Semikin
Semikin (סמיכין), or Junctions, is a Masoretic term to denote "approaching, belonging together, connection," of one word with another. Now, when two or more words are associated together through the addition or diminution of a letter or word, or by the interchange of words which are not in the habit of being joined in this manner, and if it only occurs so in one place, the Masorites remark thereon, לית דסמי, i.e. "not extant so joined." Thus, on ודגן ותירש, and corn and wine (Ge 27:37), they remark "not extant so joined," since in all other places where these two words occur the word דגן has not the Vav conjunctive (וי8 8ו החיבור בלי); and thus the Masorah finalis under the letter Vav, p. 28 a, Col 2; Col 3, gives a list of sixty-two pairs, both words of which have Vav conjunctive, and are without parallel. The same remark is made on שית שמיר, briers, thorns (Isa 27:4), since in all other places it is with Vav conjunctive. The sixteen pairs without the Vav conjunctive are given in the Masorah. The same remark is made on שבתין שבת, Sabbatism, Sabbath (Ex 16:23), since in all other passages in which these two words are joined they are inverted. Thus in ver. 23 we read שבתין שבת, but everywhere else שבת שבתון. A list of thirty-nine instances which occur in this connection is given by the Masorah in the part entitled Various Readings (קריאה חלופי). See Frensdorff, Ochlah we- Ochlah, § 253, p. 50, 139 sq.; § 252, p. 50, 138 sq.; § 273, p. 53, 147 sq.; Levita, Massoreth Ha-Massoreth (ed. Ginsburg), p. 212 sq.; Buxtorf, Tiberias, sive Commentarius Masoreticus, p. 258 sq. (B.P.)
