Number Plural

Висновок

The множина form of a term refers to two or more of that item.

Визначення

In Biblical Hebrew, a term with множина form usually refers to multiple persons or objects. However, Biblical Hebrew can use the множина form of a word to express many different meanings about a однина entity.

Форма

Nouns and adjectives

Жіночий множина nouns and adjectives usually end in וֹת- (holem waw + taw).

Чоловічий множина nouns and adjectives usually end in ־ִים (hireq-yod + final mem).

Plural Noun Paradigm

Синтаксичний аналіз	Іврит	Транслітерація	Переклад
чоловічий множина absolute	סוּסִים	susim	stallions
чоловічий множина construct	סוּסֵי	suse	stallions of
жіночий множина absolute	סוּסוֹת	susoth	mares
жіночий множина construct	סוּסוֹת	susoth	mares of

Plural Adjective Paradigm

Синтаксичний аналіз	Іврит	Транслітерація	Переклад
чоловічий множина absolute	טוֹבִים	tovim	good
чоловічий множина construct	טוֹבֵי	tove	good
жіночий множина absolute	טוֹבוֹת	tovoth	good
жіночий множина construct	טוֹבוֹת	tovoth	good

Other terms

Besides nouns, a множина term can be recognized by a variety of changes to the form. These changes differ greatly from each other and are hard to sum up in a simple, helpful way. This paradigm shows a sample of the kinds of changes that signal a множина form for verbs, independent personal pronouns, the direct object marker with a pronominal suffix, and pronominal suffixes.

Qal Suffix Conjugation Plural Forms

Синтаксичний аналіз	Іврит	Транслітерація	Переклад
common множина перша особа	קָטַלְנוּ	qatalnu	we killed
друга особа чоловічий множина	קְטַלְתֶּם	qetaltem	you killed
друга особа жіночий множина	קְטַלְתֶּן	qetalten	you killed
common множина третя особа	קָטְלוּ	qatlu	they killed
common множина перша особа	נִקְטֹל	niqtol	we will kill
друга особа чоловічий множина	תִּקְטְל	tiqtelu	you will kill
друга особа жіночий множина	תִּקְטֹלְנָה	tiqtolenah	you will kill
третя особа чоловічий множина	יִקְטְלוּ	yiqtelu	they will kill
третя особа жіночий множина	תִּקְטֹלְנָה	tiqtolenah	they will kill

Independent Personal Pronoun Plural Forms

Синтаксичний аналіз	Іврит	Транслітерація	Переклад
друга особа чоловічий множина	אַתֶּם	„attem	you
друга особа жіночий множина	אַתֵּנָה	„attenah	you
третя особа чоловічий множина	הֵם / הֵמָּה	hem / hemmah	they
третя особа жіночий множина	הֵן / הֵנָּה	hen / hennah	they

Direct Object Marker with Pronominal Suffix Plural Forms

Синтаксичний аналіз	Іврит	Транслітерація	Переклад
друга особа чоловічий множина	אֹתְכֶֶם	„othekhem	you
друга особа жіночий множина	אֹתְכֶֶן	„thekhem	you
третя особа чоловічий множина	אֶתְהֶם / אֹתָם	„ethhem / „otham	them
третя особа жіночий множина	אֶתְהֶן / אֹתָן	„ethhen / „othan	them

Pronominal Suffix Plural Forms

Синтаксичний аналіз	Іврит	Транслітерація	Переклад
друга особа чоловічий множина	לָכֶם / -כֶם	lakhem / -khem	(to) you
друга особа жіночий множина	לָכֶן / -כֶן	lakhen / -khen	(to) you
третя особа чоловічий множина	לָהֶם / -הֶם / - ָם	lahem / -hem / -am	(to) them
третя особа жіночий множина	לָהֶן / -הֶן / - ָן	lahen / -hen / -an	(to) them

Функція

Nouns marked as множина

Common Plural

The common множина expresses more than one of a thing.

Приклад: ECC 10:7

רָאִ֥יתִי עֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־סוּסִ֑ים

ra’ithi „avadim „al-susim

I-have-seen servants on_horses.

I have seen servants on horses.

The term אֲלֹהִים can function as a common множина, but it most often functions as a majestic множина (see example below).

Приклад: JDG 5:8

יִבְחַר֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים

yivhar „elohim hadashim

And-they-chose gods new

When they chose new gods

Complex Plural

Some nouns can be однина or множина even though they appear in множина form. For example, the term שָׁמַיִם can be translated into English as «heaven» or «heavens», and the term מַיִם can be translated in English as «water» or waters», depending on the context.

Приклад: GEN 1:1

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם

bereshith bara „elohim „eth hashamayim

In-beginning he-created God [dir.obj] the-heavens

In the beginning God created the heavens

Приклад: GEN 1:2

וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃

weruah „elohim merahefeth „al-pene hammayim

and-the-Spirit-of God was-moving on_the-face-of the-waters.

