Bible Lexicons

1. The plural is by no means used in Hebrew solely to express a number of individuals or separate objects, but may also denote them collectively. This use of the plural expresses either (a) a combination of various external constituent parts (plurals of local extension), or (b) a more or less intensive focusing of the characteristics inherent in the idea of the stem (abstract plurals, usually rendered in English by forms in -hood, -ness, -ship). A variety of the plurals described under (b), in which the secondary idea of intensity or of an internal multiplication of the idea of the stem may be clearly seen, is (c) the pluralis excellentiae or pluralis maiestatis.

Examples of (a): Plurals of local extension to denote localities in general, but especially level surfaces (the surface-plural), since in them the idea of a whole composed of innumerable separate parts or points is most evident, as שָׁמַ֫יִם‎ (§88d) heaven (cf. also מְרוֹמִים‎ heights of heaven, Isaiah 33:16, Job 16:19; elsewhere מָרוֹם‎); מַ֫יִם‎ water; יַמִּים‎ (the broad surface of the sea) poetically for יָם‎ sea; פָנִים‎ (prop. the side turned towards any one, then) surface in general, usually face; אֲחוֹרִים‎ the back, Exodus 26:12, Exodus 33:23, &c., צַוָּארִים‎ neck nape of the neck^[2]; also מְרַֽאֲשׁוֹת‎ the place at the head, מַרְגְּלוֹת‎ place at the feet; עֲבָרִים‎ place on the other side (of a river); מַֽעֲמַקִּים‎ depth, מֶרְחַקִּים‎ (also מֶרְחָק‎) distance, מִשְׁכָּבִים‎ bed, Genesis 49:4 (unless, with Dillmann, it is to be explained in the sense of double bed, i.e. torus), מִשְׁכָּנִים‎ Psalms 46:5, and מִשְׁכָּנוֹת‎ 43:3, 84:2, 132:5, dwelling (perhaps also אֹֽהָלִים‎ encampment, in passages like 1 Samuel 4:10). The last four belong, however, to poetic style, and are better reckoned amongst the plurals of amplification treated under d–f. So perhaps יְצֻעִים‎ bed (Psalms 63:7, Job 17:13; but Genesis 49:4, Psalms 132:3, &c., in the singular); probably, however, יְצֻעִים‎ (prop. strata) refers to a number of coverings or pillows.

The plural of extension is used to denote a lengthened period of time in עֽוֹלָמִים‎ eternity (everlasting ages).

Rem. The plural of extension includes also a few examples which were formerly explained as simply poetic plurals, e.g. Job 17:1 קְבָרִים לִי‎ graves are (ready) for me, i.e. the place where there are many of them (as it were the graveyard) is my portion, Job 21:32, 2 Chronicles 16:14; cf. 2 Kings 22:20.

Of (b): the tolerably numerous abstract plurals, mostly of a particular form (q^eṭûlîm, qiṭṭûlîm, &c.), may be divided into two classes. They sum up either the conditions or qualities inherent in the idea of the stem, or else the various single acts of which an action is composed. Cf. for the first class, בְּחוּרִים‎ and בְּחוּרוֹת‎ youth, זְקֻנִים‎ old age, נְעוּרִים‎ youth; בְּתוּלִים‎ maidenhood, כְּלוּלוֹת‎ bridal state; מְגוּרִים‎ condition of a sojourner, בְּשָׂרִים‎ fleshliness (only in Proverbs 14:30), חַיִּים‎ life (the abstract idea of the qualities of a living being); שִׁכּוּלִים‎ childlessness, סַנְוֵרִים‎ blindness, עִוְעִים‎ perverseness.

