Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lee R. Martin" <lmartin AT vol.com>]

Dear Friends,
Quite by accident, I found an interesting x-qatal in Judges 11:29.  The
narrative reads
wayyiqtol -- The spirit of Yahweh came upon Jephthah,
wayyiqtol -- and he passed through Gilead, and Manasseh
wayyiqtol -- and he passed through Mizpeh of Gilead
x-qatal    --  and from Mizpeh of Gilead, he passed on to the sons of
Ammon.
wayyiqtol -- And Jepthah vowed a vow ...(clip)
wayyiqtol -- And Jepthah passed over to the sons of Ammon...

I would suggest that the the x-qatal does indeed present a sequential
event, but the event is out of sequence with the verse that follows.
The x-qatal is used as a break for the reader.  This break may be called
peak (whatever that may be), and it highlights the vow of Jepthah.  The
vow is parenthetical to the battle-narrative (verses 29, 32, & 33).
Thus, the vow is preceded by an x-qatal.  The content of the x-qatal is
then repeated in v.32 in order to resume the battle-narrative.  This
break in the narrative also suggests that the writer is separating (in
causative sense) the vow from the influence of the spirit of Yahweh.
That is, the spirit of Yahweh causes Jepthah to lead his forces into
battle, but the vow is a separate event, that was not instigated by the
spirit of Yahweh.

Does this make any sense to anyone?

--

Lee R. Martin
Pastor, Prospect Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee
Instructor in Hebrew and Old Testament
Church of God Theological Seminary
http://www.earth.vol.com/~lmartin/