@ScottS - You are right - I must have missed the first one in the first triad. I might play around with this a bit more, when I have some time.

@JackDouglas I'm not really too bothered by it, I'm happy to let the community decide through its votes and reviews

@JamesShewey I'd agree, he should've answered rather than edited

@JackDouglas (? doubly ironically) I actually didn't even realize it was incorrect spelling; I assumed that was proper Brit-spell. The comment was drawing on how British English tends to strike Americans, a phenomenon perhaps not so different from how labeling things "academic" strikes you.

@Susan Good to know I can get away with bad spelling on the internet :)

@curiousdannii @JackDouglas @Joseph I would much rather a comment had been left inviting OP to add a reference. The benefit would be twofold: (1) a new user learns how to pose on-topic questions; (2) OP's intent is then clear without second guessing (at best) from well intentioned veterans.

@JamesShewey One can divide the ten plagues of Exodus into three "triads" + a climactic plague. I personally don't find that a compelling analysis, for reasons partially implied in this answer. You'll see I've added back a revised version of Susan's data, because I find it more helpful for thinking about the lexical semantics issue which, I take it, is the central concern.

I think Jon agrees with you (though perhaps his reasons aren't identical)

I do think an edit is a much better way of teaching a new user than a comment though.

@JonEricson what would you say? In this case the edit was too much guesswork, but generally speaking which is best for educating users, an edit or a comment?

@Davïd Thanks for your help with that -- much better.

@JackDouglas That particular case is a bit of a stretch. But I tend to feel edits are more educational. Many people come with the expectation that this site will be a place to talk about the Bible and stuff. Editing to a sharper question helps them see it's not really a discussion, but a place to solve real problems. It's a form of showing and not telling. (Or even better: both! ;-)

thanks, that's very useful to know

"....a place to talk about the Bible and stuff" -- there's some explanatory power in that description of new user expectations.

@Susan Is this question grammatically correct: Why Abraham bound his son Isaac?

@PaulVargas Why did Abraham bind his son Isaac?

We add the "do/did" to make it a question ("did" for past tense), and then the verb form is that of the infinitive minus the word "to".

@Susan I posted this.

@PaulVargas I'm not totally sure what you mean. Because he was alive at that point and he intended to slaughter him? Are you asking if that was a standard way to go about the task?

@Susan The second.

@PaulVargas May be worth added a sentence to explain. It's interesting -- the verb is an unusual one, not standard sacrifice language AFAIK.

@Susan Feel free to edit the question. :D

@Susan Oh! Thanks!