Article
In Biblical Hebrew, a term with plural form usually refers to multiple persons or objects. However, Biblical Hebrew
can use the plural form of a word to express many different meanings about a singular entity.
Function
Nouns marked as plural
Common Plural
The common plural expresses more than one of a thing.
Example: 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 plural, but it most often functions as a majestic
plural (see example below).
Example: 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 singular or plural even though they appear in plural 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.
Example: 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 |
Example: 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 plural form for actions that have multiple processes or an action involving a collective noun
(see example Gen 4:10 below, “bloods” = “bloodshed”).
Example: 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. |
Example: 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 plural form can also express a collective, intensive or superlative sense of a singular item (or kind of item).
For example, the noun אֲלֹהִים (God) appears in the plural form but usually refers to the singular entity “God”.
Example: GEN 1:1
| בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים |
| insert transliteration |
| In-beginning he-created God |
| In the beginning God created |
Example: 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 plural nouns in Biblical Hebrew are translated as singular in other
languages. In English, abstract plurals are often singular and have
endings like -ness, -hood, and -ship.
Example: GEN 19:11
| הִכּוּ֙ בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔ים |
| hikku bassanwerim |
| they-hit with-the-blindnesses |
| they struck them with blindness |
Example: 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! |
Generally, plural adjectives (also active and passive
adjectival participles) use the common plural.
Example: DEU 8:12 –– attributive adjective with common plural
| 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 |
Example: JER 33:22 –– adjectival participle with common plural
| 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 plural
A finite verb and/or verbal participle in plural form
indicates that the subject of the verb is plural.
Example: JER 43:7 –– finite verb with common plural
| כִּ֛י לֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה |
| ki lo shom’u beqol yehwah |
| for not they-listened to-voice-of Yahweh. |
| because they did not listen to Yahweh’s voice. |
Example: ??? ??:? –– verbal participle with common plural
| כִּ֛י לֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה |
| insert transliteration [VERBAL PARTICIPLE] |
| for not they-listened to-voice-of Yahweh. |
| because they did not listen to Yahweh’s voice. |
Participles marked as plural
Participles in plural form can generally use the common plural, but not always. A verbal participle in plural form indicates
that the subject of the participle is plural.
Example: SNG 3:8 –– nominal participle with common plural
| כֻּלָּם֙ אֲחֻ֣זֵי חֶ֔רֶב |
| insert transliteration |
| all-them holders-of sword |
| All of them are skilled with a sword |
Example: Job 35:10 –– adjectival participle with majestic plural
| אַ֭יֵּה אֱל֣וֹהַּ עֹשָׂ֑י |
| insert transliteration |
| where God makers-of-me |
| Where is God my Maker |
Example: GEN 4:10 –– verbal participle participle with complex plural [“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 |
Generally, pronouns and suffixes use the common plural.
Example: JOS 2:18 –– independent personal pronoun with common plural
| הִנֵּ֛ה אֲנַ֥חְנוּ בָאִ֖ים בָּאָ֑רֶץ |
| hinneh ‘anahnu va’im ba’arets |
| behold we coming-in in-the-land |
| behold, when we come into the land |
Example: EZR 9:12 –– pronominal suffixes with common plural
| 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 |