Biblical Hebrew Forum

[peter_kirk AT SIL.ORG]

In our recent discussions of verb forms a distinction has sometimes 
been made between verb forms in narrative and verb forms in poetry. 
Well, this is perhaps a flase dichotomy. There are different types of 
discourse, e.g. narrative, instructions, prophecy, and each of these 
may in principle be expressed in either poetry or prose. In biblical 
Hebrew it is rare to find narrative poetry, but this is found in 
Psalms 78, 105 and 106. So, as I was anyway working on Psalm 78, I 
decided to look at the verb forms found in it. See the table at the 
end of this message for the data which I analysed.

I must make it clear that I am working on my own understanding of the 
text, based on translations and commentaries. I recognise that there 
may be alternative valid interpretations.

Verses 1-11 I am not taking as narrative. But from that point on until 
the end of the psalm the text is basically a narrative, with some 
exceptions e.g. the short speech verses 19b-20. And, interestingly 
enough, the text basically uses the standard narrative verb form, 
wayyiqtol, which is rare in other Hebrew poetry, and its negative 
(according to Niccacci) W:LO)-qatal.

There are exceptions. The commonest is a pair of lines with wayyiqtol 
and X-qatal (or sometimes X-yiqtol), the verb in the second line 
commonly being at the very end to form a chiasmus, which probably 
indicates some kind of completeness. This apparently occurs in verses 
5,23,24,29,31,36,41,50,56,58,62,63,64,66,67,70b-71a,72. There are also 
backgound clauses using X-qatal in verses 21[$FMA(],30,31,32,53; 
LO)-qatal without waw appears to be background in verses 30,42, but 
part of the narrative sequence in verse 50, where it is found next to 
narrative yiqtols also without waw. I take verses 34 and 40 as special 
construction indicating a repeated situation. It seems to me from the 
verb forms that verse 38 is a generic statement about God's character 
(note also the absence of pronouns, which reappear along with 
wayyiqtol on verse 39).

There remain a number of unusual forms. The first group consists of 
the X-qatals in verses 21 and 25, which cannot be background; I wonder 
if this is some kind of marking of peak. And then there is yiqtol 
where wayyiqtol would be expected in verses 15,45,47,49,50; could 
these be a remnant of the alleged short form yiqtol with past meaning 
which survives in prose only in wayyiqtol? There are also unexplained 
qatals in verses 19,57.

But the overall picture is that narrative is narrative and uses the 
regular narrative sequence verb forms even when put into poetic style. 
There is little evidence of changes made to fit the poetic rhythm 
etc., and it is certainly not true that (as some have come close to 
alleging) any verb form can be used in poetry and there are no 
distinctions. But there is evidence of yiqtol being used as a past 
tense, like wayyiqtol without the conjunction. On this basis one would 
expect to analyse other discourse types in poetry in the same way as 
the same discourse type in prose, but allowing for this past yiqtol 
and for some variation from strict norms.

I hope this is of interest to list members.

