Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Rolf Furuli <furuli AT online.no>]

Dear list-members,


I read the book of Ruth today. It has several thought-provoking verbs,
which become even more interesting when we keep in mind that the text is
narrative.

How would those of you who believe that wayyiqtols present a sequence of
events explain the following cases:

1:4 Did the sons of Naomi marry Moabite women and thereafter live about ten
years in Moab, or did the ten years start before their marriages?

1:9-10 Did the women first raise their voice and then weep, or did both
things occur together?

1:19 Was the whole town first stirred and then the women exclaimed "Can
this be Naomi"?, or did both things occur at the same time?

2:6,11 Did the foreman first answer and then reply, or is this one and the
same thing?

2:23 Did Ruth first stay close to the maidens and then she started to live
with her mother-in-law, or did Ruth live with her mother-in-law before she
met the maidens?

3:7 Did Boaz first eat, then drink and then be in good spirits, or did all
three things occur together?

How would those of you who do not accept that a qatal without we has future
meaning explain the qatal mkr in 4:3? Can the selling be anything but
future in relation the deictic center which was speech time?


Regards
Rolf


Rolf Furuli
Lecturer in Semitic languages
University of Oslo