Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Dave Washburn" <dwashbur AT nyx.net>]

Rolf,
> Dear list-members,
> 
> The RSV rendering of the verse is: "If they are prophets, and if the word
> of the LORD is with them, then let them intercede (YIQTOL jussive) with the
> LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in
> the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go (QATAL) to
> Babylon."
> 
> Is the reference time of the QATAL after speech time (=future), and is the
> verb modal? Or is it past indicative, as those sticking to traditional
> grammar would expect of a QATAL?

In my approach, which is an amalgam of my own ideas and Galia 
Hatav's, qatal is indicative with a syntactic connection to what 
precedes.  In this case it looks like result:  "Let them 
intercede...so that the vessels will not depart..." The problem is the 
preceding word, L:BIL:TIY, "lest."  This word with an indicative is an 
oddity that even the manuscripts noticed, since BHS suggests 
following the minority mss and reading YFBOW)U.  How many 
other examples of a qatal after L:BIL:TIY do you know of?  I lean 
toward the yiqtol reading, though I wouldn't go to the stake for it.

Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
"Ich veranlassenarbeitenworken mein Mojo."