Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lee R. Martin" <lmartin AT vol.com>]

Dear Professor,
I have tried to apply your method to chapter 1 of Job.  Line numbers are
attached for ease of discussion. Please suggest any corrections to my
syntactical descriptions.
A few specific questions:
Line 3: Is the weqatal of HYH habitual, or does it indicate setting?
Lines 1-9 seem to be entirely antecedent information.  If so, are lines
5-6 continuation wayyiqtols?
Are lines 11and 12 a double sentence?
Line 18: Does weqatal designate habitual actions within direct speech?
Line 35: Is it correct to identify the negative of qatal as negative
wayyiqtol? Is neg. wayyiqtol a main-line verb form in direct speech?
Lines 36and 37: Do these x-qatals specify the nature of the "hedge" in
the previous line? Or do they signify circumstance?
Lines 46-47 form a double sentence.  Does the double sentence function
here as antecedent to "wayomer" in the next line?
Line 49: Does this qatal of HYH begin the oral report, or is it
antecedent?
Line 53: Is this x-qatal subordinate to line 52? Would you classify it
as "circumstance"?
Line 73: Direct speech does not usually begin with participles.  Would
this line be classed as antecedent for the report? Setting?
Lines 87 and 88:  These x-qatals seem to be independent sentences.  Are
they emphatic with emphasis on x?
Lines 90-91: Is it correct to name these verbs (L'O + Qatal) as
"negative wayyiqtols"?

Please make your answers as short or as long as you wish.  Thank you
very much.

    VERB     SYNTAX     TRANSLATION
    FORM
1  x-qatal    antecedent        There was a man in the land of Utz,
2  nominal
    clause     antecedent         Job was his name;
3  weqatal   habitual             and that man was perfect and upright,
4  wyyqtl     main-line      And there were born unto him seven sons and
three daughters.
5  wyyqtl     main-line      His property also was seven thousand sheep,

6  wyyqtl     main-line      so that man was the greatest of all the men
of the east.
7  weqatal   habitual            And his sons would go and make a feast
in their houses, every one his day;
8  weqatal   habitual            and they would send
9  weqatal   habitual            and they would call  for their three
sisters to eat and to drink with them.
10 wyyqtl    new parag   And it was,
11 x-qatal   compound        when the days of their feasting were gone
about,
12 wyyqtl    main-line     that Job sent
13 wyyqtl    main-line     and sanctified them,
14 weqatal  habitual             He would rise up early in the morning,
15 weqatal  habitual            and he would offer burnt offerings
according to the number of them all:
16 x-qatal   background      for Job said,
17 x-qatal   past                          It may be that my sons have
sinned,
18 weqatal  habitual                    and cursed God in their hearts.
19 yiqtol     habitual             Thus Job would do always.

20 wyyqtl    new parag.  Now there was a day
21 wyyqtl    main-line     the sons of God came to present themselves
before the LORD,
22 wyyqtl    main-line     and Satan came also among them.
23 wyyqtl    main-line     And the LORD said unto Satan,
24 x-yiqtol   present                    Whence comest thou?
25 wyyqtl    main-line     Then Satan answered the LORD,
25 wyyqtl    main-line     and said,
26 infinitive                                  From going to and fro in
the earth,
27 infinitive                                  and from walking up and
down in it.
28 wyyqtl    main-line     And the LORD said unto Satan,
29 x-qatal   begin report               Have you set your heart upon my
servant Job,
30 nominal  present                      that there is none like him in
the earth,
31 nominal  present                      a perfect and an upright man,
32 wyyqtl    main-line     Then Satan answered the LORD,
33 wyyqtl    main-line     and said,
34 x-qatal   begin report               Has Job feared God for nought?
35 negative
    wyyqtl    main-line                    Hast not thou made an hedge
about him,
36 x-qatal   specification               It is the work of his hands
that thou hast blessed,
37 x-qatal   specification               and it is his substance that is
increased in the land.
38 imperative volitive                    But put forth thine hand now,
39 imperative volitive                    and touch all that he hath,
40 x-yiqtol   future                        and he will curse thee to
thy face.
41 wyyqtl     main-line   And the LORD said unto Satan,
42 nominal  present                      Behold, all that he hath is in
thy power;
43 jussive    volitive                      only upon himself you may
not forth thine hand.
44 wyyqtl    main-line    So Satan went forth from the presence of the
LORD.

45 wyyqtl    new parag. And there was a day
46 ptc.        compound        when his sons and his daughters were
eating & drinking...
47 x-qatal   antecedent        a messenger came unto Job,
48 wyyqtl    main-line    and said,
49 x-qatal   begin report               The oxen were
50 ptc.        concurrent                 plowing (ptc), and the asses
feeding beside them:
51 wyyqtl    continuation               And the Sabeans fell upon them,
52 wyyqtl    continuation               and took them away;
53 x-qatal   circumstance              while they slew the servants with
the edge of the sword;
54 wyyqtl    continuation               and I only am escaped alone to
tell thee.

55 ptc         compound        While he was yet speaking,
56 x-qatal    antecedent        also another came,
57 wyyqtl    main-line     and he said,
58 x-qatal   begin report                The fire of God fell from
heaven,
59 wyyqtl    continuation                and burned up the sheep, and
the servants,
60 wyyqtl    continuation                and consumed them;
61 wyyqtl    continuation                 and I escaped, I alone to tell
thee.
62 ptc         compound          While he was yet speaking,
63 x-qatal   antecedent          also another came,
64 wyyqtl    main-line      and said,
65 x-qatal    begin report                The Chaldeans made out three
bands,
66 wyyqtl   continuation                   and fell upon the camels,
67 wyyqtl   continuation                  and they carried them away,
68 x-qatal   circumstance                 while they slew the servants
with the edge of the sword;
69 wyyqtl   continuation                  and I escaped, I alone to tell
thee.
70 ptc        compound           While he was yet speaking,
71 x-qatal   antecedent           also another came,
72 wyyqtl    main-line     and said,
73 ptc         concurrent                    Thy sons and thy daughters
were eating & drinking...
74 x-qatal   begin report                  And, behold, a great wind
came from beyond the wilderness,
75 wyyqtl    continuation                  and smote the four corners of
the house,
76 wyyqtl    continuation                  and it fell upon the young
men,
77 wyyqtl    continuation                  and they died;
78 wyyqtl    continuation                  and I escaped, only I alone
to tell thee.
79 wyyqtl    main-line      Then Job arose,
80 wyyqtl    main-line      and rent his mantle,
81 wyyqtl    main-line      and shaved his head,
82 wyyqtl    main-line      and fell down upon the ground,
83 wyyqtl    main-line      and worshipped,
84 wyyqtl    main-line      And said,
85 x-qatal   begin report                    Naked came I out of my
mother's womb,
86 x-yiqtol  future                              and naked shall I
return thither:
87 x-qatal    specification                   It is the LORD who gave,
88 x-qatal    specification                   It is the LORD who took
away;
89 jussive    volitive                           may the name of the
LORD be blessed.

90 neg. wyyqtl main-line   In all this Job did not sin.
91 neg.wyyqtl  main-line   He did not assign folly  to God.


--

Lee R. Martin
Pastor, Prospect Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee
Instructor in Hebrew and Old Testament
Church of God Theological Seminary
http://earth.vol.com/~lmartin/