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:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/number_plural.rst
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.. _number_plural:
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Number Plural
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=============
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Summary
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-------
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The plural form of a term refers to two or more of that item.
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Article
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-------
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In Biblical Hebrew, a term with plural form usually refers to multiple persons or objects. However, Biblical Hebrew
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can use the plural form of a word to express many different meanings about a singular entity.
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Form
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----
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Nouns and adjectives
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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:ref:`Feminine<gender_feminine>` plural nouns and adjectives usually end in וֹת- (holem waw + taw).
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:ref:`Masculine<gender_masculine>` plural nouns and adjectives usually end in ־ִים (hireq-yod + final mem).
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.. csv-table:: Plural Noun Paradigm
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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masculine plural absolute,סוּסִים,susim,stallions
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masculine plural construct,סוּסֵי,suse,stallions of
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feminine plural absolute,סוּסוֹת,susoth,mares
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feminine plural construct,סוּסוֹת,susoth,mares of
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.. csv-table:: Plural Adjective Paradigm
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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masculine plural absolute,טוֹבִים,tovim,good
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masculine plural construct,טוֹבֵי,tove,good
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feminine plural absolute,טוֹבוֹת,tovoth,good
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feminine plural construct,טוֹבוֹת,tovoth,good
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Other terms
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~~~~~~~~~~~
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Besides nouns, a plural term can be recognized by a variety of changes
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to the form. These changes differ greatly from each other and are hard
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to sum up in a simple, helpful way. This paradigm shows a sample of the
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kinds of changes that signal a plural form for :ref:`verbs<verb>`, independent :ref:`personal pronouns<pronoun_personal>`,
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the :ref:`direct object marker<particle_direct_object_marker>` with a pronominal suffix,
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and :ref:`pronominal suffixes<suffix_pronominal>`.
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.. csv-table:: Qal Suffix Conjugation Plural Forms
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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common plural first person,קָטַלְנוּ,qatalnu,we killed
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second person masculine plural,קְטַלְתֶּם,qetaltem,you killed
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second person feminine plural,קְטַלְתֶּן,qetalten,you killed
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common plural third person,קָטְלוּ,qatlu,they killed
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common plural first person,נִקְטֹל,niqtol,we will kill
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second person masculine plural,תִּקְטְל,tiqtelu,you will kill
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second person feminine plural,תִּקְטֹלְנָה,tiqtolenah,you will kill
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third person masculine plural,יִקְטְלוּ,yiqtelu,they will kill
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third person feminine plural,תִּקְטֹלְנָה,tiqtolenah,they will kill
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.. csv-table:: Independent Personal Pronoun Plural Forms
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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second person masculine plural,אַתֶּם,'attem,you
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second person feminine plural,אַתֵּנָה,'attenah,you
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third person masculine plural,הֵם / הֵמָּה,hem / hemmah,they
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third person feminine plural,הֵן / הֵנָּה,hen / hennah,they
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.. csv-table:: Direct Object Marker with Pronominal Suffix Plural Forms
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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second person masculine plural,אֹתְכֶֶם,'othekhem,you
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second person feminine plural,אֹתְכֶֶן,'thekhem,you
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third person masculine plural,אֶתְהֶם / אֹתָם,'ethhem / 'otham,them
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third person feminine plural,אֶתְהֶן / אֹתָן,'ethhen / 'othan,them
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.. csv-table:: Pronominal Suffix Plural Forms
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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second person masculine plural,לָכֶם / -כֶם,lakhem / -khem,(to) you
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second person feminine plural,לָכֶן / -כֶן,lakhen / -khen,(to) you
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third person masculine plural,לָהֶם / -הֶם / - ָם,lahem / -hem / -am,(to) them
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third person feminine plural,לָהֶן / -הֶן / - ָן,lahen / -hen / -an,(to) them
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Function
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--------
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:ref:`Nouns<noun>` marked as plural
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.. _number_plural-common:
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Common Plural
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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The common plural expresses more than one of a thing.
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.. csv-table:: Example: ECC 10:7
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רָאִ֥יתִי **עֲבָדִ֖ים** עַל־סוּסִ֑ים
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ra'ithi **'avadim** 'al-**susim**
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I-have-seen **servants** on\_\ **horses**.
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I have seen **servants** on **horses**.
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The term אֲלֹהִים can function as a common plural, but it most often functions as a :ref:`majestic<number_plural-majestic>`
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plural (see example below).
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.. csv-table:: Example: JDG 5:8
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יִבְחַר֙ **אֱלֹהִ֣ים** חֲדָשִׁ֔ים
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yivhar **'elohim** hadashim
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And-they-chose **gods** new
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When they chose new **gods**
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.. _number_plural-complex:
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Complex Plural
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Some nouns can be singular or plural even though they appear in plural form. For example, the term שָׁמַיִם can be translated into
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English as "heaven" or "heavens", and the term מַיִם can be translated in English as "water" or waters", depending on the context.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 1:1
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בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם
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bereshith bara 'elohim 'eth **hashamayim**
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In-beginning he-created God [dir.obj] **the-heavens**
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In the beginning God created the **heavens**
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 1:2
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וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י **הַמָּֽיִם**\ ׃
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weruah 'elohim merahefeth 'al-pene **hammayim**
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and-the-Spirit-of God was-moving on\_the-face-of **the-waters**.
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The Spirit of God was moving on the surface of the **waters**.
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Biblical Hebrew can use the plural form for actions that have multiple processes or an action involving a collective noun
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(see example Gen 4:10 below, "bloods" = "bloodshed").
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 50:3
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כִּ֛י כֵּ֥ן יִמְלְא֖וּ יְמֵ֣י הַחֲנֻטִ֑ים
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ki ken yimle'u yeme **hahanutim**
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for so are-filled days-of **the-embalmings**.
