I have expressed a guarded opinion here before that the tsere is a compromise mark for an (earlier?) patax. Some Hebrew was possibly more partial to A then to E.
I find some support for this claim in Deut. 32:28
כִּי גוֹי אֹבַד עֵצוֹת הֵמָּה
NIV: "They are a nation without sense"
where אֹבַד OBAD is with a patax, not the usual tsere, OBED.
In verse 32
אַשְׁכְּלֹת מְרֹרֹת לָמוֹ
אַשְׁכְּלֹת is written with patax under the letter aleph (and with the expected dagesh in the letter kaf), as in Gen. 40:10, not a segol.
Isaac Fried, Boston University
The interchangeability of tsere and patax, Deut. 32:28
Forum rules
Members will observe the rules for respectful discourse at all times!
Please sign all posts with your first and last (family) name.
Members will observe the rules for respectful discourse at all times!
Please sign all posts with your first and last (family) name.
-
Isaac Fried
- Posts: 1783
- Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm
-
Isaac Fried
- Posts: 1783
- Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm
Re: The interchangeability of tsere and patax, Deut. 32:28
Today, I was listing to a very experience reader recite the story of creation, when he suddenly made a mistake in Gen. 3:12
וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי הִוא נָתְנָה לִּי מִן הָעֵץ וָאֹכֵל
reading וָאֹכַל WAOKAL with a patax, but was immediately restored into the correct reading WAOKEL, with a tsere.
Isaac Fried, Boston University
וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי הִוא נָתְנָה לִּי מִן הָעֵץ וָאֹכֵל
reading וָאֹכַל WAOKAL with a patax, but was immediately restored into the correct reading WAOKEL, with a tsere.
Isaac Fried, Boston University