Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lisbeth S. Fried" <lizfried AT umich.edu>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Kirk [mailto:peter AT qaya.org]
> Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 6:03 AM
> To: Lisbeth S. Fried
> Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] verb forms - Isaiah 56:6-7 was dying you shall die
>
> On 12/04/2007 01:16, Lisbeth S. Fried wrote:
> > ...
> > Oh, I don't insist on anything but that verbs in Yiqtal be translated by
the
> > English future (and verbs in Qatal by English past tense), that's all I
> > insist on. ...
>
> Yes, but my main point is that this is not necessarily appropriate.
> Rather often in biblical Hebrew YIQTOL does not have a future meaning,
> but a past or present continuous one. Or at least that is my
> understanding of the Hebrew verb system, although of course it is
> controversial. The problem comes when YIQTOL in biblical Hebrew is read
> as if it were the future tense in modern Hebrew.
>
> --
> Peter Kirk
> E-mail:  peter AT qaya.org
> Blog:    http://www.qaya.org/blog/
> Website: http://www.qaya.org/
>
Dear Peter,
I understand that is your contention, and Rolf's. I am still waiting for a
sentence with a Yiqtol in it that I would agree would make no sense that
way. I allowed for the future to begin the moment the pen is lifted from the
paper of the composer.
Liz Fried