?למה אין מִצְרִים בתנ"ך

The gentilic מִצְרִים (without the definite article ה) does not occur in the Bible. In places where it is required by the context or the syntax, the vocalized form מִצְרַיִם is used instead. Fortunately, 4QExodm occasionally reads מצריים” the Egyptians” instead of the MT מִצְרַיִם. This is surely the required form in these cases, while the Hebrew pronunciation traditions of the Bible do not reflect the form intended in the consonantal text.