Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Shoshanna Walker" <rosewalk AT concentric.net>]

> Shoshanna Walker wrote:
>
> > Actually, the word is in future tense, and since it wasn't written in
> > English, "I am"  and not "I will be", is an incorrect translation.
> >
> > This ALWAYS bothered me
>
> Do you believe that the prefix-conjugation of biblical Hebrew can
accurately
> be called the "future tense"? Or that translating a prefix verb into the
> present tense is always wrong? I'm looking for linguistic studies that
argue
> in favour of this or similar views. Upon which of these do you base your
> understanding of the Hebrew "tenses"?


On Hebrew Grammar

On the fact that the same word is used AS a future tense word in other
places in the Torah

On the fact that, since I first began to learn Hebrew both as a Biblical and
spoken language (since kindergarten), which I am now fluent in, and which
includes many adult years living in Israel, NOWHERE was "Ehyeh" ever used in
anything but future tense.

On the fact that, Biblical Hebrew is still Hebrew, and not some other
language

If someone would remind me where exactly this pasuk (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh) is,
in the Torah, I will see if I can find if any of the commentaries comment on
this.

Shoshanna
.


>
> Ken Penner
> Ph.D. student, Biblical Field (Early Judaism)
> McMaster University
> Hamilton, Canada
>
>
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