Biblical Hebrew Forum

["B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>]

Hi Dave, you wrote:
> > But here's where it gets into trouble in Judges 12:11, because it would 
> > be
> > natural to expect X-qatal in the second clause.  I agree completely that 
> > the
> > second wayyiqtol is a restatement/expansion of the first one; the 
> > question
> > is, why did the writer choose to cross the line with a wayyiqtol there
> > instead of using the more natural X-qatal?  I honestly can't think of a
> > reason, because there doesn't seem to be anything particularly noteworthy 
> > or
> > special about Elon's term: he judged Israel; he judged Israel for X 
> > number of
> > years.  That's it.  So what would be the point of drawing extra attention 
> > to
> > the number of years by using a "non-standard" wayyiqtol?

I also think that the more expected form for the second "he judged" is 
X-qatal.  One ad hoc explanation that I can throw out is that it was very 
significant that Elon was from Zebulon.  Zebulon, after all, was a star 
among the tribes in Jdg 4 and 5.  In Jdg 12 Elon's connection with Zebulon 
is mentioned three times in two vv.  The sense in English would be something 
like this:  "And Elon the Zubuloni judged Israel after him, yes, he judged 
Israel ten years."

Shalom,
Bryan

B. M. Rocine
Living Word Church
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