Biblical Hebrew Forum

["K Randolph" <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Dear Bob:

You refer to verse 5.

First of all, the Masoretic points are demonstrably wrong often enough
that we cannot use them as an argument finisher. As a result, it is
the context that is often required to denote what is the correct
reading. In this case the context indicates that the imperative is the
correct reading.

As for the suffix, it was a common practice among Biblical Hebrew
writers to use the singular among a group to emphasize all individuals
within the group.

Karl W. Randolph.

On 2/24/07, Bob MacDonald <bobmacdonald AT shaw.ca> wrote:
> The Blue Letter Bible http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/c.pl?book=Deu
> <http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/c.pl?book=Deu&chapter=6&verse=5&vers
> ion=KJV#5> &chapter=6&verse=5&version=KJV#5 shows the tense of Deuteronomy
> 6:4 'ahavta as Qal perfect
>
>
>
> Other online resources confirm that a general present might be a suitable
> literal translation
>
>
>
> Any thoughts - 1. why is it always future, implying imperative and 2. what
> is the ta suffix - I have a new Hebrew book of verbs but it is all in Hebrew
> so its rather tough slogging at the moment but I can't find the ta suffix as
> a verb part
>
>
>
> Thanks for your
patience with the questions
> Bob MacDonald
>
> Victoria BC
>
> http://gx.ca
>
> http://bmd.gx.ca