Biblical Hebrew Forum

[ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben Crick)]

On Tue  8 Dec 98 (23:41:02 +0800), zellmer AT cag.pworld.net.ph wrote:
> Doug Kasten asked me for my opinion about the translation of
> WaYYiNNfG`U in Josh 8:15.  He listed several translations, all of
> which translated this niphal form as "let themselves be driven
> back."  This is the only occurrence in the Tanakh of this word in
> the niphal.  His question had to do with the "let themselves."  The
> lexicons I looked in had this self-volition included in the niphal
> meaning of the stem, either explicitly (as does Holladay) or
> implicitly (as does BDB).

 Many years ago in college I did a study on the Battle of Ai in Joshua 8.
 WaYYiNaG:`uW was explained to me by my tutor (J Alec Motyer) as the
 3 m pl Perf Niphal of NG` to smite; the "tolerative Niphal", "they
 allowed themselves to be smitten".

 There is a similar construction in Isaiah 65:1, NiD:RaSh:TiY L:LoW'
 Sha'aLuW  NiMTse'ThiY L:Lo' BiQ:ShuNiY,  where NiD:RaSh:TiY and
 NiMTse'ThiY are likewise "tolerative Niphals": "I allowed myself to be
 consulted by those who did not ask; I let myself be found by them that
 sought me not". Also Isaiah 55:6, B:HiMMaTs:'oW, "while he lets himself
 be found".

 Again in Ezekiel we have the tolerative Niphal: Ha'iDDaRoSh 'iDDaReSh
 LaHeM  "should I indeed let myself be enquired of by them?" (Ezek 14:3);
 also see examples in Ezekiel 20:3, 31; 36:37; and Zephaniah 1:6,
 W:'eTh-HaNN:SoWGiYM, the Niphal participle of SuWG "those allowing
 themselves to turn away...".

 ShaLoWM

 Ben
-- 
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
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