Pere, I've started a new thread for your question. The basic question is, as
you stated, why אֶחָד 9 ('one') has seghol and not sere in the first syllable
since, as the first syllable is open, one would expect a long vowel, like sere.
I notice another example of this phenomenon in the word כֶּחָשׁ ('lying').
In these instances, we have to conclude that the first syllable of the word is
actually closed, not open. In both אֶחָד and כֶּחָשׁ, the second consonant is
heth, which often undergoes virtual doubling. We see this occurring when the
definite article is added to a noun beginning with heth. Thus, for both these
nouns, we actually have a double-heth, but it is not actually marked.
GEORGE ATHAS
Moore Theological College (Sydney, Australia)
www.moore.edu.au
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