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for that was the full time for **embalming**.
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.. csv-table:: Example: JER 13:27
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נִֽאֻפַ֤יִךְ וּמִצְהֲלוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ ... רָאִ֖יתִי
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**ni'ufayikh umitshalothayikh** ... ra'ithi
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**Your-adulteries and-your-neighings** ... I-have-seen
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I have seen **your adultery and neighing**
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.. _number_plural-majestic:
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Majestic Plural
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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The plural form can also express a collective, intensive or superlative sense of a singular item (or kind of item).
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For example, the noun אֲלֹהִים (God) appears in the plural form but usually refers to the singular entity "God".
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 1:1
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בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים
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insert transliteration
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In-beginning he-created **God**
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In the beginning **God** created
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.. csv-table:: Example: Job 40:15
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הִנֵּה־נָ֣א בְ֭הֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתִי
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insert transliteration
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[dem.part]\_[exh.part] **behemoth** [rel.part]\_I-made
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Look now at **the behemoth**, which I made
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.. _number_plural-abstract:
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Abstract Plural
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Some plural nouns in Biblical Hebrew are translated as singular in other
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languages. In English, abstract plurals are often singular and have
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endings like -ness, -hood, and -ship.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 19:11
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הִכּוּ֙ בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔ים
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hikku **bassanwerim**
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they-hit **with-the-blindnesses**
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they struck them **with blindness**
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 21:7
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כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי בֵ֖ן **לִזְקֻנָֽיו**\ ׃
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ki-yaladti ven **lizqunayw**
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for\_I-bore son **to-his-old-ages**
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yet I have borne him a son **in his old age**!
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:ref:`Adjectives<adjective>` marked as plural
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Generally, plural adjectives (also :ref:`active<participle_active-adjectival>` and :ref:`passive<participle_passive-adjectival>`
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adjectival participles) use the :ref:`common plural<number_plural-common>`.
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.. csv-table:: Example: DEU 8:12 –– attributive adjective with common plural
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וּבָתִּ֥ים **טֹובִ֛ים** תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְיָשָֽׁבְתָּ׃
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uvottim **towvim** tivneh weyashavetta
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and-houses **good** you-will-built and-you-will-live
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and when you build **good** houses and live in them
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.. csv-table:: Example: JER 33:22 –– adjectival participle with common plural
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וְאֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם מְשָׁרְתֵ֥י אֹתִֽי
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insert transliteration
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and-[dir.obj]\_[def.art]-Levites **who-serve** [dir.obj]-me
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and the Levites **who serve** before me
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:ref:`Verbs<verb>` marked as plural
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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A :ref:`finite verb<verb-finite>` and/or :ref:`verbal participle<participle_active-verbal>` in plural form
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indicates that the subject of the verb is plural.
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.. csv-table:: Example: JER 43:7 –– finite verb with common plural
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כִּ֛י לֹ֥א **שָׁמְע֖וּ** בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה
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ki lo **shom'u** beqol yehwah
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for not **they-listened** to-voice-of Yahweh.
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because **they** did not **listen** to Yahweh's voice.
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.. csv-table:: Example: ??? ??:? –– verbal participle with common plural
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כִּ֛י לֹ֥א **שָׁמְע֖וּ** בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה
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insert transliteration [VERBAL PARTICIPLE]
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for not **they-listened** to-voice-of Yahweh.
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because **they** did not **listen** to Yahweh's voice.
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Participles marked as plural
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Participles in plural form can generally use the common plural, but not always. A verbal participle in plural form indicates
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that the subject of the participle is plural.
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.. csv-table:: Example: SNG 3:8 –– :ref:`nominal<participle_active-nominal>` participle with common plural
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כֻּלָּם֙ אֲחֻ֣זֵי חֶ֔רֶב
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insert transliteration
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all-them **holders-of** sword
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All of them **are skilled with** a sword
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.. csv-table:: Example: Job 35:10 –– :ref:`adjectival<participle_active-adjectival>` participle with majestic plural
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אַ֭יֵּה אֱל֣וֹהַּ עֹשָׂ֑י
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insert transliteration
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where God **makers-of**-me
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Where is God my **Maker**
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 4:10 –– :ref:`verbal participle<participle_active-verbal>` participle with complex plural ["bloods" = "bloodshed"]
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דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ צֹעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י
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insert transliteration
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bloods-of your-brother **crying-out** to-me
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Your brother's blood **is calling out** to me
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Personal :ref:`pronouns<pronoun_personal>` and :ref:`suffixes<suffix_pronominal>` marked as plural
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Generally, pronouns and suffixes use the :ref:`common plural<number_plural-common>`.
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.. csv-table:: Example: JOS 2:18 –– independent personal pronoun with common plural
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הִנֵּ֛ה **אֲנַ֥חְנוּ** בָאִ֖ים בָּאָ֑רֶץ
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hinneh **'anahnu** va'im ba'arets
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behold **we** coming-in in-the-land
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"behold, when **we** come into the land"
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.. csv-table:: Example: EZR 9:12 –– pronominal suffixes with common plural
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וְ֠עַתָּה **בְּֽנֹותֵיכֶ֞ם** אַל־תִּתְּנ֣וּ **לִבְנֵיהֶ֗ם וּבְנֹֽתֵיהֶם֙** אַל־תִּשְׂא֣וּ לִבְנֵיכֶ֔ם
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"we'attah **benowthekhem** 'al-tittenu **livnehem uvenothehem** 'al-tis'u **livnekhem**"
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"And-now **your-daughters** not\_give **to-their-sons and-their-daughters** not\_take **for-your-sons**"
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"So now, do not give **your daughters to their sons**; do not take **their daughters for your sons**"
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