An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

Hebrew. Temporal indicators mark the future time in which the temporal situation
occurs. 11
תֹנ ָע ֵל תָּ ְנא֫ ַ ֵמ יתַ ָמ־ד ַע
י֑ נָ ָפּ ִמ
[Page
How long will you refuse to humble yourself before
486]
me?
2.
Exod 10:3
d Both the suffix and prefix conjugations may be used in connection with absolute
future time. How do they differ? The suffix conjugation marks the situation as
complete: the prefix conjugation does not do so, but rather marks the situation as
dependent. Representing a future action or situation as complete and independent
leads to a certain dramatic quality of representation.
30.5 Species of Perfective Usage
a The rich English verbal system often overtly expresses nuances associated with
factors analyzed above. In this section we attempt to relate to the English verbal
system various nuances potentially proper to the Hebrew perfective form. We also
expose other nuances not formally represented in English. (We often allow the
illustrations themselves to suggest the ways in which the perfective situation might be
rendered in English.)
30.5.1 Fientive Verbs
a Perfective forms of fientive verbs may refer to any block of time, past, present, or
future.
b Past-time reference is shown either by particles such as waw-relative (combined with
other verbs in the context) or by adverbial modifiers. The perfective sense may be
definite (“preterite”; ## 1–2), ingressive (# 3), constative (# 4), complex (# 5), or telic
(# 6).
1. ה ָלְי ל ֑ ָ֫
ארָ ק ָ֫ ךְ ֶשׁ ֹח֫ ַלוְ He called the darkness “Night.”
2. אֹ ל רֹמא ֵל הרָ ָשׂ שׁחֵ ַכתְּ וַ
יתִּ ְק חַ֫ ָצ
3. ר ֶשׁ א ֲ ןוֹשׁארִ ה ָ םוֹיּה־ן ַ ִמ
ןיבִ הָ ְל ךָבְּ ל־ת ִ א ֶ תָּ תַ ֫ ָנ
4. ה ָנ ָשׁ הרֵ ְשׂ ֶע םיתֵּ ְשׁ
ר ֶמ ֹע֑ ֫ ָלרְ דָ ְכּ־תא ֶ וּדבְ ָע
Gen 1:5
Sarah lied and said, “I did not laugh.”
Gen 18:15
from the first day that you set your heart to understand
Dan 10:12
For twelve years they served Chedorlaomer.
Gen 14:4
11 J. A. Hughes would argue that it is the particle ˓d-mty in # 2 that signifies the tense;
“Another Look at the Hebrew Tenses,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 29 (1970)
12–24; cf. 1. HS 265.