orthographically retained), for הָֽאֲז׳ Jer 40 (cf. בָּֽאז׳ verse 1); הָֽסוּרִים Ec 4 for הָֽאֲס׳; הָֽרַמִּים 2 Ch 22 for הָֽאֲר׳(cf. 2 K 8).
[e] (2) In the case of the other gutturals either the virtual strengthening takes place (§ 22 c)—especially with the stronger sounds ח and ה, less often with ע—or the strengthening is wholly omitted. In the former case, the Pathaḥ of the article remains, because the syllable is still regarded as closed; in the second case, the Pathaḥ is either modified to Seghôl or fully lengthened to Qameṣ. That is to say:—
[f] A. When the guttural has any other vowel than ā (־ָ) or ŏ (־ֳ), then
(1) before the stronger sounds ה and ה the article regularly remains הַ; e.g. הַהוּא that, הַחֹ֫דֶשׁ the month, הַחַ֫יִל the force, הַחָכְמָה the wisdom. Before ח, ā occurs only in הָחַי Gn 6 [not elsewhere], הָֽחֲרִיטִים Is 3, הָֽחַמָּנִים Is 17 [not elsewhere]; before ה, always in הָהֵ֫מָּה, הָהֵם.
[g] (2) before ע the Pathaḥ is generally lengthened to Qameṣ, e.g. הָעַ֫יִן the eye, הָעִיר the city, הָעֶ֫בֶד the servant, plur. הָֽעֲבָדִים; לָֽעֲגָלִים 1 K 12; also in Gn 10 הָֽעַרְקִי is the better reading. Exceptions are כַּֽעוֹפֶ֫רֶת Ex 15, הַֽעִוְרִים 2 S 5, Is 42, כַּעֶ֫בֶד Is 24, הַעֹֽרְכִים Is 65, בַּע֫שֶׁק Ez 22, הַעֹֽזְבִים Pr 2 and הַעֹזֶ֫בֶת Pr 2, לַֽעֵינַיִם 1 S 16, Ec 11; but לָֽעֵינ׳ Gn 3, Pr 10. Cf. Baer on Is 42.
[h] B. When the guttural has ā (־ָ) then
(1) immediately before a tone-bearing הָ or עָ the article is always הָ, otherwise it is הֶ; e.g. הָעָם the people, הָהָר the mountain, הָעָ֑יִן (in pause) the eye, הָהָ֫רָה towards the mountain; but (according to § 22 c) הֶֽהָרִ֫ים the mountains, הֶֽעָוֹן the iniquity.
[i] (2) before חָ the article is invariably הֶ without regard to the tone; e.g. הֶֽחָכָם the wise man, הֶחָ֫ג the festival.
[k] C. When the guttural has ־ֳ the article is הֶ before חֳ e.g. הֶֽחֳדָשִׁים the months; בֶּֽחֳרָבוֹת in the waste places (without the article בָּֽחֳ׳ bŏḥorābhôth) Ez 33, הֶֽחֳרֵבוֹת Ez 36, cf. 2 Ch 27; but הָ before עֳ, as הָֽעֳמָרִים the sheaves Ru 2.
The gender and number of the noun have no influence on the form of the article.
[l] Rem. 1. The original form of the Hebrew (and the Phoenician) article הַ is generally considered to have been הַל, the ל of which (owing to the proclitic nature of the article) has been invariably assimilated to the following consonant, as in יִקַּח from yilqaḥ, § 19 d. This view was supported by the form of the Arabic article אַל (pronounced hal by some modern Beduin), the ל of which is also assimilated at least before all letters like s and t and before l, n, and r, e.g. ʾal-Qurʾân but ʾas-sắnă (Beduin has-sana)=Hebr. הַשָּׁנָה the year.