There are also a number of plurals, found almost exclusively in poetry (sometimes along with the singular), which are evidently intended to intensify^[3] the idea of the stem (plural of amplification), as אוֹנִים‎ might, Isaiah 40:26; אֱמוּנִים‎ (as well as אֱמוּנָה‎) and אֱמוּנוֹת‎ faithfulness; אַשְׁרֵי‎ (according to §93l, only in the construct state plural or with suffixes = the happiness of), happy; כּֽוֹשָׁרוֹת‎ (complete) prosperity, Psalms 68:7; בִּינוֹת‎ Isaiah 27:11 and תְּבוּנוֹת‎ Isaiah 40:14, &c. (keen) understanding; עֵצוֹת‎ (true) counsel, Deuteronomy 32:28; דֵּעִים‎ Job 37:16 and דֵּעוֹת‎ 1 Samuel 2:3 (thorough) knowledge; בַּטֻּחוֹת‎ Job 12:6 and מִבְטַחִים‎ Isaiah 32:18 (full) confidence; בְּרָכוֹת‎ (abundant) blessing, Psalms 21:7; גְּבוּרוֹת‎ (exceptional) strength, Job 41:4; הַוּוֹת‎ Psalms 5:10 (very) wickedness; חֲמוּדוֹת‎ Daniel 9:23 (greatly) beloved; חֵמוֹת‎ Psalms 76:11, &c.(fierce) wrath; חֲרָפוֹת‎ Daniel 12:2 (utter) contempt; יְשֻׁעוֹת‎ (real) help, Isaiah 26:18, &c.; מַרְאֹת‎ Genesis 46:2 (an important) vision; מֵֽישָׁרִים‎ uprightness; תַּהְפֻּכוֹת‎ perversity; נְקָמוֹת‎ (complete) vengeance, Judges 11:36, &c.; חֲשֵׁכִים‎ and מַֽחֲשַׁכִּים‎ (thick) darkness; מִסְתָּרִים‎ a (close) hiding-place; נְגִידִים‎ nobility; שְׁמָנִים‎ Isaiah 28:1 fatness; צַחְצָחוֹת‎ (complete) aridity; מַמְתַּקִּים‎ sweetness; מַֽחֲמַדִּים‎ preciousness; שַֽׁעֲשֻׁעִים‎ delight; עֲדָנִים‎ and תַּֽעֲנֻגִים‎ pleasure; רַֽחֲמִים‎ compassion; מְנוּחֹת‎ Psalms 23:2 rest, refreshment; מְהוּמֹת‎ Amos 3:9 tumult. Probably also יְדִידֹת‎ (heartfelt) love, Psalms 45:1; מְרֹרוֹת‎ (extreme) bitterness, Job 13:26; מִרְמוֹת‎ (base) deceit, Psalms 38:13; צְדָקוֹת‎ (true) righteousness, Isaiah 33:15, &c.; שְׁמָחוֹת‎ (the highest) joy, Psalms 16:11. On the other hand, חָכְמוֹת‎ wisdom (Proverbs 1:20, &c.) can hardly be a plural (=the essence of wisdom, or wisdom personified), but is a singular (see §86l).

A further extension of this plural of amplification occurs according to P. Haupt’s very probable suggestion (SBOT. Proverbs, p. 40, line 50, &c.) in יְאֹרִים‎ the great river (of the Nile, generally יְאֹר‎) Isaiah 7:18, Isaiah 19:6 (though with the predicate in the plural), Ezekiel 30:12, Psalms 78:44, but in Isaiah 37:25, Ezekiel 29:3 the usual explanation, arms or channels of the Nile, can hardly be avoided; also in נְהָרוֹת‎ Psalms 24:2 of the ocean, which encircles the earth, 137:1 of the great river, i.e. the Euphrates, but in Isaiah 18:1 נַֽהֲרֵי כוּשׁ‎ is evidently a numerical plural.—In Proverbs 16:13 מְלָכִים‎ (acc. to P. Haupt=the great king) is very doubtful. In נְשִׂיאֵי‎ Ezekiel 19:1 the second yôdh is evidently due to dittography, since ישְׂרָאֵל‎ follows.