The Spirit of God was moving on the surface of the waters.

Biblical Hebrew can use the множина form for actions that have multiple processes or an action involving a collective noun (see example Gen 4:10 below, «bloods» = «bloodshed»).

Приклад: GEN 50:3

כִּ֛י כֵּ֥ן יִמְלְא֖וּ יְמֵ֣י הַחֲנֻטִ֑ים

ki ken yimle’u yeme hahanutim

for so are-filled days-of the-embalmings.

for that was the full time for embalming.

Приклад: JER 13:27

נִֽאֻפַ֤יִךְ וּמִצְהֲלוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ … רָאִ֖יתִי

ni’ufayikh umitshalothayikh … ra’ithi

Your-adulteries and-your-neighings … I-have-seen

I have seen your adultery and neighing

Majestic Plural

The множина form can also express a collective, intensive or superlative sense of a однина item (or kind of item). For example, the noun אֲלֹהִים (God) appears in the множина form but usually refers to the однина entity «God».

Приклад: GEN 1:1

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים

insert transliteration

In-beginning he-created God

In the beginning God created

Приклад: Job 40:15

הִנֵּה־נָ֣א בְ֭הֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתִי
insert transliteration
[dem.part]_[exh.part] behemoth [rel.part]_I-made
Look now at the behemoth	which I made

Abstract Plural

Some множина nouns in Biblical Hebrew are translated as однина in other languages. In English, abstract множинаs are often однина and have endings like -ness, -hood, and -ship.

Приклад: GEN 19:11

הִכּוּ֙ בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔ים

hikku bassanwerim

they-hit with-the-blindnesses

they struck them with blindness

Приклад: GEN 21:7

כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי בֵ֖ן לִזְקֻנָֽיו׃

ki-yaladti ven lizqunayw

for_I-bore son to-his-old-ages

yet I have borne him a son in his old age!

Adjectives marked as множина

Generally, множина adjectives (also active and passive adjectival participles) use the common множина.

Приклад: DEU 8:12 –– attributive adjective with common множина

וּבָתִּ֥ים טֹובִ֛ים תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְיָשָֽׁבְתָּ׃

uvottim towvim tivneh weyashavetta

and-houses good you-will-built and-you-will-live

and when you build good houses and live in them

Приклад: JER 33:22 –– adjectival participle with common множина

וְאֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם מְשָׁרְתֵ֥י אֹתִֽי

insert transliteration

and-[dir.obj]_[def.art]-Levites who-serve [dir.obj]-me

and the Levites who serve before me

Verbs marked as множина

A finite verb and/or verbal participle in множина form indicates that the subject of the verb is множина.

Приклад: JER 43:7 –– finite verb with common множина

כִּ֛י לֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה

ki lo shom’u beqol yehwah

for not they-listened to-voice-of Йагве.

because they did not listen to Йагве’s voice.

Приклад: ??? ??:? –– verbal participle with common множина

כִּ֛י לֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה

insert transliteration [VERBAL PARTICIPLE]

for not they-listened to-voice-of Йагве.

because they did not listen to Йагве’s voice.

Participles marked as множина

Participles in множина form can generally use the common множина, but not always. A verbal participle in множина form indicates that the subject of the participle is множина.

Приклад: SNG 3:8 –– nominal participle with common множина

כֻּלָּם֙ אֲחֻ֣זֵי חֶ֔רֶב

insert transliteration

all-them holders-of sword

All of them are skilled with a sword

Приклад: Job 35:10 –– adjectival participle with majestic множина

אַ֭יֵּה אֱל֣וֹהַּ עֹשָׂ֑י

insert transliteration

where God makers-of-me

Where is God my Maker

Приклад: GEN 4:10 –– verbal participle participle with complex множина [«bloods» = «bloodshed»]

דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ צֹעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י

insert transliteration

bloods-of your-brother crying-out to-me

Your brother’s blood is calling out to me

Personal pronouns and suffixes marked as множина

Generally, pronouns and suffixes use the common множина.

Приклад: JOS 2:18 –– independent personal pronoun with common множина

הִנֵּ֛ה אֲנַ֥חְנוּ בָאִ֖ים בָּאָ֑רֶץ

hinneh „anahnu va’im ba’arets

behold we coming-in in-the-land

behold, when we come into the land

Приклад: EZR 9:12 –– pronominal suffixes with common множина

וְ֠עַתָּה בְּֽנֹותֵיכֶ֞ם אַל־תִּתְּנ֣וּ לִבְנֵיהֶ֗ם וּבְנֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ אַל־תִּשְׂא֣וּ לִבְנֵיכֶ֔ם

we’attah benowthekhem „al-tittenu livnehem uvenothehem „al-tis’u livnekhem

And-now your-daughters not_give to-their-sons and-their-daughters not_take for-your-sons

So now, do not give your daughters to their sons; do not take their daughters for your sons