§ 124. The Various Uses of the Plural-form.1
Examples of (a): Plurals of local extension to denote localities in general, but especially level surfaces (the surface-plural), since in them the idea of a whole composed of innumerable separate parts or points is most evident, as b
~yIm;ñv' (§ 88 d) heaven (cf. also~ymiArm. heights of heaven, Is 33:16, Jb 16:19; elsewhere~Arm' );~yIm;ñ water;~yMiy: (the broad surface of the sea) poetically for~y" sea;~ynIP' (prop. the side turned towards any one, then) surface in general, usually face;~yrIAxa] the back, Ex 26:12, 33:23, &c.,~yrIaW"c; neck, nape of the neck2; alsotAva]r;m. the place at the head,tAlG>r>m; place at the feet;~yrIb'[] place on the other side (of a river);~yQim;[]m; depth,~yQix;r>m, (alsoqx'r>m, ) distance,~ybiK'v.mi bed, Gn 49:4 (unless, with Dillmann, it is to be explained in the sense of double bed, i. e. torus),~ynIK'v.mi y Ps 46:5, andtAnK'v.mi 43:3, 84:2, 132:5, dwelling (perhaps also~ylih'a)o encampment, in passages like 1 S 4:10). The last four belong, however, to poetic style, and are better reckoned amongst the plurals of amplification treated under d–f. So perhaps~y[icuy> bed (y Ps 63:7, Jb 17:13; but Gn 49:4,y Ps 132:3, &c., in the singular); probably, however,~y[icuy> (prop. strata) refers to a number of coverings or pillows.
The plural of extension is used to denote a lengthened period of time in~ymil'A[) eternity (everlasting ages).
Rem. The plural of extension includes also a few examples which were formerly explained as simply poetic plurals, e. g. Jb 17:1 d
yli ~yrIb'q. graves are (ready) for me, i. e. the place where there are many of them (as it were the graveyard) is my portion, Jb 21:32, 2 Ch 16:14; cf. 2 K 22:20.
Of (b): the tolerably numerous abstract plurals, mostly of a particular form ( d
qetÌuÖliÖm, qitæÌuÖliÖm, &c.), may be divided into two classes. They sum up either the conditions or qualities inherent in the idea of the stem, or else the various single acts of which an action is composed. Cf. for the first class,~yrIWxB. andtArWxB. youth,~ynIquz> old age,~yrIW[n> youth;~yliWtB. maidenhood,tAlWlK. bridal state;~yrIWgm. condition of a sojourner,~yrIf'B. fleshliness (only in Pr 14:30),~yYIx; life (the abstract idea of the qualities of a living being);~yliWKvi childlessness,~yrIwEn>s; blindness,~y[iw>[i perverseness.
There are also a number of plurals, found almost exclusively in poetry (sometimes along with the singular), which are evidently intended to intensify3 the idea of the stem (plural of amplification), as e
~ynIAa might, Is 40:26;~ynIWma/ (as well ashn"Wma/ ) andtAnWma/ faithfulness;yrev.a; (according to § 93 l, only in the construct state plural or with suffixes = the happiness of), happy;tArv'AK) (complete) prosperity,y Ps 68:7;tAnyBi Is 27:11 andtAnWbT. Is 40:14, &c. (keen) understanding;tAc[e (true) counsel, Dt 32:28;~y[iDe Jb 37:16 andtA[De 1 S 2:3 (thorough) knowledge;tAxJuB; Jb 12:6 and~yxij;b.mi Is 32:18 (full) confidence;tAkr'B. (abundant) blessing,y Ps 21:7;tArWbG> (exceptional) strength, Jb 41:4;tAWh; y Ps 5:10 (very) wickedness;tAdWmx] Dn 9:23. (greatly) beloved;tAmxe y Ps 76:11, &c. (fierce) wrath;tApr'x] Dn 12:2 (utter) contempt;tA[vuy> (real) help, Is 26:18, &c.;taor>m; Gn 46:2 (an important) vision;~yrIv'yme uprightness;tAkPuh.T; perversity;tAmq'n> (complete) vengeance, Ju 11:36, &c.;~ykivex] and~yKiv;x]m; (thick) darkness;~yrIT's.mi a (close) hiding-place;~ydIygIn> nobility;~ynIm'v. Is 28:1 fatness;tAxc'x.c; (complete) aridity;~yQiT;m.m; sweetness;~yDIm;x]m; preciousness;~y[ivu[]v; delight;~ynId'[] and~ygInU[]T; pleasure;~ymix]r; compassion;txoWnm. y Ps 23:2 rest, refreshment;tmoWhm. Am 3:9 tumult. Probably alsotdoydIy> (heartfelt) love,y Ps 45:1;tArrom. (extreme) bitterness, Jb 13:26;tAmr>mi (base) deceit,y Ps 38:13;tAqd'c. (true) righteousness, Is 33:15, &c.;tAxm'v. (the highest) joy,y Ps 16:11. On the other hand,tAmk.x' wisdom (Pr 1:20, &c.) can hardly be a plural (= the essence of wisdom, or wisdom personified), but is a singular (see § 86 l).
