An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

ער ָ ארי ָ א־אֹ ִ ל תוֶ ָמ ֫ לְ ַצ
Ps 23:4
38.3 Final and Result Clauses
a In Hebrew (as in many languages) expressions of purpose and consequence are not
always readily distinguished; the precise sense of the relevant constructions and
particles must be determined from context. 24 The main clause expresses a situation,
and the subordinate clause either a purpose (final or telic clause) or a consequence
(result clause). We have already considered the common use of l + the infinitive to
form a purpose clause (36.2.2–3). Here we take up other markers of final and result
clauses, positive and negative.
b The relative conjunction רשׁא is common in a variety of final and result clauses. In
positive clauses רשׁא alone can introduce either a final (# 1) or a result clause (# 2).
Final clauses are introduced by ןעמל, 25 with or without רשׁא (## 3–6), or by
רובעבּ, with or without רשׁא (## 7–8); ןעמל can govern a finite verb (## 3–4) or an
infinitive construct[Page 639] (## 5–6). A result clause can be introduced by יכּ (##
9–11), notably after a question (## 9–10).
1. יר֑ ָ ָבדּ־ת ְ א ֶ ם ֵע ִמ ְשׁ אַ וְ
האָ רִי ְ ְל ןוּדמְ לִי ְ ר ֶשׁ אֲ
יתֹא ִ
2. . . . ארָ ְקִיּ וַ
. . . אוּהה ַ םוֹק ָמּ ה־ם ַ ֵשׁ
םוֹיּה ַ ר ֵמ אֵי ָ ר ֶשׁ אֲ
I will make them hear my words, so that (i.e., with the
goal that) they may learn to fear me.
Deut 4:10
He called…the the place…so that (i.e., with the result
that) to this day it is said…
Gen 22:14
3. י ִכּ וּנימִ ֫ אַי ֲ ן ַע ַמ ֫ לְ
so that they might believe that…
4. הוֶּ ַצְי ר ֶשׁ א ֲ ן ַע ַמ ֫ לְ
וינָ ָבּ־תאֶ 5.
הוהי ַל חֹב ַ ז ְ ן ַע ַמ ֫ ְ
Exod 4:5
so that he will direct his children
Gen 18:19
ל so that they (the people) might sacrifice to YHWH
24
Similarly Joüon §168a / p. 518, §169i / p. 521. On ky in such clauses, see W. T.
Claassen, “Speaker-Oriented Functions of kî in Biblical Hebrew,” Journal of
Northwest Semitic Languages 11 (1983) 29–46.
25
See H. A. Brongers, “Die Partikel ן ַע ַמ ל ְ in der biblisch-hebräischen Sprache,”
Oudtestamentische Studiën 18 (1973) 84–96. Brongers suggests that Im˓n introduces a
result clause in a few cases (Lev 20:3, 2 Kgs 22:17, Amos 2:7; p. 89); he also notes
that sometimes the particle is elliptical in sense and a paraphrase is necessary: “the
consequence of which will be.” The form lm˓n occurs 270 times (SA/THAT).