Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Jerry Shepherd <jshepherd53 AT gmail.com>]

Re Numbers 16:16

 

1. The Masoretes and the translators of the ancient versions certainly may have made mistakes.  We all do.  But that does not at all mean that they should not be consulted, and it certainly does not mean that they were not engaged in “direct observation.”  The work of modern-day scholars is to sift through and analyze the available data.  Refusal to take these ancient sources into consideration, refusal to be open to all the available evidence, and adopting an “It’s just me and the Bible; I don’t care what anyone else says” attitude – these are not descriptors of true sons of the Reformation.  The Reformers were far better scholars than that.

 

2. There are other places where there is either an imperative or imperatival yiqtol in the plural with )TH W-.  For example, in Num 1:3, an imperatival yiqtol is used in the latter part of the verse: “you will list them for the army, you and Aaron.”  This also follows a mp imperative in v. 2 that anticipates that it is not Moses who will do the mumbering alone, but Moses and Aaron.

 

3. It is not valid to look only at )TH W- occurences.  Basically the same formulation can be achieved without the use of the pronoun, but using the addressed person’s name instead.  This happens with a mp imperative in 2 Chron 13:4 – “hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel.”  It happens again in 2 Chron 15:2 – “hear me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin” (cf. 2 Chron 20:15; Jer 2:4).

 

4. It is true that the normal pattern when giving an imperative to multiple subjects, and a singular subject is given first, is to use a singular imperative.  However, as noted above, there are exceptions.  One other thing that needs to be taken into account is that the usual syntax is imperative, then addressees.  One of the unique features about the occurrence in Num 16:16 is that the usual pattern is reversed and what we have there is addressees first and then the imperative.  This may account for the use of the plural rather than singular imperative there.

 

5. One interesting occurrence where both singular and plural imperatives are used to address the same group is Hag 2:4 – “ ‘be strong all the people of the land,’ declaration of Yahweh, ‘and work.’ ”  The first imperative is singular and the second one is plural. It could, however, be argued for this one that the plural imperative is directed not just toward “all the people” but also to Zerubbabel and Joshua.

 

6. Keep in mind the original point – there are no examples whatsoever (zilch, nada, nil, none, zero, zippo) of a group being addressed and either told or being asked to do something by the use of a 3cp qatal form.

 

7. The only DSS manuscript that contains Numbers 16 is 4QNum^b, and unfortunately the relevant part of v. 16 is either missing or unreadable.  And, no, there is absolutely no reason to surmise that there has been a scribal error or copyist’s mistake in the MT of Num 16:16.

 

8. The fact that the Hebrew imperative has other nuances (i.e., making a request, giving permission, expressing a wish) does not mean that it is not a true imperative conjugation.  The English imperative has these same nuances as well, among others, but is nonetheless a true imperative.

 

Blessings,

 

Jerry

Jerry Shepherd

Taylor Seminary

Edmonton, Alberta

jshepherd53 AT gmail.com