Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Hi John, you wrote:

> Bryan, you wrote, re. 1 Kgs15:13||2 Chr 16:15
> 
> >
> > I think we are seeing the qatal tend to converge in meaning with the
> > wayyiqtol in 2 Chr. as compared to standard BH.
> 
> That would explain what the chronicler is doing, but I wonder if this
explanation
> doesn't undermine to some extent the theoretical foundations of your
position, which,
> if I understand it correctly, is that languages use a preferred form for
mainline
> narrative (thus wayyiqtol in BH).  The chronicler is still using
wayyiqtol for
> mainline, isn't he?  Then shouldn't he still instinctively reserve the
qatal for
> offline stuff?

It does more to prove the theory than detract from it.  All things do not
remain the same; we know that.  We also know that in post-Biblical H, qatal
replaces wayyiqtol as the mainline of historical narrative.  It looks, in
late BH, like the two forms are on their way to sharing the job, but
the theory predicts the language will not tolerate two forms with one
meaning/function.  Indeed it does not: out goes the wayyiqtol.  You may
want to check my Reading Seven on the issue. 

When we see that the same discourse functions are being performed by
different forms in different stages of the language's development it's
really quite a happy "accident."  It's kind of like a chipmonk (little
rodent) on the floor of the forest; it's so much easier to see when it
moves!  ;-)   On the shift in verbal meanings from "standard" to "late" BH
from a discourse perspective you may want to see Mats Eskhult (1990).

Shalom,
Bryan


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

315-437-6744(w)
315-479-8267(h)