Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 12/03/2004 07:02, B. M. Rocine wrote:

> B-Haveray,
>
> I have a little passage here that may relate to our discussion of whether
> wayyiqtol and weyiqtol are distinct.  I would be interested in your comments
> about the use/meaning of the verb
> forms and syntax in this passage, shown translated below in the JPS Tanakh:
>
> Psalm 107:19 In their adversity they cried (wayyiqtol) to the LORD and He
> saved (X-yiqtol) them from their troubles. 20 He gave (yiqtol) an order and
> healed (weyiqtol) them; He delivered (weyiqtol) them from the pits. 21 Let
> them praise (clause-initial yiqtol) the LORD for His steadfast love
>
> Shalom,
> Bryan
>
>
>  
You have omitted an importan part of the context here, v.18. Vv.18,19a 
form a temporal sequence: they loathed food; then they drew near to 
death; then they cried to YHWH. Such sequences are regularly marked by 
WAYYIQTOL in prose, but are relatively rarely in poetry. After this 
short sequence, the language reverts to the more normal poetic verb 
forms in which WAYYIQTOL is rare.

If the Masoretes invented the difference between WAYYIQTOL and WEYIQTOL, 
they must have made a mistake here in not using WAYYIQTOL in v.20.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/