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נָקֹד but נְקֻדִּים in Gen. 30:32-39
Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2015 10:40 pm
by Isaac Fried
We notice that the singular נָקֹד = נק-הוּא-ד, 'spotted', is punctuated with an O, yet the plural נְקֻדִּים = נק-הוּא-ד-הם is punctuated with an U. The dagesh in the letter ד D of נְקֻדִּים testifies, in my opinion, to the fact that this U reading was already established at the time of the NAQDANIYM.
Isaac Fried, Boston University
Re: נָקֹד but נְקֻדִּים in Gen. 30:32-39
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 7:57 pm
by Isaac Fried
We have also the מָתוֹק MAOQ, 'sweet', with an O (for the PP הוּא, 'he'), as in Judges 14:18
מַה מָּתוֹק מִדְּבַשׁ
NIV: What is sweeter than honey?
and Isaiah 5:20
הוֹי הָאֹמְרִים לָרַע טוֹב וְלַטּוֹב רָע שָׂמִים חֹשֶׁךְ לְאוֹר וְאוֹר לְחֹשֶׁךְ שָׂמִים מַר לְמָתוֹק וּמָתוֹק לְמָר
NIV: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.
Yet in Ps. 19:9-11 it is מְתוּקִים with an U
מִשְׁפְּטֵי יהוה אֱמֶת צָדְקוּ יַחְדָּו הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז רָב וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים
NIV: The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
The lack of dagesh in the letter ק of וּמְתוּקִים (as well as in the letter פ of צוּפִים) implies, methinks, that this וּ is ancient.
Isaac Fried, Boston University