the MeÊtheçg to the right of the PathahÌ, e.g. hk'r'b.h;† Gn 27:38 (but ed. Mant. and Ginsb.  äbh†;); (c) with the PathahÌ, or S^egol of the article before a guttural (which cannot take Dagesë), e.g. ~yYIx;h†;à~yrIh'h†,.—The Sè^ewaÖ–GaÇyaÒ ( †Ç) is especially important in the accentuation of the ~¾¾at, for purposes of musical recitation; it stands chiefly in words whose principal tone is marked by a disjunctive without a preceding conjunctive, e.g. hoy"h'wÖ y Ps 1:3.

h

3. The euphonic GaÇyaÒ, to ensure the distinct pronunciation of those consonants which in consequence of the loss of the tone, or because they close a syllable, might easily be neglected, e.g.Al [b†;V'ñYIw: Gn 24:9; ~r'a] hn)'D,ñP; (here to avoid a hiatus) 28:2, or in such cases as lae-x†;Wr† Jb 33:4, &c.; aved>T†; Gn 1:11

i

MeÊtheçg (especially in the cases mentioned in 1, b, a) is a guide to correct pronunciation, since it distinguishes aÒ from oç (except in the case noted in § 9 v, b) and iÖ from iç; e.g. hl'ñk.a†' 'aÒ–kh^elaÒ (she has eaten), but hl'ñk.a' 'oçkhlaÒ (food), since the ¤' stands here in a toneless closed syllable, and must therefore be a short vowel; thus also Wañr>y)i yiÖ–r^e’uÖ (they fear), but wañr>yI yir’uÖ (they see), Wnv.yI)i (they sleep), but Wnv.yI (they repeat). The Jewish grammarians, however, do not consider the syllables lengthened by MeÊtheçg as open. They regard the Sè^ewaÖ as quiescent in cases like hl'k.a†', and belonging to the preceding vowel; cf. Baer, Thorat 'Emeth, p. 9, and in Merx's Archiv, i. p. 60, Rem. 1, and especially Dikdukeha–tÌ^eamim, p. 13.

Footnotes:

¹[1] Cf. as the source of this account of MeÊtheçg, the exhaustive treatment by S. Baer, 'MeÊtheçg-Setzung nach ihren überlieferten Gesetzen,' in A. Merx's Archiv für die wissenschaftl. Erforschung des A. Test., Heft i, Halle, 1867, p. 5:6 ff., and Heft ii. 1868, p. 194 ff.; Baer and Strack, Dikduke ha-tÌ^eamim, p. 30 ff.

²[1] The common form is aN"a†'ñ (as § 105 a), with an accent on both syllables, in which case, according to QimhÌi, the tone is always to be placed on the former. For the above mode of writing and position of the tone cf. Is 38:3, Jon 1:14, 4:2 y Ps 116:4.