Biblical Hebrew Forum

[John Ronning <ronning AT ilink.nis.za>]

Bryan Rocine wrote:

>
> if the question is "what do you do?"
> 'elmad `ivrit
>
> "what are you doing?"
> 'ani lomed `ivrit
>

Bryan, if you gave an exam question like this to your students would you
expect them to make this same distinction (would you mark them down for
using the participle in the first example?)?  If Amos were your student,
I suspect he would use the participle:
"I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet (verbless);
for I am (or was) a herdsman (ki boqer 'anoki) and a grower of sycamore
figs (uboles shiqmim)." (7:14)

He can't be talking about what he "is doing right now" since what he is
doing "right now" is prophesying.


John Ronning