Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Dave Washburn" <dwashbur AT nyx.net>]

> 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,
It makes sense, but I wonder about that x-qatal clause because of 
the phrase (FBAR B:N"Y (AMMOWN.  Our translations assume it 
means "He advanced against the Ammonites" (NIV), but I'm not so 
sure.  If (as in your schema) the WP serves to advance the 
narrative, then at the very least there's some confusion as to 
whether he advanced before or after the vow, or if he advanced 
twice - if the WP is resumptive that might resolve it, but I find it 
questionable that the resumption would include a restatement of 
his crossing over.  I would have expected the narrative to pick up 
again with v.32b, "and YHWH gave them into his hand."  


I wonder...is it possible that there's a number mismatch (of sorts) 
here and B:N"Y (AMMOWN is actually the subject of the clause?  
Then we would have "The Spirit of YHWH came on Jephthah.  He 
crossed Gilead and Manasseh, he crossed Mizpah of Gilead.  Now 
the Ammonites had advanced from Mizpah of Gilead; and Jephthah 
vowed a vow etc...Jephthah advanced on the Ammonites to do 
battle with them and YHWH gave them into his hand."  With this 
translation the x-qatal is an aside explaining that the Ammonites 
hadn't halted their advance, despite Jephthah's warning earlier in 
the chapter, and continued to take ground that they felt they had 
lost to Israel (v.13).  Jephthah issues his request and warning, but 
the king of Ammon ignores him (v.28) and continues his advance.  
Jephthah catches up with him just beyond Mizpah of Gilead.

What do you think?


Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
A Bible that's falling apart means a life that isn't.