Why "energic nun" tag in אֲבָרֲכֶךָּ (Psa 145:2)

[TYA]

Great day all,

 

Can someone explain why there is an "energic nun" tag in the final kaf here (see attached)?  This is no so for the example directly above it (Psa 63:5) in the screenshot.

 

Thanks

Edited March 27, 2019 by TYA

[Helen Brown]

I have reported it to the corrections email and also copied Dr. Salisbury at the Groves Institute. There may be a reason for it as it is also in BHS-T and MT-ETCBC.

[Michel Gilbert]

Hi Toma,

 

The explanation is in GKC § 58i. Compare the pausal form יְבָרֲכֶנְהוּ in Psalm 72:15 with אֲבָרֲכֶךָּ in Ps 145:2, which has an assimilated נ .

 

GKC is Wilhelm Gesenius, Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar, ed. E. Kautzsch and A. E. Cowley, 2d, Accordance electronic ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910).

 

Also see 31.7.2 Energic Non-Perfective Forms in Bruce K. Waltke and Michael P. O’Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax, Accordance electronic ed. (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1990). 

 

Both say that energic nun can be assimilated.

 

Regards,

 

Michel

[TYA]

The explanation is in GKC § 58i. Compare the pausal form יְבָרֲכֶנְהוּ in Psalm 72:15 with אֲבָרֲכֶךָּ in Ps 145:2, which has an assimilated נ .

 

Thank you for this helpful explanation, Michel. Do you mean above,

 

"Compare the pausal form יְבָרֲכֶנְהוּ which has an assimilated נ"?

 

I could understand the nun being assimilated there in Psa 72:15.  But since the nun doesn't exist in אֲבָרֲכֶךָּ, would this be called by another term (not unassimilated), I suppose?

 

In other words, I'm understanding the concept of assimilation, so far as the nun is actually present.  What accounts for it being absent in Psa 145:2, and yet, somehow still considered to be there as "energic nun"?

Edited March 27, 2019 by TYA

[Michel Gilbert]

Hi again,

 

Assimilation is a term from first semester of first year Hebrew, explained for instance, in GKC §19b ff:

 

"[§ 19b]          2. Assimilation usually takes place when one consonant which closes a syllable passes over into another beginning the next syllable, and forms with it a strengthened letter, as illustris for inlustris, affero for adfero, συλλαμβάνω for συνλαμβάνω. In Hebrew this occurs,

[§ 19c]            (a) most frequently with נ, e.g. מִשָּׂם (for min-šām) from there, מִזֶּה (for min-zè) from this, יִתֵּן (for yintēn) he gives.

[§ 19f]            In all these cases, instead of the assimilated letter, a Dageš forte appears in the following consonant."

 

This is GKC's definition of energic nun: "[§ 58i] 4. A verbal form with a suffix gains additional strength, and some times intentional emphasis, when, instead of the mere connecting vowel, a special connecting-syllable (ăn) is inserted between the suffix and the verbal stem. Since, however, this syllable always has the tone, the ă is invariably (except in the 1st pers. sing.) modified to tone-bearing Sᵉghôl. This is called the Nûn energicum [energic nun]."

 

So, those who tagged אֲבָרֲכֶךָּ recognized the form —ֶךָּ as an energic nun, only the נ is assimilated in this case.

 

For morphology I really can't do more than direct you to GKC.

 

Regards,

 

Michel

[TYA]

This is most helpful, Michel--especially when you give the Hebrew examples מִשָּׂם and מִזֶּה.

 

As for the tagging, I suppose that is open to debate in this rarer instance.  I know that Gesenius et al. sometimes debate, or theorize on what is actually taking in the Hebrew in rare situations, including energic / paragogic letters.  But your answers shine light on this situation for sure.  I really appreciate it.

 

I also find it interesting that the DSS reads אברככה instead of אֲבָרֲכֶךָּ, so perhaps no "energizing" of an assimilated nun as far as DSS is concerned there.

Edited March 28, 2019 by TYA

[Helen Brown]

Thank you Michel, and to Dr. Salisbury who wrote back to me:

 

The "energic Nun" makes it presence known by the strong Dagesh in the final Kaf.  Otherwise there is no reason for the Dagesh in the final Kaf.

There are 89 such occurrences of an Energic Nun that assimilated into final Kaf suffix, giving it a Dagesh forte.

This is consistent with all of the grammars.

