An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

2 Kgs 7:2
37.7 Use with Finite Verbs
37.7.1 With היה
a The verb היה serves as an independent verb with participles used as substantives (#
1) or adjectives (# 2), including all passive participles (## 3–4). 50
1. ׃םי ִל ֵכ א ֵשֹׂנ וֹל־יהְי ִ ו ַ And he became his armor bearer.
2. םוֹיּ ַל םינֹכ ִ ְנ וּיהָ וְ
ישׁי ֑ ִ ִל ְשּׁ ה ַ
3.
4.
1 Sam 16:21
And be ready on the third day.
Exod 19:11
ם ָעה־ל ָ ָכּ וּיה ָ םי ִל ֻמ־י ִכּ For all the people had been circumcised.
ךְוּר֑ ָבּ ךְרי ֵ ִכּ ַמ י ִ
Josh 5:5
הְי May the one who took note of you be blessed.
Ruth 2:19
b By connecting a finite form of היה with a following predicate participle, an
aspectual and/or modal index is assigned to the participle, yielding forms that are past
progressive (## 5–7), perfect progressive (## 8–10), future progressive (# 11), or
jussive progressive (# 12). 51
5. . . י ַלא ֵ ר ֵבּדּ ַמ
ִ ע ַמ ְשׁ אֶ וָ
דמֹע ֵ הָיה ָ שׁיאִ וְ
.
׃י ִל ְצאֶ 6. קזֵּ חַ תְ ִמ הָיה ָ ר ֵנ ְבאַ וְ
׃לוּא ָשׁ תיבֵ ְבּ
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7.
ה ָשׁוֹל ְשׁ םימָ ִ י וּיהִי ְ וַ
םיזִ זֹבּ ְ
8. ה ָמּ הֵ ֫ ה ָ םימָ ִ יּה־ד ַ ַע י ִכּ
לאֵ רָ ְשִׂי־ינֵ ְב וּיהָ וֹל םירִ טְּ קַ ְמ
9. יתֹא ֑ ִ םיסִ ִע ְכ ַמ וּיהִיּ ְ ַ
And I heard someone speaking to me…while the man
was standing beside me.
Ezek 43:6
Now Abner was (or, had been?) strengthening himself
in the House of Saul.
2 Sam 3:6
And so three days they were plundering.
2 Chr 20:25
For up to that time the Israelites had been burning
incense to it.
2 Kgs 18:4
ו And they have been provoking me from the day…
50 In 37.7 we follow closely GB 2. 72–74 (§13i-1).
51 Contrast GKC §116r / p. 360. Usually when the participle precedes hyy, it is either
an adjective (Deut 9:2 2, Ps 122:2) or a substantive (Deut 9:7 = 9:24 = 31:27).