Peter Kirk


PSALM 78

1 MA&:K.IYL L:)FSFP                   verbless 
HA):AZIYNFH (AM.IY T.OWRFTIY          imperative 
HA+.W. )FZ:N:KEM L:)IM:R"Y-PIY        imperative 
2 )EP:T.:XFH B:MF$FL P.IY             cohortative 
)AB.IY(FH XIYDOWT MIN.IY-QEDEM        cohortative 
3 ):A$ER $FMA(:NW.                    sub qatal
      WAN."DF("M                      ... wayyiqtol
WA):ABOWT"YNW. SIP.:RW.-LFNW.         ... w-X qatal 
4 LO) N:KAX"D MIB.:N"YHEM             neg yiqtol 
L:DOWR )AX:AROWN M:SAP.:RIYM          X participle
      T.:HIL.OWT Y:HWFH
WE(:EZW.ZOW W:NIP:L:)OWTFYW
      ):A$ER (F&FH                    sub qatal
5 WAY.FQEM ("DW.T B.:YA(:AQOB         wayyiqtol
W:TOWRFH &FM B.:YI&:RF)"L             w-X qatal         completeness?
):A$ER CIW.FH )ET-):ABOWT"YNW.        sub qatal
L:HOWDIY(FM LIB:N"YHEM                ... sub infinitive 
6 L:MA(AN Y"D:(W. D.OWR )AX:AROWN     sub qatal
B.FNIYM YIW.FL"DW.                    X yiqtol 
YFQUMW.                               yiqtol
      WIYSAP.:RW. LIB:N"YHEM          weyiqtol
7 W:YF&IYMW. B")LOHIYM K.IS:LFM       weyiqtol 
W:LO) YI$:K.:XW. MA(AL:L"Y-)"L        w-neg yiqtol 
W.MIC:WOTFYW YIN:CORW.                w-X yiqtol
8 W:LO) YIH:YW. K.A):ABOWTFM          w-neg yiqtol 
D.OWR SOWR"R W.MOREH                  verbless
D.OWR                                 verbless
      LO)-H"KIYN LIB.OW               (sub) neg qatal
W:LO)-NE)EM:NFH )ET-)"L RW.XOW        ... w-neg qatal 
9 B.:N"Y-)EP:RAYIM                    (X, continues)
      NOW$:Q"Y ROWM"Y-QF$ET           (sub) participle
HFP:KW. B.:YOWM Q:RFB                 X qatal 
10 LO) $FM:RW. B.:RIYT ):ELOHIYM      neg qatal 
W.B:TOWRFTOW M"):ANW.                 X qatal
      LFLEKET                         sub infinitive
11 WAY.I$:K.:XW. (:ALIYLOWTFYW        wayyiqtol 
W:NIP:L:)OWTFYW
      ):A$ER HER:)FM                  sub qatal
12 NEGED ):ABOWTFM (F&FH PELE)        X qatal        NARRATIVE STARTS, 
summary 
B.:)EREC MIC:RAYIM &:D"H-CO(AN
13 B.FQA( YFM                         qatal             start of details
      WAY.A(:ABIYR"M                  wayyiqtol
WAY.AC.EB-MAYIM K.:MOW-N"D            wayyiqtol 
14 WAY.AN:X"M B.E(FNFN YOWMFM         wayyiqtol
W:KFL-HAL.AY:LFH B.:)OWR )"$          w-verb implicit
15 Y:BAQ.A( CURIYM B.AM.ID:B.FR       yiqtol            odd! 
WAY.A$:Q: K.IT:HOMOWT RAB.FH          wayyiqtol
16 WAY.OWCI) NOWZ:LIYM MIS.FLA(       wayyiqtol 
WAY.OWRED K.AN.:HFROWT MFYIM          wayyiqtol
17 WAY.OWSIYPW. (OWD                  wayyiqtol
      LAX:A+O)-LOW                    sub infinitive
LAM:ROWT (EL:YOWN B.AC.IY.FH          sub infinitive
18 WAY:NAS.W.-)"L B.IL:BFBFM          wayyiqtol
LI$:)FL-)OKEL L:NAP:$FM               sub infinitive
19 WAY:DAB.:RW. B.")LOHIYM            wayyiqtol
)FM:RW.                               qatal             odd!
      H:AYW.KAL )"L                   (speech) yiqtol   speech
LA(:AROK: $UL:XFN B.AM.ID:B.FR        ... sub infinitive speech
20 H"N HIK.FH-CW.R                    ... X qatal       speech
WAY.FZW.BW. MAYIM                     ... wayyiqtol     speech
      W.N:XFLIYM YI$:+OPW.            ... X qatal       speech
H:AGAM-LEXEM YW.KAL                   ... X yiqtol      speech
      T."T                            ... (sub) infinitive speech
)IM-YFKIYN $:)"R L:(AM.OW             ... X yiqtol      speech
21 LFK"N $FMA( Y:HWFH                 X qatal           background
      WAY.IT:(AB.FR                   wayyiqtol
W:)"$ NI&.:QFH B:YA(:AQOB             X qatal           peak?
W:GAM-)AP (FLFH B:YI&:RF)"L           X qatal           peak? 
