Hom ZMG 1878, 708 ff. Müll § 153 Sayce Hbr . ii. 51 Lag M . i. 255 & especially Kraetzschmar Hbr. vi. 298 ff orig. a subst. ‘place’ = أَثَرٌ ( ˒aṯarun ) footstep, mark ˜˜r ( ˒ašar ) (do.), אֲתַר , ܐܰܬܰܪ ( ˒atar ) place , Assyrian ašar , used ( v. Kraetz.) both as a subst. ‘there, where,’ and as a relative of place ‘where’: in Heb. this development has advanced further, and it has become a relative sign generally. The chief objection to this explanation is that it would isolate Heb. from the other Semitic languages, in which pronouns are formed regularly from demonstrative roots ( cf. also Nö ZMG 1886, 738 ). 2. according to Phi St . C. 73 Sperling Nota Rel. im Hebr. 1876, 15–22 for אֲשֶׁל , developed from the relative שׁ ( q.v. ) by (1) the prefixing of either a merely prosthetic א , or, better, a pronominal א (giving rise to אש , the form of the relative in Ph. ), and (2) the addition of the demonstr. root ל [found also in אֵל , אֵלֶּה , הַלָּזֶה ( q.v. ). اَلَّذِى
( ˒allaḏī ) he who , ˜˜ ( ˒əlla ) who ( pl. )]: the main objection to this explanation is the change of ל to ר , which is hardly rendered probable by the comp. of Syriac ܗܳܪܟܳܐ
(
horko
) by side of Targ.
הָלְכָּא
.
1
seems preferable, the primitive root having acquired different significations in the different Semitic languages, and having been weakened in
Heb.
to a mere particle of relation
)
. A
sign of relation
, brining the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause. As a rule
אֲשֶׁר
is a mere
connecting link
, and requires to be supplemented (see the grammars) by a pron. affix, or other word, such as
שָׁם
, defining the nature of the relation more precisely:
e.g.
Gn 1:11
אֲשֶׁר זַרְעֹו־בֹו
lit.
as to which
, its seed is in it
=
in which is its seed,
ψ 1:4
like the chaff
אֲשֶׁר־תִּדְּפֶנּוּ רוּחַ
as to which
, the wind drives it
=
which the wind drives, etc.; & so
שָׁם
…
אֲשֶׁר
=
where
,
מִשָּׁם
…
אֲשֶׁר
=
whence
,
Gn 2:11
;
3:23
;
20:13
etc. Sometimes also (
v. infr
.) the relation expressed by it is specifically temporal, local, causal, etc. More particularly
1. it includes its pronominal antecedent, whether in the
nom.
or obl. cases, as
Nu 22:6
וַאֲשֶׁר תָּאֹר יוּאָר
and
he whom
thou cursest is cursed,
Ex 4:12
and I will teach thee
אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר
that which
thou shalt say; and with particles or prepositions, as
אֵת אֲשֶׁר
(according to the context)
him who …, those who …, that which
…;
לַאֲשֶׁר
to
him who
…
Gn 43:16
, to
those who
…
47:24
, to
that which
27:
8;
מֵאֲשֶׁר
Ju 16:30 2 S 18:8
than those
whom;
Lv 27:24
קָנָהוּ מֵאִתֹּו לַאֲשֶׁר
to him
from whom he bought it,
Nu 5:7
;
Is 24:2
Hom F. Hommel. Müll A. Müller .
Hbr Hebraica. Lag P. de Lagarde, Mittheilungen . Phi F. Philippi.
St H. Steiner. nom. nomen, noun.