The summing up of the several parts of an action is expressed in חֲנֻמִים‎ embalming, כִּפֻּרִים‎ atonement, מִלֻּאִים‎ (prop. filling, sc. of the hand) ordination to the priesthood, שִׁלֻּחִים‎ dismissal, שִׁלֻּמִים‎ retribution, פִּתֻּחִים‎ engraving (of a seal, &c.); אֳהָבִים‎ fornication, זְנוּנִים‎ whoredom, נִֽאֻפִים‎ adultery; נִֽחֻמִים‎ (prop. no doubt, warm compassion) consolation, תַּֽחֲנוּנים‎ supplication, נְדֻדִים‎ Job 7:4 (restless) tossing to and fro, פְּלָאִים‎ wonder Lamentations 1:9, עלֵלוֹת‎ gleaning; perhaps also נְגִינִוֹת‎ Psalms 4:1, Psalms 6:1, &c., if it means the playing on stringed instruments, and שַׁלְמֹנִים‎ Isaiah 1:23 bribery, unless it be a plural of number.^[4]

Of (c): the pluralis excellentiae or maiestatis, as has been remarked above, is properly a variety of the abstract plural, since it sums up the several characteristics^[5] belonging to the idea, besides possessing the secondary sense of an intensification of the original idea. It is thus closely related to the plurals of amplification, treated under e, which are mostly found in poetry. So especially אֱלֹהִים‎ Godhead, God (to be distinguished from the numerical plural gods, Exodus 12:12, &c.). The supposition that אֱלֹהִים‎ is to be regarded as merely a remnant of earlier polytheistic views (i.e. as originally only a numerical plural) is at least highly improbable, and, moreover, would not explain the analogous plurals (see below). That the language has entirely rejected the idea of numerical plurality in אֱלֹהִים‎ (whenever it denotes one God), is proved especially by its being almost invariably joined with a singular attribute (cf. §132h), e.g. אֱלֹהִים צַדִּיק‎ Psalms 7:10, &c. Hence אֱלֹהִים‎ may have been used originally not only as a numerical but also as an abstract plural (corresponding to the Latin numen, and our Godhead), and, like other abstracts of the same kind, have been transferred to a concrete single god (even of the heathen).

To the same class (and probably formed on the analogy of אֱלֹהִים‎) belong the plurals קְדשִׁים‎ the Most Holy (only of Yahweh), Hosea 12:1, Proverbs 9:10, Proverbs 30:3 (cf. אֱלֹהִים קְדשִׁים‎ Joshua 24:19, and the Aram. עֶלְיוֹנִין‎ the Most High, Daniel 7:18, 22, 25); and probably תְּרָפִים‎ (usually taken in the sense of penates) the image of a god, used especially for obtaining oracles. Certainly in 1 Samuel 19:13, 16 only one image is intended; in most other places a single image may be intended^[6]; in Zechariah 10:2 alone is it most naturally taken as a numerical plural. In Ecclesiastes 5:7 גְּבֹהִים‎ supremus (of God) is doubtful; according to others it is a numerical plural, superiores.

Further, אֲדֹנִים‎, as well as the singular אָדוֹן‎, (lordship) lord, e.g. אֲדֹנִים קָשֶׁה‎ a cruel lord, Isaiah 19:4; אֲדֹנֵי הָאָ֫רֶץ‎ the lord of the land, Genesis 42:30, cf. Genesis 32:19; so especially with the suffixes of the 2nd and 3rd persons אֲדֹנֶ֫יךָ‎, אֲדֹנַ֫יִךְ‎ Psalms 45:12, אֲדֹנָיו‎, &c., also אֲדֹנֵ֫ינוּ‎ (except 1 Samuel 16:16); but in 1st sing. always אֲדֹנִי‎.^[7] So also בְּעָלִים‎ (with suffixes) lord, master (of slaves, cattle, or inanimate things; but in the sense of maritus, always in the singular), e.g. בְּעָלָיו‎ Exodus 21:29, Isaiah 1:3, &c.^[8]

