&c., and also Dt 33, 2 S 1, Is 1, ψ 23, &c. Similarly the article is used with terms of measurement, as הָֽאֵפָה Ex 16, &c.: הַחֹמֶר and הַבַּת Ez 45; הָעֹ֫מֶר Ex 16; בַּחֶ֫בֶל 2 S 8.
(c) The expression of abstract ideas of every kind, since they are likewise used to represent whole classes of attributes or states, physical or moral defects, &c.; e.g. Pr 25 (בַּצֶּ֫דֶק); Gn 19 and they smote the men... בַּסַּנְוֵרִים with blindness; Am 4, &c.; but in הַח֫שֶׁךְ Is 60 the article is no doubt due to dittography of the ה, and the parallel וַֽעֲרָפֶל has no article.
[o] (d) Comparisons, since the object compared is treated not (as usually in English) individually but as a general term, e.g. Is 1 white כַּשֶּׁ֫לֶג as snow, כַּצֶּ֫מֶר as wool; red כַּתּוֹלָע like crimson; Is 34 and the heavens shall be rolled together כַּסֵּפֶר as a scroll; cf. Nu 11, Ju 8, 16 as פְּתִיל־הַנְּעֹרֶת a string of tow is broken; 1 S 26, 1 K 14, Is 10, 24, 27, 29, 53, Na 3, ψ 33, 49; cf. also such examples as Gn 19, Ju 14, where the object compared is determined by a determinate genitive which follows (according to § 127 a).
[p] Examples of indeterminate comparisons are rare, and perhaps due only to the Masora,—so at least in the case of singulars, while in such plurals as those in Gn 42, 1 K 10, Jo 2, 7, the omission of the article may be explained by the ordinary rules. On the other hand, the article is regularly omitted when the object compared is already defined by means of an attribute (or relative clause, Jer 23, ψ 17), e.g. Is 16 כְּעוֹף נוֹדֵד קֵן מְשֻׁלָּח as wandering birds, (as) a scattered nest (but cf. 10:14 כַּקֵּן); 14:19, 29:5 כְּמֹץ עֹבֵר (but ψ 1 כַּמֹּץ); Jer 2, Pr 27, Jb 29, 30.—In comparisons with persons also the Masora seems to avoid the use of the article, as in כְּגִבּוֹר Jb 16 and seven other places (כַּגִּכּוֹר only in Is 42), כְּאָב Jb 31, כְּגֶ֫בֶר Jb 38, 40.
[q] 4. Peculiar to Hebrew[1] is the employment of the article to denote a single person or thing (primarily one which is as yet unknown, and therefore not capable of being defined) as being present to the mind under given circumstances. In such cases in English the indefinite article is mostly used.
[r] Thus Am 5 as if a man did flee from a lion (הָֽאֲרִי, i.e. the particular lion pursuing him at the time), and a bear (הַדֹּב) met him, &c., cf. 3:12, 1 K 20 (John 10:12); also Gn 8 f., 14:13 (הַפָּלִיט, i.e. one that had escaped, the particular one who came just then; so also Ez 24, 33; cf. 2 S 15); Gn 15, 11 18:7 the servant, who is regarded as being constantly at hand and awaiting his commands; cf. 2 S 17 (but הַנַּ֫עַר Nu 11 is used like הַפָּלִיט above); Gn 19, unless בַּמְּעָרָה means in the well-known cave; בַּמָּקוֹם Gn 28, according to Dillmann, upon the place suitable for passing the night, or the right place, but it may possibly also refer to the sanctuary of Bethel afterwards so sacred and celebrated; Gn 42, 46, 50, Ex 2, 3, 4, 21 (2 S 23), Lv 23, 24 (Samaritan יִשְׂרְאֵלִי without the article); Nu 17, 21, 9, 25:6, Dt 19, Jos 2, Ju 4, 8, 13, 16, 19, 20, 1 S 17, 19, 21, 2 S 17, 1 K 6, 13 (? most
