Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Ian Hutchesson <mc2499 AT mclink.it>]

At 14.28 04/09/00 +0100, Peter Kirk wrote:
>Dear Rolf,
>
>The interpretation of Genesis 1:1-3 preferred by Rashi and several list
>members, if it were unambiguous, would provide your counter-example, as they
>interpret WAYYO'MER in verse 3 as the main verb following an extended
>adverbial phrase of time. A waw conjunction is not normally found after a
>time phrase and before a verb. In fact, can anyone find ANY examples of
>this, with any verb form? To put it another way, this interpretation demands
>that in verse 3 there is a WAYYIQTOL form in a non-sentence-initial
>position.
>
>Now when I questioned some months ago whether this was a possible sentence
>structure, I remember that some examples were found. Please can someone
>quote these examples again, i.e. any sentence in which an adverbial phrase
>precedes a WAYYIQTOL verb which it modifies.
>
>This makes me happy because if we do get even one example I have managed to
>falsify one of Rolf's claims, and if we don't get any examples I can safely
>conclude against Rashi's interpretation, on the grounds that it is based on
>a unique grammatical construction as well as a conjectural emendation of
>bara' to baro'. ;-)

As the earliest texts are unpointed one has to conclude that bara' seems to
be only one interpretation. baro' is not an amendment of bara' but another
interpretation.


Ian