Blessings,

SKS

********

Here are the 89 occurrences:

gn12:1,14.1 )AR:)/E75K.F00

gn26:3,6.2 ):ABFR:K/E92K.F

gn49:25,3.2 YA(:Z:R/E81K.F

gn49:25,6.2 YBF74R:K/E80K.F

ex7:2,6.1 ):ACAW./E92K.F

nu6:25,5.2 YXUN./E75K.F00

nu24:22,9.1 T.I$:B./E75K.F00

dt4:36,6.2 YAS.:R/E92K.F

dt8:5,12.1 M:YAS.:R/E75K.F00

dt12:14,17.1 M:CAW./E75K.F00

dt12:28,9.1 M:CAW./E92K.F

dt23:5,21.2 QA75L:L/E75K.F00

dt24:13,10.2 B"75R:AK/E92K.F

dt31:6,17.1 YA(AZ:B/E75K.F00

dt31:8,11.1 YA75(AZ:B/E92K.F

js1:5,17.1 )E(EZ:B/E75K.F00

ju4:22,12.2 )AR:)/E80K.F

1s9:26,13.2 ):A$AL.:X/E92K.F

1s11:1,16.2 NA(AB:D/E75K.F00

1s12:10,20.2 NA(AB:D/E75K.F00

2s2:22,11.1 )AK./E33K.FH03

2s11:12,10.1 ):A$AL.:X/E92K.F

1k12:4,16.2 NA(AB:D/E75K.F00

1k18:10,23.1 YIM:CF)/E75K.FH00

1k20:34,20.1 ):A$AL.:X/E92K.F

2k2:2,20.1 )E(EZ:B/E92K.F

2k2:4,18.1 )E(EZ:B/E92K.F

2k2:6,17.1 )E(EZ:B/E92K.F

2k3:14,21.1 )ER:)/E75K.F00

2k4:30,9.1 )E(EZ:B/E92K.F

is10:24,14.1 YAK./E80K.FH

is26:9,7.1 ):A$A75X:AR/E92K.F

is38:18,4.1 T.OWD/E73K.F

is38:18,6.1 Y:HAL:L/E92K.F

is43:5,10.1 ):AQAB.:C/E75K.F00

is44:2,7.1 YA(:Z:R/E92K.F

is49:7,24.2 Y.IB:XFR/E75K.F00

je1:17,11.1 ):ACAW./E92K.F

je22:24,19.1 )ET.:Q/E75N:K.F00

je30:11,24.1 ):ANAQ./E75K.F00

je33:3,3.2 )E(:EN/E92K.F

je40:15,21.1 YAK./E74K.FH

je46:28,27.1 ):ANAQ./E75K.F00

hb2:17,4.1 Y:KAS./E80K.F

zc1:9,11.1 )AR:)/E73K.F

1c28:20,20.1 YA75(AZ:B/E80K.F

2c10:4,15.2 NA75(AB:D/E75K.F00

ps7:8,3.1 T.:SOWB:B/E92K.F

ps20:3,5.1 YIS:(FD/E75K.F00

ps22:23,6.1 ):AHAL:L/E75K.F00

ps30:13,9.1 )OWD/E75K.F00

ps35:18,6.1 ):AHA75L:L/E75K.F00

ps63:2,4.1 ):A35$AX:A60R/E71K.F

ps76:11,4.1 T.OWD/E92K.F

ps81:8,3.2 ):AXA60L.:C/E71K.F

ps86:7,3.1 )EQ:RF)/E81K.F

ps88:14,7.1 T:QAD.:M/E75K.F00

ps118:28,3.2 )OWD/E92K.F

ps118:28,5.1 ):AROWM:M/E75K.F00

ps119:175,3.2 T:HA75L:L/E92K.F

ps121:6,4.1 YAK./E81K.FH

ps138:1,7.1 ):AZAM.:R/E75K.F00

ps145:2,3.1 ):ABFR:AK/E92K.F

jb1:11,13.1 Y:BFR:AK/E75K.F00

jb2:5,14.1 Y:BFR:AK/E75K.F00

jb5:1,4.1 (OWN/E92K.F

jb5:19,3.1 YAC.IYL/E92K.F

jb12:7,5.2 TOR/E92K.F

jb12:8,4.2 TOR/E92K.F

jb14:15,3.1 )E75(:EN/E92K.F

jb22:11,7.1 T.:KAS./E75K.F00

jb22:27,3.2 YI$:MF(/E92K.F

jb33:7,4.1 T:BA(:AT/E92K.F

jb33:12,5.1 )E(:EN/E92K.F

jb33:32,8.1 CAD.:Q/E75K.F00

jb36:2,4.2 ):AXAW./E92K.F

jb36:18,9.1 YA+./E75K.F00

jb38:34,6.1 T.:KAS./E75K.F00

jb40:4,4.1 ):A$IYB/E92K.F

jb40:14,3.1 )OWD/E92K.F

pr2:11,5.1 TIN:C:R/E75K.FH00

pr4:6,3.2 TI$:M:R/E92K.F

pr4:6,5.2 TIC.:R/E75K.F00

pr4:8,2.2 T:ROWM:M/E92K.F

pr4:9,7.1 T.:MAG.:N/E75K.F00

pr7:15,7.2 )EM:CF)/E75K.F00

pr9:8,5.1 YI&:NF)/E92K.F

pr9:8,8.2 YE):EHFB/E75K.F00

lm3:57,3.1 )EQ:RF)/E80K.F

********

 

 

Note the actual code for the word after each reference. Until Accordance (and later other software) offered a readable tagged text derived from the Westminster database, this is what scholars had to work with.