Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Paul Zellmer <zellmer AT cag.pworld.net.ph>]

Lee,

Thanks for the quick response.

I do realize the imperatival nature of cohortatives, and normally would 
translate it
that way.  But in this case, why was cohortative chosen?  Since Jacob had 
just commanded
the sons to return to Egypt, then they could not be demanding to go, which is 
roughly as
I see the imperatival form.  If they were simply acknowledging their father's
demand/request, would they not use, say, an X-yiqtol, with perhaps the 1st 
common plural
pronoun as the X element (in casus pendens) or Egypt with a directive (either
preposition or -heh) as the X element, or the like?  If we are looking at one 
of the
"normal" usages of cohortative here, then "strong determination" would seem 
the most
likely element of meaning.

I wonder if cohortative might have been used because it *can* stand at the 
head of the
clause without conjunction or X-element, and using a yiqtol would have 
[nearly] required
such a "distracting" element?

Just my further musings,

Paul

Lee R. Martin wrote:

> Dear Paul,
> Yes, it is cohortative.
> Cohortatives do not necessarily indicate"strong determination" as you put 
> it.
> "Let us go down..."
>
> Paul Zellmer wrote:
>
> > Just a quick request for your ideas:  Gen 43:4 reads:
> >
> > )IM-YE$:KF M:$AL."XA )ET-)FXIYNW. )IT.FNW. N"R:DFH W:NI$:B.:RFH L:KF
> > )OKEL
> >
> > Would you consider N"R:DFH as yiqtol with a paragogic heh, or as
> > cohortative?

<remainder of original post snipped>
--
Paul and Dee Zellmer, Jimmy Guingab, Geoffrey Beltran
Ibanag Translation Project
Cabagan, Isabela, Rep. of Philippines

zellmer AT cag.pworld.net.ph