Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yochanan Childs <jayc AT telepath.com>]

OK.  You all are calling this and x-qatal precisely why?  Because it comes in 
the
midst of a series of otherwise unbroken wayyiqtols?  I hope you don't mind 
these very
elementary questions.

"Lee R. Martin" wrote:

> 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.
>