Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Rolf" <rolf.furuli AT sf-nett.no>]

Dear Nir,

I am not certain what you refer to, because there are no prefix forms with 
prefixed WAW in Isaiah 1:19, 20. But there are four prefix forms without 
prefixed WAW in these two verses. The first WAYYIQTOL in the book of Isaiah 
in the MT is 2:7. In the verses 2:7-8 there are three WAYYIQTOLs, and they 
probably have present reference; the two WAYYIQTOLs in 2:9  probably have  
future reference.

If I understand you correctly, your definition of the conversive WAYYIQTOL is 
that its meaning is converted compared with the YIQTOL, that is, the 
WAYYIQTOL has the opposite temporal reference (past reference) of the YIQTOL 
form; whereas the WEYIQTOL is  conjunctive, because it has the same time 
reference as the YIQTOL. This is the view of many grammatical works, but this 
map does not fit the terrain! I present three basic methodological criticisms 
against such grammatical works:

1) The "conversive" sense of the WAYYIQTOL is based on its use in narrative 
texts. But narrative texts cannot be used to describe the SEMANTIC meaning of 
verb forms, because the narrative verbs per definition must have past 
reference. If the narrative verb is infinitive absolute, it has past 
reference without being a past tense (grammaticalized location in the past). 
So, whether the past reference is semantic or pragmatic cannot be seen in 
narrative texts, except in a few cases where the context reveals the semantic 
meaning.

2) No grammarian who has presented  the Hebrew verbal system, has made a 
careful analysis of ALL  the verbs of the Tanakh. ALL the verb forms that 
contradict the traditional view of Hebrew verbs have not been collected and 
studied.

3) No grammarian has made a careful distinction between semantic and 
pragmatic factors, that is, between the meaning that is an intrinsic part of 
the verb forms and the meaning contributed by the context.

In order to demonstrate that the so-called "inverted" meaning of the prefix 
form with prefixed WAW is an illusjon, I will analyze 28 verses in Psalm 18 
(a doublet of 2 Samuel 22) where the setting is past. I use the English NIV 
text, and I show when 2 Samuel 22 has another verb form than Psalm 18. My 
comments are in capital letters.

PSALM 18

1) For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang 
(QATAL—Sam WAYYIQTOL) to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD 
delivered (QATAL) him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of 
Saul.
2) He said (WAYYIQTOL):I love (YIQTOL) you, O LORD, my strength.
3) The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in 
whom I take refuge (YIQTOL). He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my 
stronghold.
4) I call (YIQTOL) to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved 
(YIQTOL) from my enemies.

BOTH YIQTOLs OF V. 4 PROBABLY HAVE PAST REFERENCE, BECAUSE THE PSALM 
DISCUSSES WHAT HAPPENED WITH DAVID IN THE PAST.

5) The cords of death entangled (QATAL) me; the torrents of destruction 
overwhelmed (YIQTOL) me.

THE QATAL IS CLAUSE INITIAL AND PARALLELS THE YIQTOL; BOTH HAVE PAST 
REFERENCE. SAM HAS THE PARTICLE KI BEFORE THE QATAL.

6) The cords of the grave coiled around (QATAL) me; the snares of death 
confronted (QATAL) me.
7) In my distress I called (YIQTOL) to the LORD; I cried (YIQTOL) to my God 
for help. From his temple he heard (YIQTOL—SAM:WAYYIQTOL) my voice; my cry 
came (YIQTOL—Sam: no verb) before him, into his ears.

HERE IN V. 7 WE HAVE A TYPICAL SITUATION FOR THE USE OF YIQTOL IN A 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PAST. NORMALLY, THERE IS A CHAIN OF WAYYIQTOLS; THEY ARE 
CLAUSE INITIAL AND ARE BOUND TOGETHER BY THE CONJUNCTION WAW (WAY). HOWEVER, 
IF THE AUTHOR CHOSE TO HAVE WORDS PRECEDING THE VERB, THE USE OF WAYYIQTOL 
WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE, AND THE YIQTOL (OR SOMETIMES QATAL) IS USED INSTEAD. 
THE SCORES UPON SCORES OF SUCH EXAMPLES SHOW THAT WAYYIQTOL IS A YIQTOL WITH 
PREFIXED WAW, AND THAT YIQTOL AND WAYYIQTOL HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME SEMANTIC 
MEANING. IF SOMEONE DISAGREE, PLEASE EXPLAIN THE USE OF WAYYIQTIL IN THIS 
VERSE AND THE OTHER VERSES OF PSALM 18.  THE YIQTOL "HEAR" IS CLAUSE INITIAL 
IN PSALM 18, BUT IN 1 SAM 22 A WAW IS ADDED, AND THE FORM IS WAYYIQTOL. THIS 
SHOWS THAT BOTH YIQTOL AND WAYYIQTOL CAN BE CLAUSE INITIAL, AND THAT BOTH 
FORMS HAVE THE SAME MEANING.  OF THE 1,027 YIQTOLS WITH PAST REFERENCE THAT I 
HAVE FOUND, 131 ARE CLAUSE INITIAL.

