Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Bryan Rocine" <596547 AT ican.net>]

hi Irene, 

you wrote:

i would like
> to know how tense vs. aspect would affect the translation value of a
> given phrase in BH.
> 
> irene

there are really just too many directions to go to answer such a request.

compare Exo 10:3 and 10:7 both references to the future by virtue of the
adverbial phrase `ad matay and context, the first using qatal and the
second yiqtol.

v. 3  `ad matay me'anta le`anot mipanay

v. 7 `ad matay yihyeh zeh lanu l:moqe$

v. 7 is no problem with a traditional explanation of yiqtol as
present/future: "how long will this (one) be snare to us?"  but v. 3 is
more problematic.  the translation is usually something like "how long will
you refuse to humble (yourself) before me?"  we cannot woodenly apply a
past meaning to such a case or we will entirely misunderstand, something
like "how long have you refused...?"  this use of qatal in future is
evidence, i suppose, of the Proto-Semitic(if there is such a thing)
tenseless permansive or "stative qatal."  most linguists into comparative
Semitics agree that there are in the HB vestiges of an "older" meaning for
the qatal, either older than the meaning which had become standard by the
time of the Biblical writers *or*, say i, older than the Indo-European
Hebraists recognized with their own bias towards tense.  to capture the
"older," stative sense of the qatal i like to translate "how long will you
be a refuser...?"

another case in which the study of tense, aspect, and modality helps us is
in Exo 10:20 re Pharaoh:  vay:xazzeq yhvh 'et leb par:`oh velo' $illax... 
Most English translations use the simple past for both verbs and
conjunction, "And YHWH hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the
children of Israel go."  But the study of tense, aspect and modality has
shown us that the qatal is not used in Biblical narrative to advance the
story time.  What that means is that YHWH did not harden P's heart, *and
then* P did not send forth the people where causation is left dubious.  it
means that  the hardening and the (not) sending are wrapped up in one event
so that causation is now explicit.  i like the KJV best:  "... the LORD
hardened Pharoah's heart so that he would not let..."  

hope you find these meager examples satisfying.

Shalom,
Bryan


B. M. Rocine
Associate Pastor
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13208

315-437-6744(w)
315-479-8267(h)