A further extension of this plural of amplification occurs according to p. Haupt's very probable suggestion (SBOT. Proverbs, p. 40, line 50, &c.) in~yrIaoy> the great river (of the Nile, generallyraoy> ) Is 7:18, 19:6 (though with the predicate in the plural), Ez 30:12,y Ps 78:44, but in Is 37:25, Ez 29:3 the usual explanation, arms or channels of the Nile, can hardly be avoided; alsotArh'n> y Ps 24:2 of the ocean, which encircles the earth, 137:1 of the great river, i. e, the Euphrates, but in Is 18:1vWk yreh]n); is evidently a numerical plural.—In Pr 16:13~ykil'm. (acc. to P. Haupt = the great king) is very doubtful. Inyaeyfin> Ez 19:1 the secondyoÖdh is evidently due to dittography, sincelaer'f.yI follows.
The summing up of the several parts of an action is expressed in f
~yjinUx] embalming,~yrIPuKi atonement,~yaiLumi (prop. filling, sc. of the hand) ordination to the priesthood,~yxiLuvi dismissal,~ymiLuvi retribution,~yxiTuPi engraving (of a seal, &c.);~ybih'a\ fornication,~ynIWnz> whoredom,~ypiaun)i adultery;~ymixun)i (prop. no doubt, warm compassion) consolation,~ynWnx]T; supplication,~ydIdun> Jb 7:4 (restless) tossing to and fro,~yail'P. wonder La 1:9,tAlle[o gleaning; perhaps alsotAnIygIn> y Ps 4:1, 6:1, &c., if it means the playing on stringed instruments, and~ynImol.v; Is 1:23 bribery, unless it be a plural of number.4
Of (c): the pluralis excellentiae or maiestatis, as has been remarked above, is properly a variety of the abstract plural, since it sums up the several characteristics5 belonging to the idea, besides possessing the secondary sense of an intensification of the original idea. It is thus closely related to the plurals of amplification, treated under e, which are mostly found in poetry. So especially g
~yhil{a/ Godhead, God (to be distinguished from the numerical plural gods, Ex 12:12, &c.). The supposition that~yhil{a/ is to be regarded as merely a remnant of earlier polytheistic views (i. e. as originally only a numerical plural) is at least highly improbable, and, moreover, would not explain the analogous plurals (see below). That the language has entirely rejected the idea of numerical plurality in~yhil{a/ (whenever it denotes one God), is proved especially by its being almost invariably joined with a singular attribute (cf. § 132 h), e. g.qyDIc; ~yhil{a/ y Ps 7:10, &c. Hence~yhil{a/ may have been used originally not only as a numerical but also as an abstract plural (corresponding to the Latin numen, and our Godhead), and, like other abstracts of the same kind, have been transferred to a concrete single god (even of the heathen).
To the same class (and probably formed on the analogy of h
~yhil{a/ ) belong the plurals~yvidq. the Most Holy (only of Yahweh), Ho 12:1, Pr 9:10, 30:3 (cf.~yvidq. ~yhiol{a/ Jos 24:19, and the Aram.!ynIAyl.[, the Most High, Dn 7:18, 22, 25); and probably~ypir'T. (usually taken in the sense of penates) the image of a god, used especially for obtaining oracles. Certainly in 1 S 19:13, 16 only one image is intended; in most other places a single image may be intended6; in Zc 10:2 alone is it most naturally taken as a numerical plural. In Ec 5, 7~yhiboG> supremus (of God) is doubtful; according to others it is a numerical plural, superiores.
Further, i
~ynIdoa] , as well as the singular!Ada' , (lordship) lord, e. g.hv,q' ~ynIdoa] a cruel lord, Is 19:4;#r,a'ñh' ynEdoa] the lord of the land, Gn 42:30, cf. Gn 32:19; so especially with the suffixes of the 2nd and 3rd persons^yn<òdoa]Ã %yIn:òdoa] y Ps 45:12,wyn"doa] &c., alsoWnynEòdoa] (except 1 S 16:16); but in 1st sing. alwaysynIdoa] .7 So also~yli['B. (with suffixes) lord, master (of slaves, cattle, or inanimate things; but in the sense of maritus, always in the singular), e. g.wyl'['B. Ex 21:29, Is 1:3, &c.8
On the other hand, we must regard as doubtful a number of participles in the plural, which, being used as attributes of God, resemble plurales excellentiae; thus, k
yvo'[ my Maker, Jb 35:10;%yIv;oñ[ Is 54:5;wyv'o[ y Ps 149:2;h'yv,o[ Is 22:11;~h,yjeAn* stretching them out, Is 42:5; for all these forms may also be explained as singular, according to § 93 ss.9—wyf'g>n*o Is 3:12 might also be regarded as another instance, unless it be a numerical plural, their oppressors; moreover,wym'yrIm. him who lifteth it up, Is 10:15 (but read probablyAmyrIm. );wyx'l.v)o him who sendeth him, Pr 10:26, 22:21 (so Baer, but Ginsburg^x,Lñl.v)o ), 25:13 (in parallelism withwyn"doa] ). These latter plurals, however (includingwymyrm ), may probably be more simply explained as indicating an indefinite individual, cf. o below.—For^yr,ñm.v)o y Ps 121:5 (textus receptus) and^ya,ñr>AB) Ec 12:1 (textus receptus) the singular should be read, with Baer.