8)  The earth trembled (WAYYIQTOL)  and quaked (WAYYIQTOL), and the 
foundations of the mountains shook (YIQTOL); they trembled (WAYYIQTOL) 
because he was angry (QATAL).

THIS VERSE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS SAID ABOVE REGARDING THE USE OF 
YIWTOL. THE THREE WAYYIQTOLS ARE CLAUSE INITIAL, BUT THE AUTHOR PUT MWSDY 
HRYM  BEFORE THE VERB, AND THEREFORE A YIQTOL WAS CHOSEN. THE CONJUNCTION WAW 
THAT BINDS THE ACCOUNT TOGETHER, IS HERE PREFIXED TO MWSDY. THIS IS TYPICAL: 
WHEN WORDS ARE PUT BEFORE THE VERB IN A PAST ACCOUNT AND A WAYYIQTOL IS NOT 
POSSIBLE, THE WAW IS PREFIXED TO THE WORD BEFORE THE VERB OR TO THE FIRST 
WORD OF THE PHRASE BEFORE THE VERB.

9) Smoke rose (QATAL) from his nostrils; consuming fire came (YIQTOL) from 
his mouth, burning coals blazed (QATAL) out of it.

THE FIRST QATAL IS CLAUSE INITIAL. AFTER THIS QATAL WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED A 
WAYYIQTOL. BUT BECAUSE "HIS "MOUTH'S FIRE" IS PLACED BEFORE THE VERB, A 
YIQTOL WAS CHOSEN. AND THE EXPECTED WAW IS PREFIXED TO )$.

10) He parted (WAYYIQTOL) the heavens and came down (WAYYIQTOL); dark clouds 
were under his feet.
11) He mounted (WAYYIQTOL) the cherubim and flew (WAYYIQTOL);
he soared (WAYYIQTOL) on the wings of the wind.
12) He made (YIQTOL, Sam—WAYYIQTOL) darkness his covering, his canopy around 
him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

THESE THREE VERSES REPRESENT A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS EXPRESSED BY FIVE 
WAYYIQTOLS, WHICH IS NORMAL. THEN, IN PSALM 18 FOLLOWS A CLAUSE INITIAL 
YIQTOL, WHEREAS 1 SAMUEL 22 HAS A WAYYIQTOL. THIS SHOWS THAT YIQTOL AND 
WAYYIQTOL HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME MEANING.

13) Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced (QATAL), with 
hailstones and bolts of lightning.
14 ) The LORD thundered (WAYYIQTOL—SAM:YIQTOL) from heaven; the voice of the 
Most High resounded (YIQTOL).

VERSE 14 STARTS WITH A WAYYIQTOL AND CONTINUES WITH A YIQTOL. THE REASON FOR 
THE YOIQTOL IS THE WORD (LYWN BEFORE THE VERB. AND THE EXPECTED WAW IS 
PREFIXED TO  (LYWN. 2 SAMUEL 22 HAS A CLAUSE INITIAL YIQTOL INSTEAD OF A 
WAYYIQTOL. THIS AGAIN SHOWS THAT YIQTOL AND WAYYIQTIL HAVE THE SAME MEANING.

15) He shot (WAYYIQTOL) his arrows and scattered (WAYYIQTOL) [the enemies], 
great bolts of lightning and routed (WAYYIQTOL) them.
16) The valleys of the sea were exposed (WAYYIQTOL) and the foundations of 
the earth laid bare (WAYYIQTOL—Sam:YIQTOL), at your rebuke, O LORD, at the 
blast of breath from your nostrils.

THE TWO VERSES REPRESENT A NORMAL PAST DESCRIPTION EXPRESSED BY FOUR 
WAYYIQTOLS. HOWEVER, 2 SAMUEL 22 HAS A YIQTOL IN THE SECOND PART OF V 16, 
WHERE PSALM 18 HAS A WAYYIQTOL. THIS SHOWS THAT THE TWO FORMS CAN BE USED 
INSTEAD OF EACH OTHER AND HAVE THE SAME MEANING.

17)  He reached down (YIQTOL) from on high and took hold (YIQTOL) of me; he 
drew (YIQTOL) me out of deep waters.
18) He rescued (YIQTOL) me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too 
strong (QATAL) for me.

HERE WE HAVE A PAST DESCRIPTION WITH FOUR YIQTOLS WHICH ARE CLAUSE INITIAL. 
THEY HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION AND MEANING AS WAYYIQTOLS. THIS SHOWS THAT YIQTOL 
AND WAYYIQTOL ARE INTERCHANGEABLE.

19)  They confronted me (YIQTOL) in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was 
(WAYYIQTOL) my support.
20) He brought (WAYYIQTOL) me out into a spacious place; he rescued (YIQTOL) 
me because he delighted (QATAL) in me.

HERE WE HAVE TWO CLAUSE INITIAL YIQTOLS AND TWO CLAUSE INITIAL WAYYIQTOLs 
WITH THE SAME FUNCTION AND SAME MEANING.

