Rem. The above examples are mostly rendered definite by the article, or by a following genitive of definition, or are proper names. But cases like יָ֫מָּה, הֶ֫רָה, בַּ֫יְתָה show that the locative form of itself possessed a defining power.
[d] (b) In a somewhat weakened sense, indicating the place where something is or happens (cf. § 118 d), e.g. מַֽחֲנָ֑יְמָה in Maḥanaim, 1 K 414; שָׁ֫מָּה there (usually thither, see c), Jer 182, cf. 2 K 238, and the expression to offer a sacrifice הַמִּזְבֵּ֫חָה, properly towards the altar for on the altar. On the other hand, בָּבֶ֫לָה Jer 2915, and זְבֻ֫לָה Hb 311, are to be regarded as ordinary accusatives of direction, to Babylon, into the habitation; also expressions like פְּאַת צָפ֫וֹנָה the quarter towards the north, Jos 155 (at the beginning of the verse, גְּבוּל קֵ֫דְמָה the border toward the east), cf. 1815.20, Ex 2618, Jer 238.
[e] (c) The original force of the ending ־ָה is also disregarded when it is added to a substantive with a preposition prefixed (cf. also עַד־אָ֫נָה how long?), and this not only after לְ, אֶל־ or עַד־ (which are easily explained), e.g. לְמַ֫עְלָה upwards, לְמַ֫טָּה downwards, לִשְׁא֫וֹלָה to Sheol, ψ 918; עַד־אֲפֵ֫קָה unto Aphek, Jos 134, אֶל־הַצָּפ֫וֹנָה toward the north, Ez 814, cf. Ju 2016; but also after ב, and even after מִן, e.g. בַּנֶּ֫גְבָּה in the south, Jos 1521, cf. Ju 142, 1 S 2315.19, 3113, 2 S 2015, Jer 5210; מִבָּבֶ֫לָה from Babylon, Jer 2716; cf. 113, Jos 1036, 1510, Ju 2119, Is 456.
[f] Rem. Old locative forms (or original accusatives) are, according to the Masora, still to be found in
(a) לַ֫יְלָה, in pause לָ֫יְלָה, the usual word in prose for night, which is always construed as masculine. The nominative of this supposed old accusative[1] appeared to be preserved in the form לַ֫יִל, only used in poetry, Is 163, constr. st. לֵיל (even used for the absol. st. in pause Is 2111). Most probably, however, לַיְלָה is to be referred, with Nöldeke and others, to a reduplicated form לילי; cf. especially the western Aramaic לֵילְיָא, Syr. lilya, &c.—Another instance is מְא֫וּמָה something, probably from מְאוּם, מוּם spot, point, generally with a negative=nothing. Similarly אַ֫רְצָה Is 823 and (in pause) Jb 3413, סוּפָ֫תָה Ho 87, and the place-name יַ֫הְצָה 1 Ch 663, might be explained as accusatives. Elsewhere, however, the toneless ־ָה can be regarded only as a meaningless appendage, or at the most as expressing poetic emphasis; thus אָ֫רְצָה (in pause) Jb 3712; הַמָּ֫וְתָה death, ψ 11615; נֶגְדָּה־נָּא ψ 11614.18; נַ֫חְלָה stream, ψ 1244; הַחַשְׁמַ֫לָה amber, Ez 82 [in 14 הַחַשְׁמַל, cf. § 80 k], &c. In Jos 1512 הַיָּ֫מָּה is probably only a scribal error (dittography). In Ju 1418 instead of the quite unsuitable poetic word הַחַ֫רְסָה (towards the sun??) read as in 151 הַחַ֫דְרָה to the bride-chamber.
- ↑ Brockelmann, Sem. Sprachwiss., p. 113, also takes it as such, láylā being properly at night, then night simply. Barth, however (Sprachwiss. Abhandlungen, p. 16, note 1), refers it to an original לַיְלֶה, like אָנָה from אָנֶ֫ה.
