This is why the masorim added vowel-markings to the consonantal text, to indicate how the text was and always had been vocalised. The word is pronounced 'asitim, but the way, not “asiteem” and certainly not 'asitam and it is the same as עֲשִׂיתִים 'asitim (“I made them”), merely being spelt defectively (i.e. without the usual yod of the plural ending); this kind of defective spelling is far from unique, there being a number of other examples—e.g. צִוִּיתִם tzivitim (“I commanded them”) in Sh'mot 32:8, D'varim 9:12 & 28:8 and Yirm'yahu 29:23; as a matter of fact, the word עֲשִׂיתִים is never used in the Scriptures with the full spelling!

Incidentally, the word עֲשִׂיתִם occurs again at Y'shayahu 42:16—how would your messy-antic translate that verse, I wonder???


http://mordochai.tripod.com - פרופ' מָרְדֳּכַי בֶּן-צִיּוֹן, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל

Last Edited By: ProfBenTziyyon Wed, 23-May-12 22:47:44. Edited 1 times.