Save "On the noun אִישׁ in Judges 8:1
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וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ אֶפְרַ֗יִם מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְבִלְתִּי֙ קְרֹ֣אות לָ֔נוּ כִּ֥י הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בְּמִדְיָ֑ן וַיְרִיב֥וּן אִתּ֖וֹ בְּחׇזְקָֽה׃

And those in Ephraim’s contingent said to him, “Why did you do that to us—not calling us when you went to fight the Midianites?” And they rebuked him severely.

(The above rendering comes from the RJPS translation—an adaptation of the NJPS translation—showing a slight modification projected for October 2023. Before accounting for this rendering, I will analyze the plain sense of the Hebrew term containing אִישׁ.)


On the “collective” usage of the singular אִישׁ in the context of hostilities, see my comment at 7:23. On its profiling this referent as a contingent of the Israelite forces under Gideon’s command, see my comment at 7:24. Here, there is also an aspect of a parley between two parties; on such usages, see my comment at Josh 9:6.


As for rendering into English, see my comments at Josh 7:24 and at 10:24.

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