Nominal Apposition

Nominal Apposition
§ 29. With a certain simplicity and concreteness of thought the Hebrew said: The altar is brass, the table is wood, instead of the altar is brazen, the table is of wood. Similarly he said: The ark is three storeys, the altar is stones, instead of consists of three storeys. So: the homer is barley; the famine is three years; his judgments are righteousness; I am peace. When, therefore, two nouns stand related to one another in meaning in such a way that they may form the subj. and pred. in a simple judgment or proposition, as, the altar is brass, they may be made to express one complex idea by being placed in apposition, the altar, the brass, for the altar of brass, or, the brazen altar; a homer, barley, for of or in barley. In the former case altar is the principal thing, and brass is explanation; in the other barley is principal, and said to be the permutative (substitute or exchange) for the measure. In many cases appos. is used as in other languages, as, I, the Lord; his servants, the prophets, &c. Apposition is used—(a) In the case of the person or thing and its name. 2 Samuel 3:31 ‏הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד‎ the king David; Numbers 34:2 ‏הָאָרֶץ כְּנַעַן‎ the land Canaan; 1 Chronicles 5:9 ‏הַנָּהָר פְּרָת‎ the river Euphrates, Genesis 14:6 ‏בְּהַֽרְַרָם שֵׂעִיר‎ in their mountain Seir. Genesis 24:4, 1 Samuel 3:1; 1 Samuel 4:1, 1 Kings 4:1; 1 Kings 16:21, 1 Kings 16:24, Ezra 8:21; Ezra 9:1. In such cases as Numbers 34:2, 1 Chronicles 5:9 the gen. is more common, though apposition may seem more logical.
If the personal name be second the nota acc. ‏את‎ or prep. if before the appellative has to be repeated. Genesis 24:4 ‏לִבְנִי לְיִצְחָק‎ to my son Isaac; Genesis 21:10. Genesis 4:2 ‏וַתֹּסֶף לָלֶדֶת אֶת־אָחִיו אֶת־הֶבֶל‎ bore his brother Abel; and ‏את‎ is usual before the proper name even when the appell. wants it, particularly if any word come between them. Isaiah 7:6; Isaiah 8:2, Genesis 22:20-21; Genesis 48:13, Exodus 1:11; Judges 3:15, 1 Kings 11:14. On the other hand, there is no repetition of ‏את‎ or prep. with appell. when second. Genesis 16:3 ‏אֶת־הָגָר שִׁפְחָתָהּ‎ took H. her maid; Genesis 11:31; Genesis 12:5; Genesis 14:16; Genesis 20:14; Genesis 24:59. Genesis 4:8 ‏וַיָּקָם אֶל־הֶבֶל אָחִיו‎ rose up against Ab. his brother.— Genesis 11:28, Judges 8:27, 2 Samuel 7:8, 2 Samuel 7:10, Isaiah 22:20, Cf. Genesis 43:28, 2 Samuel 11:17.
(b) The person or thing and its class. 1 Kings 7:14 ‏אִשָּׁה אַלְמָנָה‎ a woman, a widow (widow woman); 2 Kings 9:4 ‏הַנַּעַר הַנָּבִיא‎ the prophetical youth (not, the youthful prophet); Exodus 24:5 ‏זְבָחִים שְׁלָמִים‎ sacrifices (of) peace-offerings (gen. ‏זִבְחֵי שׁ׳‎ later). Deuteronomy 22:23, 1 Samuel 2:13, 2 Samuel 10:7. Genesis 21:20 a shooter, a bowman, and Genesis 6:17 the flood, waters; the second word merely explains the archaic or unusual first.
