Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Joseph:

On Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 1:48 PM, Joseph Justiss <jljustiss AT msn.com> wrote:

>
> In Genesis 24:30 we encounter a Qal participle to describe the servant's
> "standing" by the well. In the very next verse Laban asks the servant why he
> is "standing" outside using a Yiqtol form of the same verb. In your
> opinions, what is the functional difference between these two forms of the
> verb in this case?
>
> Joe Justiss
>
> Is it a participle? Why not a third person qal qatal? As such, it refers to
the action.

If you insist that it is a participle, then it refers to the person of the
slave.

Then in verse 31 the idea is “Why should you stand outside when I have
prepared the house and a place for your camels?” It is a subjunctive
understanding. In other words, in plain Anglo-Saxon, “Come on in. There’s
place in the house for you and a place for your camels.”

Karl W. Randolph.