1. I recognise my own non-scholarly position, but find a problem with the above: "The Lion (Masculine) comes up from the Jordan" (Feminine); God makes Him, The Lion, Run Away from the Jordan, because the Jordan is Feminine and The Lion is masculine?Just from a plain reading of the text, I would take the feminine as a reference to the land of Edom. That begins in verse 14 with the first use of the feminine (הִֽתְקַבְּצוּ֙ וּבֹ֣אוּ עָלֶ֔יהָ וְק֖וּמוּ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה) just after mentioning Edom as an object of God’s punishment. I would imagine that verse 19 is continuing that declaration.
2. If the feminine refers to Edom, then God causes the Lion to run away (Hifil Masculine) from Edom. I do have to admit that I am really confused in a way I have not been when it comes to masc and fem pointers.
I really hope I am not having one of those blank brain-less moments.
An interesting but mind boggling reference from Lange (1887 I think) says this: "In a twinkling I will drive him (Edom) from thence", then he gives two scriptural refernces to the word 'Thence' Zephaniah 3:7 coll and Proverbs 12:19. I have to admit he has completely lost me with regard to these two references. Obviously preferring a 3rd person masculine (Neuter) rather than a feminine. He then goes on to say that מֵעָלֶיהָ is to be certainly referred to נְוֵה although this word is elsewhere used as masculine since the idea of country lies at its basis. Isa 27:10 and 33:20.
Keil and Delitzsch agree with Lange above. They say that: "Edom will run from IT" And add the latin Ad Sensum. Meaning, thank goodness I looked this up: "A grammatical construction in which a word’s inflexion is determined by the semantics of the word or words with which it associates, in contravention of what is required by grammar".
chris watts