22 K.IY LO) HE):EMIYNW. B.")LOHIYM    sub neg qatal
W:LO) BF+:XW. B.IY$W.(FTOW            ... w-neg qatal
23 WAY:CAW $:XFQIYM MIM.F(AL          wayyiqtol
W:DAL:T"Y $FMAYIM P.FTFX              w-X qatal (final) completeness?
24 WAY.AM:+"R (:AL"YHEM MFN           wayyiqtol
      LE):EKOL                        sub infinitive
W.D:GAN-$FMAYIM NFTAN LFMOW           w-X qatal         completeness?
25 LEXEM )AB.IYRIYM )FKAL )IY$        X qatal           peak?
C"YDFH $FLAX LFHEM LF&OBA(            X qatal           peak? 
26 YAS.A( QFDIYM B.A$.FMFYIM          wayyiqtol
WAY:NAH"G B.:(UZ.OW T"YMFN            wayyiqtol
27 WAY.AM:+"R (:AL"YHEM               wayyiqtol
      K.E(FPFR $:)"R
W.K:XOWL YAM.IYM (OWP K.FNFP
28 WAY.AP."L B.:QEREB MAX:AN"HW.      wayyiqtol
SFBIYB L:MI$:K.:NOTFYW
29 WAY.O)K:LW.                        wayyiqtol
      WAY.I&:B.:(W. M:)OD             wayyiqtol
W:TA):AWFTFM YFBI) LFHEM              w-X yiqtol        completeness?
30 LO)-ZFRW. MIT.A):AWFTFM            neg qatal         background
(OWD )FK:LFM B.:PIYHEM                verbless          background
31 W:)AP ):ELOHIYM (FLFH BFHEM        w-X qatal         background, see v.21
WAY.AH:AROG B.:MI$:MAN."YHEM          wayyiqtol
W.BAXW.R"Y YI&:RF)"L HIK:RIY(A        w-X qatal (final) completeness?
32 B.:KFL-ZO)T XF+:)W.-(OWD           X qatal           background?
W:LO)-HE):EMIYNW. B.:NIP:L:)OWTFYW    w-neg qatal       negative
33 WAY:KAL-B.AHEBEL Y:M"YHEM          wayyiqtol
W.$:NOWTFM B.AB.EHFLFH                w-verb implicit
34 )IM-H:ARFGFM                       X qatal           repeated?
      W.D:RF$W.HW.                    w-qatal           repeated?
W:$FBW.                               w-qatal           repeated?
      W:$IX:ARW.-)"L                  w-qatal           repeated?
35 WAY.IZ:K.:RW.                      wayyiqtol
      K.IY-):ELOHIYM CW.RFM           sub verbless
W:)"L (EL:YOWN G.O):ALFM              ... w-verbless
36 WAY:PAT.W.HW. B.:PIYHEM            wayyiqtol
W.BIL:$OWNFM Y:KAZ.:BW.-LOW           w-X yiqtol        completeness?
37 W:LIB.FM LO)-NFKOWN (IM.OW         w-X neg qatal     negative
W:LO) NE)EM:NW. B.IB:RIYTOW           w-neg qatal       negative
38 W:HW.) RAXW.M                      w-verbless        generic 
Y:KAP."R (FWON                        yiqtol            generic
      W:LO)-YA$:XIYT                  w-neg yiqtol      generic
W:HIR:B.FH                            w-qatal           generic
      L:HF$IYB )AP.OW                 sub infinitive    generic
W:LO)-YF(IYR K.FL-X:AMFTOW            w-neg yiqtol      generic
39 WAY.IZ:K.OR                        wayyiqtol
      K.IY-BF&FR H"M.FH               sub verbless
RW.XA HOWL"K:                         ... verbless
      W:LO) YF$W.B                    ... w-neg yiqtol
40 K.AM.FH YAM:RW.HW. BAM.ID:B.FR     X yiqtol          repeated?
YA(:ACIYBW.HW. B.IY$IYMOWN            yiqtol            repeated?
41 WAY.F$W.BW.                        wayyiqtol
      WAY:NAS.W. )"L                  wayyiqtol
W.Q:DOW$ YI&:RF)"L HIT:WW.            w-X qatal (final) completeness?
42 LO)-ZFK:RW. )ET-YFDOW              neg qatal         background
YOWM
      ):A$ER-P.FDFM MIN.IY-CFR        sub qatal
43 ):A$ER-&FM B.:MIC:RAYIM )OTOWTFYW  sub qatal
W.MOWP:TFYW B.I&:D"H-CO(AN            ... w-verb implicit
44 WAY.AH:APOK: L:DFM Y:)OR"YHEM      wayyiqtol
W:NOZ:L"YHEM
      B.AL-YI$:T.FYW.N                sub yiqtol
45 Y:$AL.AX B.FHEM (FROB              yiqtol            odd!
      WAY.O)K:L"M                     wayyiqtol
