Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Fred Putnam" <fputnam AT biblical.edu>]

Peter,

I think that the statement

<snip> The X-QATAL construction implies not consecutiveness but a previous
state: "The earth had been TOHU..." <snip> would be more accurate if it were 
modified 
to something like:

The main function of w+X-QATAL seems to be to indicate that the event or 
situation 
described in the clause is *not* consecutive or directly dependent upon that 
described 
in the preceding clause. It may "flash back" to a situation or event anterior 
to the 
preceding clause(s), or describe something simultaneous or coterminous to it 
[or them]. 
Its function reflects the syntax of the clause (as modified by the context 
and the content 
of the clauses), not the verbal form (as your next sentence accurately 
implies), since it 
applies, mutatis mutandis, to non-verbal (adjectival, participial) predicates 
as well.

I have written about this briefly in the Hebrew Bible Insert: A Student's 
Guide to the 
Syntax of Biblical Hebrew (Stylus Publishing, 1996). [If this offends the 
list, please 
forgive me; my intent is to point to a resource.]

Best wishes,
Fred

Frederic Clarke Putnam, Ph.D.
"Dominus illuminatio mea."

Professor of Old Testament
Biblical Theological Seminary
fputnam AT biblical.edu
215-368-5000x150 (office & voice-mail)