מאת: אבנר רמו
In the Hebrew language there are distinct differences between adjectives and verbs for male and female nouns. For example: איש גדול (ish gadol) - “a great man” (1 Sam 25:2; 2 Sam 19:33; 2 Ki 5:1), versus אשה גדולה (isha gedolah) - “a great woman” (2 Ki 4:8).
In the Book of Jonah we read: ויהוה הטיל רוח גדולה אל הים, ויהי סער גדול בים - - - - “But YHWH hurled a great wind into the sea, and there was a great tempest in the sea” (Jon 1:4). From the adjectives associated we can determine that רוח (ruakh) - “wind” is female noun and
סער (saa’r) - “tempest” is a male noun (see also: Jer 25:32; Jon 1:12).
Yet we read in the Book of Kings:
והנה יהוה עבר ורוח גדולה וחזק מפרק הרים ומשבר סלעים לפני יהוה
“And, behold, YHWH passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before YHWH” (1 Ki 19:11).
However if רוח גדולה - - “a great wind” is a female noun, then we would expect that the other adjective also be of a female form. Therefore instead of חזק (khazaq) there should be חזקה
(khazaqah) - “strong” (e.g. Ex 3:19; 6:1; 13:9; 32:11; Num 20:20; Deu 3:24; 4:34; 5:15; 6:21; 7:8, 19; 9:26; 11:2; 26:8; 34:12; Jos 4:24; 1 Sam 14:52; 2 Sam 11:15; 1 Ki 8:42; Is 27:1; Jer 21:5; 32:21; Eze 3:14; 20:33, 34; 26:17; 30:22; 34:4, 16; Ps 136:12; Dan 9:15; Neh 1:10; 2 Ch 6:32).
Similarly we would expect the verbs associated with the female noun רוח - “wind” to be מפרקת
(mephareqeth) - “rents” and משברת (meshabereth) - “brakes” rather than מפרק (mephareq) and משבר (meshaber) respectively.
In the Book of Job we read: והנה רוח גדולה באה מעבר המדבר, ויגע בארבע פנות הבית - “And, behold, there came a great wind from across the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house” (Job 1:19).
While here the adjective גדולה - “great” and the first verb באה - “came” are appropriate for the female noun רוח - “wind” the second verb יגע (iga’) is associated in all other verses with male nouns (e.g. Gen 32:26; Jud 6:21; 2 Sam 5:8; 1 Ki 19:7; 2 Ki 13:21; Is 6:7; Jer 1:9; Dan 8:18; 10:18). We could have expected to find instead, the female form of the verb: תגע (thiga’) - “touch” (e.g. Ex 19:13; Lev 5:2; 7:21; 12:4; 22:6; 1 Ki 6:27; Job 4:5; Est 5:2).
However, it appears that among the biblical writers the confusion about the gender of רוח - “wind” was quite rampant. It appears as a female noun in many verses (Gen 1:2; 41:8; 45:27; Ex 14:21; 35:21; Num 5:30; 11:26; 14:24; Jos 2:11; Jud 3:10; 6:24; 8:3; 9:23; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14, 19; 1 Sam 10:6, 10; 11:6; 17:13, 14, 15, 16, 23; 18:10; 19:9, 23; 30:12; 1 Ki 21:5; 2 Ki 2:15; Is 19:3; 27:8; 40:7; 41:16; 59:19; 61:3; 63:14; Jer 49:35; Eze 1:4; 2:2; 3:12, 14, 24; 8:3;
11:1, 5, 19, 24; 17:31; 21:12; 36:27; 37:9, 10; 43:5; Jon 1:4; 4:8; Hag 2:5Zec 13:2; Ps 1:4; 51:14, 19; 77:4; 103:16; 143:7, 10; 146:4; Pro 15:13; 17:22; 18:14; 25:23; Job 6:4; 10:12; 17:1; 19:17; 21:4; 32:5, 18; 33:4; 37:21; Ecc 3:21; 12:7; Dan 2:1, 3; Neh 9:20; 1 Ch 12:19; 2 Ch 15:1; 20:14; 24:20). Yet in some other verses רוח - “wind” is treated as a male noun (Ex 10:13, 19; Num 5:14; 11:31; Jos 5:6; 2 Sam 23:2; 1 Ki 18:12; 22:21, 24; 2 Ki 2:16; Is 57:13, 16; Jer 4:11, 12; 51:1; Eze 1:12, 20; 19:12; Hos 13:15; Hab 1:11; Ps 51:12; 55:9; 77:7; 78:39; 148:8; Pro 18:14; Job 4:15; 8:2; 20:3; 41:8; Ecc 1:6; 3:19; 2 Ch 18:20, 23).
There is even one biblical verse where רוח - “wind” appears as both male and female nouns:
רוח איש יכלכל מחלהו; ורוח נכאה מי ישאנה -
“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a broken spirit who can bear?” (Pro 18:14