Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Bryan Rocine" <596547 AT ican.net>]

Dear Moon-Ryul Jung,

You ask about the infinitive absolutes in Jer 26:5.  The infinitive
represents activity in the abstract.  Some find it helpful to translate
them as gerunds, i.e., as "ing-nouns."  So the passage in question has "a
rising early" and "a sending."  The infinitive absolute with a finite verb
of the same root can be used to suggest the verity or add to the intensity
of the verbal activity represented by the finite verb, hence the Lord's
promise to Abraham in Gen 22:17 barek 'abarek:ka  "a blessing I shall bless
you" or "I will surely bless you."  I think such infinitive absolutes,
though technically are objects, functionally amount to adverbs.  I might
translate very literally, "...which I am sending to you, both a rising
early, and a sending, and you don't obey."  It looks to me like the
decision of most Eng translations to treat the two infin abs in Jer 26:5
like one adverbial phrase is justified, e.g. "again and again" or
"urgently."

Shalom,
Bryan


B. M. Rocine
Associate Pastor
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13208

315-437-6744(w)
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