(c) The thing and its material, which may also be considered the individual and its general class. 2 Kings 16:17 ‏הַבָּקָר הַנְּחשֶׁת‎ the brazen oxen; Deuteronomy 16:21 ‏אְַשֵׁרָה כָּל־עֵץ‎ an Ashera (of) any wood; Exodus 39:17 ‏הָֽעְַבֹתֹת הַזָּהָב‎ the cords (of) gold; Exodus 28:17 four ‏טוּרִים אֶבֶן‎ rows (of) stones (gen. Exodus 39:10); 2 Chronicles 4:13, two rows pomegranates, Ezekiel 22:18, 1 Chronicles 15:19, Zechariah 4:10.—1 Chronicles 28:18 ‏הַכְּרוּבִים זָהָב‎ the cher. (of, in) gold, Leviticus 6:10. In 2 Kings 16:14 rd. perh. abs. ‏המזבֵּחַ‎; but cf. 2 Kings 23:17.
(d) The measure, weight, or number, and the thing measured, weighed, or counted. 2 Kings 7:1, 2 Kings 7:16, 2 Kings 7:18 ‏סְאָה סֹלֶת וְסָאתַיִם שְׂעֹרִים‎ a seah flour and two seahs barley, Genesis 18:6, Rth_2:17 ‏כְּאֵיפָה שְׂעֹרִים‎ about an ephah of barley. Exodus 29:40 ‏רְבִעִית הַהִין יַיִן‎ the fourth of a hin of wine; ib. a tenth of fine flour, Numbers 16:39, Exodus 9:8; Exodus 16:33, Numbers 22:18, 1 Kings 18:32, Leviticus 6:20.—Genesis 41:1 ‏שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים‎ two years of time, 2 Samuel 13:23;Genesis 24:13 ‏שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים רָעָב‎ 7 years of famine; ib. ‏שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים דֶּבֶר‎ 3 days of pestilence. Genesis 29:14, Numbers 11:20, Deuteronomy 21:13, 2 Kings 15:13; Genesis 45:11, 1 Chronicles 21:12, Ezekiel 38:17, Daniel 11:13; Ezekiel 3:4 100,000 rams, wool (fleeces), but 1 Samuel 16:20 is not an ass-load of bread, but an ass laden with b. (text dubious).—1 Kings 16:24 ‏בְּכִכְּרַיִם כֶּסֶף‎ for two talents of silver, 2 Kings 5:23, cf. 2 Kings 5:17; 1 Samuel 17:5.
With different order, Nehemiah 2:12 ‏אנשׁים מְעַט‎ men, few, Isaiah 10:7; Numbers 9:20 ‏ימים מִסְפָּר‎ days, a number (many), 2 Samuel 8:8; 2 Samuel 24:24, 1 Kings 4:29. Exodus 27:16 a curtain of 20 cubits.
(e) Even the thing and its quality (regarded as its substance or class), or anything which, being characteristic, may serve as specification or explanation of it. 1 Kings 22:27 ‏מַיִם לַחַץ‎ water of distress (scanty as in stress); Psalms 60:3 ‏יַיִן תַּרְעֵלָה‎ wine of reeling; Proverbs 22:21 ‏אְַמָרִים אֱֶמֶת‎ words of truth, Zechariah 1:13, Isaiah 3:24 work of crisping, Daniel 8:13. Ezekiel 18:6 ‏אִשָּׁה נִדָּה‎. 1 Kings 6:7.
The usage receives large extension in the predicative form. Genesis 11:1 the earth was one tongue; Genesis 14:10 the vale was pits, pits (full of p.), Isaiah 5:12 their feast is harp, &c., Psalms 45:8 all thy garments are myrrh and cassia, Ezra 10:13 the season was rains. Genesis 13:10, 2 Samuel 17:3, 1 Kings 10:6, Isaiah 7:24; Isaiah 65:4, Jeremiah 24:2; Jeremiah 48:38, Micah 5:5, Ezekiel 2:8; Ezekiel 27:36, Zechariah 8:13, Psalms 10:5; Psalms 19:10; Psalms 25:10; Psalms 55:22; Psalms 92:9; Psalms 109:4; Psalms 110:3; Psalms 111:7; Psalms 120:7, Proverbs 3:17; Proverbs 8:30, Job 3:5; Job 5:24; Job 8:9, 2 Chronicles 9:5, Daniel 9:23 (cf. Daniel 10:11).
