Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Paul Zellmer <zellmer AT cag.pworld.net.ph>]

Isaiah 1:19 reads:

'iM-To'BuW uW$Ma`TeM +uWB Hf'fReC To'K"LuW

Using the summary "profiles" of the discourse types in Bryan
Rocine's grammar, and recognizing this passage as predictive
narrative, I see To'BuW as yiqtol in a dependent clause, giving it
the function of relative non-past background information.  To'K"LuW
is "X-yiqtol," which Bryan calls "topicalization," or highlighting.
In this case, +uWB Hf'fReC is "topicalized."  What I'm not quite
sure how to handle is the weqatal, uW$Ma`TeM.

Translations treat this the same way as the yiqtol in the dependent
clause, and that is how I've always treated it before.  Yet I could
also see a case for it being a description of how To'BuW would
express itself.  I.e., I could see a case for "If you are willing by
obeying..."

A similar construction is found in verse 20, with the same
possibilities.

What think ye?

Paul
--
Paul and Dee Zellmer, Jimmy Guingab, Geoffrey Beltran
Ibanag Translation Project
Cabagan, Philippines

zellmer AT faith.edu.ph