Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Awohili AT aol.com]

In a message dated 06/29/2006 7:17:58 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
rosewalk AT concentric.net writes:................
 
Also, can you remind me why Ehyeh asher Ehyeh is translated as I AM  
and not in future?  Every Jewish Commentary, when expounding on it,  
makes the assumption that we all know that the word is used  as  
future tense.




*************
 
Quite a few Christian commentaries make the same point, but since the  
imperfect aspect can be translated both ways according to context, the  
divergence 
comes in understanding the context.
 
Yet, I doubt that the context of Exodus 3:14 differs from the context of  
Exodus 3:12, where even the KJV and a lot of others translate ehyeh as "I 
will  
be."  There hardly exists a contextual or grammatical reason for saying  
anything other than "I will be" at Exodus 3:14.
 
In the book, _201 Hebrew Verbs_ Abraham S. Halkin lists ehyeh as the future  
aspect of the kal of HYH.  Of recent translators Propp (Anchor Bible),  
Everett Fox, and Robert Alter go with some form of "I Will Be."
 
Solomon Landers