Rem. 1. The order Dav. the king occurs 2 Kings 8:29; 2 Kings 9:15, and in later style 1 Chronicles 24:31, &c. In 2 Samuel 13:39 rd. ‏וַתֵּכֶל רוּחַ המלך‎ (‏רוח‎ for ‏דוד‎). In other cases the usual order is Isaiah the prophet Isaiah 39:3, Abiathar the priest 1 Samuel 30:7. Hosea 5:13 king Jareb is obscure; Proverbs 31:1 perhaps L. king of Massa.
Rem. 2. Repetition of prep. &c. before proper name has exceptions, Genesis 24:12, 1 Samuel 25:19 (but Sep. om. Nabal, cf. 1 Samuel 25:25), Job 1:8. With my, thy, his people Israel om. is more common.
Rem. 3. In most of the cases a-e the gen. may be used (§ 24), 1 Kings 7:10, 2 Kings 5:5, 1 Chronicles 29:4, 2 Chronicles 8:18; 2 Chronicles 9:9, 2 Chronicles 9:13. Cf. Ezekiel 47:4 ‏מֵי מתנים‎ with ‏מַיִם ברכים‎.
Rem. 4. In cases like 1 Chronicles 28:18 ‏הַכרובים זהב‎ where object is def. and material indef. the latter might be in acc. of specification, cher. in gold; Leviticus 6:10 linen garment (g. in linen); and so cases like Genesis 18:6 three seahs fine flour, though appos. is more natural. Ar. has four ways of connexion: appos.; the prep. min, of (explicative); the gen.; and acc. of specif. Such passages as Psalms 71:7 ‏מַֽחְַסִי עֹז‎ my strong refuge, Ezekiel 16:27 ‏דַּרְכֵּךְ זִמָּה‎ thy lewd way, Habakkuk 3:8, 2 Samuel 22:33, seem cases of appos., the noun being explanatory. Of course the second noun is not gen., but an acc. of limitation is less natural and expressive, and cases like Psalms 38:19 ‏שֽׂנְאַי שֶׁקֶר‎, Psalms 35:19; Psalms 69:5; Psalms 119:86, Ezekiel 13:22 are of a different class (§ 70, 71, R. 2). Leviticus 26:42 ‏בְּרִיתי יַֽעְַקֹב‎, &c., Jeremiah 33:20 ‏ב׳ הַיּוֹם‎ start from the gen. the cov. (of) with Jacob, and when the annexion is broken by the suff. the second noun is loosely left without prep., cf. Jeremiah 33:21. An acc. of specification with proper name or def. noun is improbable. With Ezra 2:62, Nehemiah 7:64, comp. Jeremiah 52:20.
Rem. 5. Some cases of apparent appos. are due to errors of text. Joshua 3:14 om. ‏הברית‎, Joshua 8:11 om. ‏המלחמה‎, cf. Joshua 8:10, as explanatory margins. Joshua 13:5 ‏הארץ הַגִּבְלִי‎ might be like Numbers 34:2 (but Sep. otherwise). Judges 8:32 perhaps ‏עפרַת‎ like Judges 6:24. Isaiah 11:14 rd. ‏בּכֶתֶף‎. Jeremiah 8:5 om. Jerus. and Ezekiel 45:16 om. ‏הארץ‎, both with Sep.
Rem. 6. The word ‏כל‎ all instead of taking gen. is often placed in appos., 2 Samuel 2:9 ‏ישׂראל כֻּלֹּה‎, Is. all of it, 1 Kings 22:28, Isaiah 9:9; Isaiah 14:29, Isaiah 14:31, Jeremiah 13:19, Micah 2:12; often in Ezek., 11 15; Ezekiel 14:5; Ezekiel 20:40, &c. The archaic form of suff., as 2 Samuel 2:9, is common, Isaiah 15:3; Isaiah 16:7, Jeremiah 2:21; Jeremiah 8:6, Jeremiah 8:10; Jeremiah 20:7 (Jeremiah 15:10 rd. ‏כֻּלְּהֶם קִֽלְַלוּנִי‎ or ‏כֻּלַּהַם‎).—In such phrases as 1 Samuel 4:10 ‏וַיָּנֻסוּ אִישׁ לְאֹֽהָלָיו‎ each is in appos. to subj. in the verb (pl. tents except Judges 20:8, 2 Kings 14:12 K'th.). In prose the plur. verb mostly precedes, but in higher style often follows, Isaiah 13:8, Isaiah 13:14.
