WEQATAL NONVOLITIVE
Studium Biblicum Franciscanum
sbfnet at netvision.net.il
Sun Feb 28 00:32:26 EST 1999
Dear Peter Kirk,
Thanks for your comment.
I have tried to show that predictions (as the announcements of the plagues)
as well as instructions (as Exod. 26:1 ff.) use non-volitive x-yiqtol,
continued by weqatal. Weqatal usually appears in a chain. A chain of
weqatal's represents the mainline in direct speech when the time reference
is the future.
The direct-speech chain of weqatal corresponds to the narrative chain of
wayyiqtol. One could compare Exod. 26:1 ff. (God's instructions) with Exod.
36:8 ff. (execution of those instructions). You might have a look at my
_Syntax_ ##58, where I compared those texts.
This is how I see the situation. I think BH distinguish weqatal from
weyiqtol, and the difference is: simple, non-volitive future, also
including modalities (can, may), versus volitive (comprising promise).
I do not quite understand what do you mean by "matrix of the priestly
blessing" and "the blessing itself"?
Blessing is invoking or wishing God's mercy on someone. It is not the same
as benediction--like, "You are blessed, o Lord..." *barukh 'attâ...*--which
is indicative (non volitive). The versions translate Num. 6:24-26 with
volitive forms-- LXX *eulogêsai*; Vulg. *benedicat*; RSV "The Lord bless
you".
Have you different ideas?
Peace.
Alviero Niccacci
On 02/26/99 (Re[2]: WEQATAL NONVOLITIVE) Peter Kirk wrote:
> Dear Prof. Niccacci,
>
> Thank you for your helpful and clear explanations on this list.
>
> I was rather surprised by your explanation of weqatal as non-volitive.
> I have recently worked through the instructional and legal material in
> Exodus-Deuteronomy. There there are many x-yiqtol followed by weqatal
> sequences, e.g. Exodus 26:1ff with its repeated t.a(:a&eh and
> w:(f&iytf. I had assumed that these sequences were in some sense
> volitional, i.e. instructions, rather than simply predictions. But
> according to your theory these are non-volitive. How do you account
> for this?
>
> Surely also the matrix for the priestly blessing, Numbers 6:23,27, as
> well as the blessing itself, is volitive?
>
> Peter Kirk
Studium Biblicum Franciscanum Tel. +972 - 2 - 6282 936
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