רָחְבּוֹ Ex. 25:23

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Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

רָחְבּוֹ Ex. 25:23

Post by Isaac Fried »

We read there
וְעָשִׂיתָ שֻׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים אַמָּתַיִם אָרְכּוֹ וְאַמָּה רָחְבּוֹ וְאַמָּה וָחֵצִי קֹמָתוֹ
NIV: "Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high"
KJV" "Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof"
in which רָחְבּוֹ = רחב-הוּא (in 25:17 it is רָחְבָּהּ = רחב-היא) is from the root רחב, a member of good standing of the root family
רגב, רהב, רחב, רכב, רקב
רחף

The root רחב is a good example for the inclusion of the letter ר of plurality in roots referring to geometrical states of spread out מפוּזרים particles.
Other examples that readily come to mind are
רחב, צר, קרוֹב, רחוֹק, אחוֹר, ארוֹך, קצר, ישר, רם

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: רָחְבּוֹ Ex. 25:23

Post by Isaac Fried »

Needed new Hebrew words are readily coined out of old roots. In spoken Hebrew רַחְפָן = רחף-אן RAXP-AN is 'drone', while רַחֶפֶת = רחף-את RAXEP-ET is 'hovercraft'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
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