On the other hand, we must regard as doubtful a number of participles in the plural, which, being used as attributes of God, resemble plurales excellentiae; thus, עשָֹׁי‎ my Maker, Job 35:10; עשַֹׁ֫יִךְ‎ Isaiah 54:5; עשָֹׁיו‎ Psalms 149:2; עשֶֹׁיהָ‎ Isaiah 22:11; נֽוֹטֵיהֶם‎ stretching them out, Isaiah 42:5; for all these forms may also be explained as singular, according to §93ss.^[9]—נֹֽגְשָׂיו‎ Isaiah 3:12 might also be regarded as another instance, unless it be a numerical plural, their oppressors; moreover, מְרִימָיו‎ him who lifteth it up, Isaiah 10:15 (but read probably מְרִימוֹ‎); שֹֽׁלְחָיו‎ him who sendeth him, Proverbs 10:26, Proverbs 22:21 (so Baer, but Ginsburg שֹֽׁלְחֶ֫ךָ‎), 25:13 (in parallelism with אֲדֹנָיו‎). These latter plurals, however (including מרימיו‎), may probably be more simply explained as indicating an indefinite individual, cf. o below.—For שֹֽׁמְרֶ֫יךָ‎ Psalms 121:5 (textus receptus) and בּֽוֹרְאֶ֫יךָ‎ Ecclesiastes 12:1 (textus receptus) the singular should be read, with Baer. Rem. 1. (a) Coherent substances, &c., are mostly regarded as single, and are, accordingly, almost always represented by nouns in the singular, cf. אָבָק‎ fine dust, אֵ֫פֶר‎ ashes, בַּד‎ linen, בְּדִיל‎ lead, זָהָב‎ gold, כֶּ֫סֶף‎ silver, נְח֫שֶׁת‎ brass, חָלָב‎ milk, יַ֫יִן‎ wine, עָפָר‎ dust, the ground, עֵץ‎ wood. Plurals are, however, formed from some of these words expressing materials in order to denote separate portions taken from the whole in manufacture (plurals of the result) or parts otherwise detached from it; thus, בַּדִּים‎ linen garments; כְּסָפִים‎ silver pieces, Genesis 42:25, 35; נְחֻשְׁתַּ֫יִם‎ (dual) fetters of brass; עֵצִים‎ ligna (timber for building or sticks for burning); also in a wider sense, בְּדִילִים‎ particles of alloy to be separated by smelting, Isaiah 1:25; עֲפָרוֹת‎ fragments of earth, Proverbs 8:26, cf. Job 28:6 עַפְרֹת זָהָב‎ dust of gold.

(b) To the class of plurals of the result belong also a few names of natural products, when represented in an artificial condition; thus, חִטִּים‎ wheat in grain (threshed wheat), as distinguished from חִטָּה‎ wheat (used collectively) in the ear; cf. the same distinction between כֻּסְּמִים‎ and כֻּסֶּ֫מֶת‎ spelt; עֲדָשִׁים‎ and עֲדָשָׁה‎ (the singular preserved only in the Mishna) lentils; שְׂעֹרִים‎ and שְׂעֹרָה‎ barley; also פִּשְׁתִּים‎ linen, פֵּ֫שֶׁת‎ (to be inferred from פִּשְׁתִּי‎) flax.

(c) Finally, the distinction between דָּם‎ blood and דָּמִים‎ requires to be specially noticed. The singular is always used when the blood is regarded as an organic unity, hence also of menstrual blood, and the blood of sacrifices (collected in the basin and then sprinkled), and in Numbers 23:24 of the blood gushing from wounds. On the other hand, דָּמִים‎ as a sort of plural of the result and at the same time of local extension, denotes blood which is shed, when it appears as blood-stains (Isaiah 1:15) or as blood-marks (so evidently in Isaiah 9:4). But since blood-stains or blood-marks, as a rule, suggest blood shed in murder (although דָּמִים‎ also denotes the blood which flows at child-birth or in circumcision), דָּמִים‎ acquired (even in very early passages) simply the sense of a bloody deed, and especially of bloodguiltiness, Exodus 22:1 f., &c.