36)  You give (WAYYIQTOL) me your shield of victory, and your right hand 
sustains (YIQTOL) me; you stoop down (YIQTOL)  to make me great.
37) You broaden (YIQTOL) the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn 
(QATAL).

CONTRARY TO THE NIV, I THINK BOTH VERSES HAVE PAST REFERENCE. THE ACCOUNT IS 
EXPRESSED BY ONE WAYYIQTOL, THE REASON FOR THE TWO YIQTOLS IN V 36, IS THAT 
BOTH ARE PRECEDED BY A SUBSTANTIVE, AND THE EXPECTED WAWS ARE PREFIXED TO 
THESE SUBSTANTIVES. THE YIQTOL OF V. 37 IS CLAUSE INITIAL.

38) I pursued (YIQTOL) my enemies and overtook (WEYIQTOL, SAM: WAYYIQTOL) 
them;
I did not turn back (YIQTOL) till they were destroyed.

FIRST THERE IS A CLAUSE INITIAL YIQTOL, THEN FOLLOWS A WEYIQTOL, AND LASTLY A 
YIQTOL PRECEDED BY A NEGATIVE PARTICLE WITH THE EXPECTED PREFIXED WAW. 
INSTEAD OF THE WEYIQTOL, 2 SAM 22 HAS A WAYYIQTOL. THIS MAY INDICATE THAT THE 
MASORETES SOMETIMES HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR POINTING—DID THE WORD HAVE STRONG 
ENOUGH STRESS TO WARRANT A WAYYIQTOL POINTING. THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXAMPLES 
OF A SIMILAR VACILLATION.

39) I crushed (YIQTOL, SAM: WAYYIQTOL) them so that they could not rise 
(YIQTOL);
they fell (YIQTOL, SAM: WAYYIQTOL) beneath my feet.

HERE WE HAVE TWO CLAUSE INITIAL YIQTOLS AND ONE YIQTOL PRECEDED BY A NEGATIVE 
PARTICLE WITH PREFIXED WAW. 2 SAMUEL 22 HAVE WAYYIQTOLS INSTEAD OF THE FIRST 
AND LAST YIQTOL. BUT THE MIDLE VERB COULD NOT BE A WAYYIQTOL BECAUSE OF THE 
PRECEDING NEGATIVE PARTICLE.

40) You armed (WAYYIQTOL) me with strength for battle;
you made (YIQTOL) my adversaries bow at my feet.
41) You made my enemies turn (QATAL) their backs in flight,
and I destroyed (YIQTOL, SAM: WAYYIQTOL) my foes.

THE PAST EVENTS ARE EXPRESSED BY ONE WAYYIQTOL, TWO YIQTOLS AND ONE QATAL. 
THE FIRST YIQTOL IS CLAUSE INITIAL, AND THE SECOND IS PRECEDED BY A 
PARTICIPLE WITH PREFIXED WAW. 2 SAMUEL 22 HAS A WAYYIQTOL INSTEAD OF THE LAST 
YIQTOL. THE STRUCTURE OF THE LAST CLAUSE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND THE WAW 
IS IN 2 SAMUEL 22 PREFIXED TO THE VERB (WAYYIQTOL) INSTEAD OF BEING PREFIXED 
TO THE PARTICIPLE.


42) They cried (YIQTOL) for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer (QATAL).
43) I beat (WEQATAL) them as fine as dust borne on the wind; I poured 
(YIQTOL) them out like mud in the streets.
44) You have delivered (YIQTOL, Sam: WAYYIQTOL) me from the attacks of the 
people;
you have made (YIQTOL) me the head of nations; people I did not know (QATAL) 
are subject (YIQTOL) to me.

THE PAST EVENTS ARE EXPRESSED BY ONE WEYIQTOL FIVE YIQTOLS, ONE QATAL, AND 
ONE WEQATAL. 1 SAMUEL 22 HAS A WAYYIQTOL INSTEAD OF A YIQTOL AT THE BEGINNING 
OF V. 44. AGAIN AN EXAMPLE OF THE INTERCHANGEABILITY OF THE YIQTOL AND THE 
WAYYIQTOL.

In order to keep my comments as simple as possible, I have not commented on 
the QATALS. If you want other examples of the interchangeability of YIQTOL 
and WAYYIQTOL, you can analyze  Proverbs 31:10-31 and Psalm 107. The main 
points of the analysis of Psalm 18 are: In the text above, there are 19 
WAYYIQTOLs, 26 YIQTOLs, and 1 WEYIQTOL, all with past reference. If WAYYIQTOL 
 has the opposite meaning of YIQTOL (past versus present/future), how can we 
explain all the YIQTOLs with past reference in Psalm 18?



ADDITION: I use the Gramcord (Accordance) DSS text. This text lacks Psalm 18. 
Does anyone know where I can get an electronic copy of the DSS text of Psalm 
18?



Best regards,

Rolf Furuli
Stavern
Norway