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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] verb forms - Isaiah 56:6-7 was dying you shall die

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  • From: "Vadim Cherny" <vadimcherny AT mail.ru>
  • To: <michaelabernat9001 AT sbcglobal.net>, <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] verb forms - Isaiah 56:6-7 was dying you shall die
  • Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 18:56:06 +0300

I know that the Qatal commonly refers to the past
but do you acknowledge any acceptions to that?
Such as when the verb refers to a continuing state.
Gen 4:9.
9 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־קַיִן אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יָדַעְתִּי הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹכִי׃
And the LORD said unto Cain: 'Where is Abel thy brother?' And he said: 'I KNOW not; am I my brother's keeper?'

That usage of yadati parallels Gen3:7
idy is not "know" but "see"
the words are closely related in Old Russian (видеть, ведать) and Sanskrit (wid)
Cain answers, "I didn't see [him recently]"

Gen 32:11

קָטֹנְתִּי מִ‍כֹּל הַחֲסָדִים


I [was born] too little
or, Jacob could be plain sardonic: "Because of your favors I am diminished"

In other words, qatal is always past tense, no exceptions

Vadim Cherny




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