Rem. 1. (a) Coherent substances, &c., are mostly regarded as single, and are, accordingly, almost always represented by nouns in the singular, cf. l
qb'a' fine dust,rp,aeñ ashes,dB; linen,lydIB. lead,bh'z" gold,#s,K,ñ silver,tv,xñn> brass,bl'x' milk,!yIy:ò wine,rp'[' dust, the ground,#[e wood. Plurals are, however, formed from some of these words expressing materials in order to denote separate portions taken from the whole in manufacture (plurals of the result) or parts otherwise detached from it; thus,~yDIB; linen garments;~ypis'K. silver pieces, Gn 42:25, 35;~yIT;ñv.xun> (dual) fetters of brass;~yci[e ligna (timber for building or sticks for burning); also in a wider sense,~yliydIB. particles of alloy to be separated by smelting, Is 1:25;tArp'[] fragments of earth, Pr 8:26, cf. Jb 28:6bh'z" trop.[; dust of gold.
(b) To the class of plurals of the result belong also a few names of natural products, when represented in an artificial condition; thus, m
~yJixi wheat in grain (threshed wheat), as distinguished fromhJ'xi wheat (used collectively) in the ear; cf. the same distinction between~ymiS.Ku andtm,S,ñKu spelt;~yvid'[] andhv'd'[] (the singular preserved only in the Mishna) lentils;~yrI[of. andhr'[of. barley; also~yTiv.Pi linen,tv,Peñ (to be inferred fromyTiv.Pi ) flax.
(c) Finally, the distinction between n
~D' blood and~ymid' requires to be specially noticed. The singular is always used when the blood is regarded as an organic unity, hence also of menstrual blood, and the blood of sacrifices (collected in the basin and then sprinkled), and in Nu 23:24 of the blood gushing from wounds. On the other hand,~ymiD' as a sort of plural of the result and at the same time of local extension, denotes blood which is shed, when it appears as blood-stains (Is 1:15) or as blood-marks (so evidently in Is 9:4). But since blood-stains or blood-marks, as a rule, suggest blood shed in murder (although~ymiD' also denotes the blood which flows at child-birth or in circumcision),~ymiD' acquired (even in very early passages) simply the sense of a bloody deed, and especially of bloodguiltiness, Ex 22:1 f., &c.
In some few cases the plural is used to denote an indefinite singular; certainly so in Dt 17:5 o
^yr,ñ['v.-la, unto one of thy gates; Zc 9:9tAntoa]-!B, (cf. Ct 2:9); Ex 21:22h'yd,ñl'y> (where evidently only one child is thought of, though certainly in connexion with a contingency which may be repeated); cf. also Ec 4:10 (if one of them fall).—So probably also Gn 8:4, 1 S 17:43, Dn 2:1, Neh 3:8, 6:2; but not Gn 19:29, since the same document (Gn 13:12) makes Lot dwell in the cities of the Jordan valley; in Gn 21:7~ynIB' denotes the class with which the action is concerned. In Ju 12:7 instead of the unusuald['l.gI yre['B. in the cities of Gilead (formerly explained here as in one of the cities of Gilead) we should most probably read, with Moore (SBOT. Judges, p. 52),d['l.gI hPec.miB. Ary[iB. in his city, in Mizpeh (in) Gilead.
(a) Most naturally by using the plural of the nomen regens, e. g.
Rem. When a substantive (in a distributive sense) with a suffix refers back to a plural, the singular form of the substantive suffices, since the idea of plurality is already adequately expressed by the suffix, e. g. s
AmyPi os (for ora) eorum,y Ps 17:10;~n"ymiy> their right hand,y Ps 144:8 [so in the English RV.], for hands.
Footnotes:
2[1] Cf. the same use of the plural in
3[2] cf. A. Ember, 'The pluralis intensivus in Hebrew,' AJSL. 1905, p. 195 ff.
5[2] The Jewish grammarians call such plurals
6[1] Even in Gn 31:34, notwithstanding the plural suffix in
7[2] On
9[4]