In some few cases the plural is used to denote an indefinite singular; certainly so in Deuteronomy 17:5 אֶל־שְׁעָרֶ֫יךָ‎ unto one of thy gates; Zechariah 9:9 בֶּן־אֲתֹנוֹת‎ (cf. Song of Solomon 2:9); Exodus 21:22 יְלָדֶ֫יהָ‎ (where evidently only one child is thought of, certainly though in connexion with a contingency which may be repeated); cf. also Ecclesiastes 4:10 (if one of them fall).—So probably also Genesis 8:4, 1 Samuel 17:43, Daniel 2:1, Nehemiah 3:8, Nehemiah 6:2; but not Genesis 19:29, since the same document (Genesis 13:12) makes Lot dwell in the cities of the Jordan valley; in Genesis 21:7 בָּנִים‎ denotes the class with which the action is concerned. In Judges 12:7 instead of the unusual בְּעָרֵי גִלְעָד‎ in the cities of Gilead (formerly explained here as in one of the cities of Gilead) we should most probably read, with Moore (SBOT. Judges, p. 52), בְּעִירוֹ בְּמִצְפֵּה גִלְעָד‎ in his city, in Mizpeh (in) Gilead.

2. When a substantive is followed by a genitive, and the compound idea thus formed is to be expressed in the plural, this is done—

(a) Most naturally by using the plural of the nomen regens, e.g. גִּבּוֹרֵי חַ֫יִל‎ mighty men of valour (prop. heroes of strength), 1 Chronicles 7:2, 9; so also in compounds, e.g. בְּנֵי יְמִינִי‎ 1 Samuel 22:7, as the plur. of בֶּן־יְמִינִי‎ Benjamite; but also

(b) By using the plural of both nouns,^[10] e.g. גִּבּוֹרֵי חֲיָלִים‎ 1 Chronicles 7:5; וּבְבָֽתֵּי כְלָאִים‎ and in prison houses, Isaiah 42:22; cf. Exodus 34:1, &c., שְׁנֵיֽ־לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים‎ two tables of stone (but Exodus 31:18 לֻחֹת אֶ֫בֶן‎); Numbers 13:32, Deuteronomy 1:28, Joshua 5:2, Joshua 6:4, 2 Kings 14:14, 2 Kings 25:23, Isaiah 51:9, Jeremiah 41:16, Ezra 3:3, &c. עַמֵּי הָֽאֲרָצוֹת‎ the people of the country; 2 Chronicles 26:14; so perhaps בְּנֵי אֵלִים‎ sons of God, Psalms 29:1, Psalms 89:7 (according to others sons of gods); or finally even

(c) By using the plural of the nomen rectum;^[11] e.g. בֵּית אָבוֹת‎ Exodus 6:14, Numbers 1:2, 4 ff., &c., as plur. of בֵּית אָב‎ father’s house, family; בֵּית הַבָּמוֹת‎ the houses of the high places, 2 Kings 17:29 (also בָּֽתֵּי הַבָּמוֹת‎ 23:19); בֵּית עֲצַבֵּיהֶם‎ the houses of their idols, 1 Samuel 31:9, Ezekiel 46:24; cf. also Judges 7:25 the head of Oreb and Zeeb, i.e. the heads, &c.

Rem. When a substantive (in a distributive sense) with a suffix refers back to a plural, the singular form of the substantive suffices, since the idea of plurality is already adequately expressed by the suffix, e.g. פִּימוֹ‎ os (for ora) eorum, Psalms 17:10; יְמִינָם‎ their right hand, Psalms 144:8 [so in the English RV.], for hands.