An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

perfective aspect. The variations caused by these factors may be hidden by the
Hebrew conjugation but find overt expression in the richer and more complex English
verbal system.
30.2.1 Lexical Variation
a The inherent meaning of a word in the larger context of discourse may single out
either the beginning, or the extension, or the end of the internal structure of the
situation represented as a single event.
b Sometimes the inherent value of a word and the context in which the single situation
is set entail that the perfective form is ingressive; that is, it refers to the beginning of
the situation.
1a. לאֵ רָ ֵשִׂי־ל ַע דוִ דּ ָ ךְ ַל ָמ
ה נ֑ ָ ָשׁ םי ִע ָבּר ְאַ
1b. הרֵ ְשׂ ֶע־םיתֵּ ְשׁ ת ַנ ְשׁ ִבּ
ךְ ַל ָמ . . . םרוֹי ָ ְל ה ָנ ָשׁ
וּהָי֫ זְ חַ א ֲ
David reigned (constative) over Israel forty years.
1 Kgs 2:11
In the twelfth year of Joram…Ahaziah became king
(ingressive).
2 Kgs 8:25
The perfective form in # 1a is constative, that in # 1b ingressive. Stative verbs,
inherently implying duration, when they are used in a perfective situation, often have
an ingressive force.
3.
2. ד ַע לדֵ גָ ו ְ ךְוֹלה ָ ךְ ֶל ֵיּ֫ וַ
׃דֹא ְמ לדַ ג־י ָ ִכּ
הּבוֹזּ ֑ ָ מ ִ הרָ הֲ ט־ם ָ אִ ְ
And he kept on becoming wealthier until he became
very rich.
Gen 26:13
ו when she has become cleansed from her discharge
ָ ָ ֵ ְ ַ
ְ ַ ֲ
Lev 15:28
c A constative meaning, as noted above, may be shown by external modifiers that
extend the internal structure of the perfective situation; in other cases the word’s
inherent meaning extends the internal temporal structure of a single situation.
[Page םדא ימְ י־ל ָכּ וּיהִיּו Altogether, Adam’s life comprised 930 years.
482]
4.
תוֹא ֵמ ע ַשׁ תּ יח־ר ֶשׁ א
5.
ה֑ נָ ָשׁ םי ִשׁלֹ ְשׁוּ ה ָנ ָשׁ
ן֑ עַ נָ֫ ְכּ־ץרֶ א֫ ֶ ְבּב ַשָׁי םרָ ְב ַ
Gen 5:5
א Abram dwelt in Canaan.
Gen 13:12
d Other verbs have built into them a telos or terminal point (e.g., ‘kill’ is telic).
6. י ִע ְצ ִפ ל ְ יתִּ ְגר֫ ַה
ָ שׁיא ִ י ִכּ I kill a man for wounding me.
Gen 4:23
A telic meaning can be found if the inherent meaning of the word entails that the
perfective form represents the end of the internal situation to which the action is