in poetic style, the attributive relation is expressed by simple co-ordination.[1]
[c] The governing substantive or pronoun is frequently (in certain cases always) resumed by a pronominal suffix or an adverb. The resumption may, however, be omitted, just as in relative clauses introduced by אֲשֶׁר, &c.; see § 138 f.
[d] In Arabic a distinction is made between relative clauses used for the nearer definition of a determinate substantive (ṣila), and those which are attached to an indeterminate substantive (ṣifa). The former must be introduced by the demonstrative pronoun allaḏî, the latter are always simply co-ordinated. The same distinction was no doubt originally observed in Hebrew, since simply co-ordinated relative clauses are most commonly found after indeterminate substantives (see the examples below), and in cases like Dt 28 (גּוֹי אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־תִשְׁמַע לְשֹׁנוֹ a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; cf. Is 66, and especially 1 S 3), the addition of אֲשֶׁר is explained from the special stress laid on the indeterminate substantive,[2] a nation of such a kind, thou understandest not their tongue. On the other hand, in poetic style at least, אֲשֶׁר is somewhat frequently omitted even after a determinate noun, but only rarely in prose (except by the Chronicler; cf. 1 Ch 9, 12, 29 (read prob. אֲשֶׁר for אֶחַד), 2 Ch 15; after כָּל־ 1 Ch 29, 2 Ch 18, 30, 31, Ezr 1, but also Gn 39; for further instances, see Driver, Introd.8, p. 537, no. 30); so Ex 18, Ju 8, 20, 1 K 13 (=which way), so 2 K 3, 2 Ch 18; Neh 13; after a pronominal subject, 1 S 6. In Jer 52 for עָמַד read עֹמֵד with the LXX.
[e] 2. If the nearer definition of a substantive or pronoun is effected by simple co-ordination of the relative clause, it may take the form—
(a) Of a noun-clause, e.g. 2 S 20 a man of the hill country of Ephraim שֶׁ֫בַע שְׁמוֹ whose name was Sheba; Zc 6, Jb 1, 3 with princes זָהָב לָהֶם that had gold; ψ 11, Pr 22; when referring to a noun-suffix, e.g. ψ 49 זֶה דַרְכָּם כֵּ֫סֶל לָ֫סוֹ this is the way of them who have (self-)confidence.—On periphrases of this kind to express negative attributes, as in Jb 38 עַל־אֶ֫רֶץ לֹא־אִישׁ on a land where no man is, see § 152 u, and cf. for this very short form of the relative clause, Gn 15 בְּאֶ֫רֶץ לֹא לָהֶם in a land that belongs not to them; Dt 32 (לַשֵּׁדִים לֹא אֱלֹהַּ); Hb 1, Pr 26 (לֹא־לוֹ).
[f] (b) Of a verbal clause.
Here we must distinguish the cases in which the retrospective pronoun—
(1) Is the subject of the relative clause, and is contained in the
- ↑ The old view that all these cases arise from the omission of אֲשֶׁר is incorrect. These co-ordinated attributive clauses are rather a mere subdivision of the various kinds of circumstantial clauses (see § 156) which may be attached to a nomen regens. Cf. in English this is the letter (which) he wrote to me.
- ↑ So Baumann, op. cit., p. 14 f., following Böttcher, Lehrbuch, ii. 80.
