# ו used to mean "with"



## Sharjeel72

Hi,

Is ו being used in the sense of "with" in אני ונערתי אצום כן?

לֵךְ כְּנוֹס אֶת כָּל הַיְּהוּדִים הַנִּמְצְאִים בְּשׁוּשָׁן וְצוּמוּ עָלַי וְאַל תֹּאכְלוּ וְאַל תִּשְׁתּוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים לַיְלָה וָיוֹם גַּם אֲנִי וְנַעֲרֹתַי אָצוּם כֵּן וּבְכֵן אָבוֹא אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר לֹא כַדָּת וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי אָבָדְתִּי.

Thanks


----------



## shalom00

Why can't it simply mean "and" here?


----------



## Abaye

"and" and "with" significantly overlap each other in Hebrew like in many languages. Is there anything special about "ו" in this specific Esther verse that makes it look not as a usual "ו" = "and"?


----------



## Ali Smith

Yes, because if it meant “and” the verb would have to be in the plural, i.e. נצום.


----------



## shalom00

That's not a strong argument. You could say the same about 'with'.
However, the commentators noted the difference, and explained that Esther, as the queen, is considered the significant actor, and her servants are only secondary.
In fact, "and" here serves the same purpose as "with".


----------



## Ali Smith

shalom00 said:


> That's not a strong argument. You could say the same about 'with'.
> However, the commentators noted the difference, and explained that Esther, as the queen, is considered the significant actor, and her servants are only secondary.
> In fact, "and" here serves the same purpose as "with".


Who are these commentators? If you could provide references I would be most grateful.


----------



## shalom00

Ali Smith said:


> Who are these commentators? If you could provide references I would be most grateful.


Daat Mikra writes,
"אצום - בלשון יחיד, משום שהעיקר הוא אסתר, והנערות טפלות לה (ושיעור הכתוב: גם אני אצום עם נערותי)"​


----------



## Sharjeel72

Thank you. Are there any other examples of this phenomenon occurring in the Hebrew Bible?


----------



## Ali Smith

Sharjeel72 said:


> Thank you. Are there any other examples of this phenomenon occurring in the Hebrew Bible?


וְשָׁמְע֖וּ לְקֹלֶ֑ךָ וּבָאתָ֡ אַתָּה֩ וְזִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֗יִם וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י הָֽעִבְרִיִּים֙ נִקְרָ֣ה עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה נֵֽלְכָה־נָּ֞א דֶּ֣רֶךְ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְנִזְבְּחָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
(שמות ג יח)

And they will heed your voice. Then you with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt and will say to him, "Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews has met with us. So now, please let's go on a three-day journey into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.

וּבָאתָ֡ אַתָּה֩ וְזִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל is another example of ו being used in the sense of _with_.


----------