W.C:PAR:D."(A                         verb implicit
      WAT.A$:XIYT"M                   wayyiqtol
46 WAY.IT."N LEXFSIYL Y:BW.LFM        wayyiqtol
WIYGIY(FM LF)AR:B.EH                  w-verb implicit
47 YAH:AROG B.AB.FRFD G.AP:NFM        yiqtol            odd! 
W:$IQ:MOWTFM B.AX:ANFMAL              w-verb implicit
48 WAY.AS:G."R LAB.FRFD B.:(IYRFM     wayyiqtol
W.MIQ:N"YHEM LFR:$FPIYM               w-verb implicit
49 Y:$AL.AX-B.FM X:AROWN )AP.OW       yiqtol            odd!
      (EB:RFH WFZA(AM W:CFRFH
MI$:LAXAT MAL:):AK"Y  RF(IYM
50 Y:PAL."S NFTIYB L:)AP.OW           yiqtol            odd! 
LO)-XF&AK: MIM.FWET NAP:$FM           neg qatal         negative
W:XAY.FTFM LAD.EBER HIS:G.IYR         w-X qatal (final) completeness?
51 WAY.AK: K.FL-B.:KOWR B.:MIC:RFYIM  wayyiqtol
R")$IYT )OWNIYM B.:)FH:FL"Y-XFM       verb implicit
52 WAY.AS.A( K.AC.O)N (AM.OW          wayyiqtol
WAY:NAH:AG"M K.A("DER B.AM.ID:B.FR    wayyiqtol
53 WAY.AN:X"M LFBE+AX                 wayyiqtol
      W:LO) PFXFDW.                   w-neg qatal       negative
W:)ET-)OWY:B"YHEM K.IS.FH HAY.FM      w-X qatal         background 
54 WAY:BIY)"M )EL-G.:BW.L QFD:$OW     wayyiqtol
HAR-ZEH
      QFN:TFH Y:MIYNOW                (sub) qatal
55 WAY:GFRE$ MIP.:N"YHEM G.OWYIM      wayyiqtol
WAY.AP.IYL"M B.:XEBEL NAX:ALFH        wayyiqtol
WAY.A$:K."N B.:)FH:FL"YHEM            wayyiqtol
      $IB:+"Y YI&:RF)"L
56 WAY:NAS.W.                         wayyiqtol
      WAY.AM:RW.                      wayyiqtol
      )ET-):ELOHIYM (EL:YOWN
W:("DOWTFYW LO) $FMFRW.               w-X neg qatal     
negative,completeness? 
57 WAY.IS.OGW.                        wayyiqtol
      WAY.IB:G.:DW. K.A):ABOWTFM      wayyiqtol
NEH:P.:KW. K.:QE$ET R:MIY.FH          qatal             odd!
58 WAY.AK:(IYSW.HW. B.:BFMOWTFM       wayyiqtol
W.BIP:SIYL"YHEM YAQ:NIY)W.HW.         w-X yiqtol (final) completeness?
59 $FMA( ):ELOHIYM                    qatal             background
      WAY.IT:(AB.FR                   wayyiqtol
WAY.IM:)AS M:)OD B.:YI&:RF)"L         wayyiqtol
60 WAY.I+.O$ MI$:K.AN $ILOW           wayyiqtol
)OHEL
      $IK."N B.F)FDFM                 (sub) qatal
61 WAY.IT."N LA$.:BIY (UZ.OW          wayyiqtol
W:TIP:)AR:T.OW B:YAD-CFR              w-verb implicit
62 WAY.AS:G."R LAXEREB (AM.OW         wayyiqtol
W.B:NAX:ALFTOW HIT:(AB.FR             w-X qatal (final) completeness?
63 B.AXW.RFYW )FK:LFH-)"$             X qatal
W.B:TW.LOTFYW LO) HW.L.FLW.           w-X neg qatal     completeness?
64 K.OH:ANFYW B.AXEREB NFPFLW.        X qatal
W:)AL:M:NOTFYW LO) TIB:K.EYNFH        w-X neg yiqtol    completeness?
65 WAY.IQAC K.:YF$"N ):ADONFY         wayyiqtol
K.:GIB.OWR
      MIT:ROWN"N MIY.FYIN             (sub) participle
66 WAY.AK:-CFRFYW )FXOWR              wayyiqtol
XER:P.AT (OWLFM NFTAN LFMOW           X qatal           completeness?
67 WAY.IM:)AS B.:)OHEL YOWS"P         wayyiqtol
W.B:$"BE+ )EP:RAYIM LO) BFXFR         w-X neg qatal     completeness?
68 WAY.IB:XAR )ET-$"BE+ Y:HW.DFH      wayyiqtol
)ET-HAR CIY.OWN
      ):A$ER )FH"B                    sub qatal
69 WAY.IBEN K.:MOW-RFMIYM MIQ:D.F$OW  wayyiqtol
K.:)EREC
      Y:SFDFH. L:(OWLFM               (sub) qatal
70 WAY.IB:XAR B.:DFWID (AB:D.OW       wayyiqtol
WAY.IQ.FX"HW. MIM.IK:L:)OT CO)N       wayyiqtol
71 M")AXAR (FLOWT H:EBIY)OW           X qatal (final)   completeness? 
LIR:(OWT B.:YA(:AQOB (AM.OW           sub infinitive
W.B:YI&:RF)"L NAX:ALFTOW              ... w-verb implicit
72 WAY.IR:("M K.:TOM L:BFBOW          wayyiqtol
W.BIT:BW.NOWT K.AP.FYW YAN:X"M        w-X yiqtol (final) completeness?