Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter_Kirk AT SIL.ORG]

Dear Prof. Niccacci,

Thank you for your help.

You wrote:

"I do not quite understand what do you mean by "matrix of the priestly 
blessing" and "the blessing itself"?"

Here I was referring to Numbers 6:23b and 27, the words spoken to 
Aaron and his sons, as the matrix or setting of the blessing, 
distinguishing it from the words of blessing embedded in it, verses 
24-26. The matrix is an instruction to the priests, but there is a 
weqatal "non-volitive" form there. The blessing itself, with weyiqtol 
forms, is volitive in a different sense of the priests desiring 
blessings from God.

In the light of an off-list comment, may I ask for a clarification: 
are you saying that weqatal is always nonvolitive and semantically 
marked as such, or are you simply saying that weqatal is not 
specifically marked a volitive and so may be used in volitive and 
nonvolitive contexts. I would agree with the latter, but the former 
gives me a problem, which may of course be solved when I am able to 
read your book.

Peter Kirk

Title: Re[2]: WEQATAL NONVOLITIVE

Dear Peter Kirk,

Thanks for your comment.

I have tried to show that predictions (as the announcements of the plagues) as well as instructions (as Exod. 26:1 ff.) use non-volitive x-yiqtol, continued by weqatal. Weqatal usually appears in a chain. A chain of weqatal's represents the mainline in direct speech when the time reference is the future.
The direct-speech chain of weqatal corresponds to the narrative chain of wayyiqtol. One could compare Exod. 26:1 ff. (God's instructions) with Exod. 36:8 ff. (execution of those instructions). You might have a look at my _Syntax_ ##58, where I compared those texts.
This is how I see the situation. I think BH distinguish weqatal from weyiqtol, and the difference is: simple, non-volitive future, also including modalities (can, may), versus volitive (comprising promise).

I do not quite understand what do you mean by "matrix of the priestly blessing" and "the blessing itself"?
Blessing is invoking or wishing God's mercy on someone. It is not the same as benediction--like, "You are blessed, o Lord..." *barukh 'attâ...*--which is indicative (non volitive). The versions translate Num.  6:24-26 with volitive forms-- LXX *eulogêsai*; Vulg. *benedicat*; RSV "The Lord bless you".
Have you different ideas?

Peace.
Alviero Niccacci

On  02/26/99 (Re[2]: WEQATAL NONVOLITIVE) Peter Kirk wrote:


> Dear Prof. Niccacci,
>
> Thank you for your helpful and clear explanations on this list.
>
> I was rather surprised by your explanation of weqatal as non-volitive.
> I have recently worked through the instructional and legal material in
> Exodus-Deuteronomy. There there are many x-yiqtol followed by weqatal
> sequences, e.g. Exodus 26:1ff with its repeated t.a(:a&eh and
> w:(f&iytf. I had assumed that these sequences were in some sense
> volitional, i.e. instructions, rather than simply predictions. But
> according to your theory these are non-volitive. How do you account
> for this?
>
> Surely also the matrix for the priestly blessing, Numbers 6:23,27, as
> well as the blessing itself, is volitive?
>
> Peter Kirk

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