Rem. 7. An anticipative pron. sometimes precedes the subj. or obj., which then stands in appos. with the pron.; Exodus 2:6 ‏וַתִּרְאֵהוּ את־הַיֶּלֶד‎ and she saw him, the child, Ezekiel 10:3 ‏בְּבֹאוֹ הָאִישׁ‎ when he came, the man. Exodus 7:11; Exodus 35:5, Leviticus 13:57, Joshua 1:2, 1 Kings 21:13 (2 Kings 16:15), Jeremiah 31:2, Ezekiel 3:21; Ezekiel 42:14; Ezekiel 44:7, Psalms 83:11, Proverbs 5:22, Son_3:7, 1 Chronicles 5:26; 1 Chronicles 9:22, Ezra 3:12; Ezra 9:1, Daniel 11:11, Daniel 11:27.—In 1 Kings 19:21 Sep. wants "the flesh," and in Jeremiah 9:15 "this people." The usage is common in Aram., and prevails in later style; it appears in Proverbs 1:1-33; Proverbs 2:1-22; Proverbs 3:1-35; Proverbs 4:1-27; Proverbs 5:1-23; Proverbs 6:1-35; Proverbs 7:1-27; Proverbs 8:1-36; Proverbs 9:1-18, Proverbs 10:1-32; Proverbs 11:1-31; Proverbs 12:1-28; Proverbs 13:1-25; Proverbs 14:1-35; Proverbs 15:1-33; Proverbs 16:1-33; Proverbs 17:1-28; Proverbs 18:1-24; Proverbs 19:1-29; Proverbs 20:1-30; Proverbs 21:1-31; Proverbs 22:1-29, but not in 25-29.
Rem. 8. When the same word is repeated in appos. intensity of various kinds is expressed; e.g. the superl. of adj., 1 Samuel 2:3 very proudly, Isaiah 6:3 most holy, Ecclesiastes 7:24 very deep. With nouns Genesis 14:10, Exodus 8:14, 2 Kings 3:16 pits, pits (sheer pits), Judges 5:22, John 4:14.—With words of time the idea of continuity, constancy, Deuteronomy 14:22 ‏שׁנה שׁנה‎ year by year. Often with prep. ‏ב‎, Deuteronomy 15:20 ‏שׁנה בְשׁנה‎, 1 Samuel 1:7, Numbers 24:1, Judges 16:20, 2 Kings 17:4. Comp. Deuteronomy 2:27 always by the road, Deuteronomy 16:20 always righteousness. Exodus 23:30, Deuteronomy 28:43.
(2) With Numerals the idea of distribution; Genesis 7:2 seven, seven (by sevens), Genesis 7:3, Genesis 7:9, Genesis 7:15, Joshua 3:12, Isaiah 6:2; sometimes with and, 2 Samuel 21:20, 1 Chronicles 20:6. Genesis 32:16 each flock separately; 2 Kings 17:29; 2 Kings 25:15.
(3) When words are joined by and the idea of variety is expressed; Deuteronomy 25:13-14 stone and stone (divers weights), Psalms 12:2, 1 Chronicles 12:34, Proverbs 20:10. The usage is very common in later style to express respective, various, several, 1 Chronicles 28:14 the respective services; 1 Chronicles 28:15 the several lamp-stands; 1 Chronicles 28:16 the various tables. 1 Chronicles 26:13, 2 Chronicles 8:14; 2 Chronicles 11:12; 2 Chronicles 19:5, &c., Ezra 10:14, Nehemiah 13:24, Esther 1:8, Esther 1:22, and often. With ‏כל‎ prefixed, Esther 2:11, 2 Chronicles 11:12 (also post-Biblical).