Dear Nir, I am not certain what you refer to, because there are no prefix forms with prefixed WAW in Isaiah 1:19, 20. But there are four prefix forms without prefixed WAW in these two verses. The first WAYYIQTOL in the book of Isaiah in the MT is 2:7. In the verses 2:7-8 there are three WAYYIQTOLs, and they probably have present reference; the two WAYYIQTOLs in 2:9 probably have future reference.
If I understand you correctly, your definition of the conversive WAYYIQTOL is that its meaning is converted compared with the YIQTOL, that is, the WAYYIQTOL has the opposite temporal reference (past reference) of the YIQTOL form; whereas the WEYIQTOL is conjunctive, because it has the same time reference as the YIQTOL. This is the view of many grammatical works, but this map does not fit the terrain! I present three basic methodological criticisms against such grammatical works: 1) The "conversive" sense of the WAYYIQTOL is based on its use in narrative texts. But narrative texts cannot be used to describe the SEMANTIC meaning of verb forms, because the narrative verbs per definition must have past reference. If the narrative verb is infinitive absolute, it has past reference without being a past tense (grammaticalized location in the past). So, whether the past reference is semantic or pragmatic cannot be seen in narrative texts, except in a few cases where the context reveals the semantic meaning. 2) No grammarian who has presented the Hebrew verbal system, has made a careful analysis of ALL the verbs of the Tanakh. ALL the verb forms that contradict the traditional view of Hebrew verbs have not been collected and studied. 3) No grammarian has made a careful distinction between semantic and pragmatic factors, that is, between the meaning that is an intrinsic part of the verb forms and the meaning contributed by the context. In order to demonstrate that the so-called "inverted" meaning of the prefix form with prefixed WAW is an illusjon, I will analyze 28 verses in Psalm 18 (a doublet of 2 Samuel 22) where the setting is past. I use the English NIV text, and I show when 2 Samuel 22 has another verb form than Psalm 18. My comments are in capital letters. PSALM 18 1) For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang (QATAL—Sam WAYYIQTOL) to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered (QATAL) him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2) He said (WAYYIQTOL):I love (YIQTOL) you, O LORD, my strength. 3) The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge (YIQTOL). He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 4) I call (YIQTOL) to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved (YIQTOL) from my enemies. BOTH YIQTOLs OF V. 4 PROBABLY HAVE PAST REFERENCE, BECAUSE THE PSALM DISCUSSES WHAT HAPPENED WITH DAVID IN THE PAST. 5) The cords of death entangled (QATAL) me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed (YIQTOL) me. THE QATAL IS CLAUSE INITIAL AND PARALLELS THE YIQTOL; BOTH HAVE PAST REFERENCE. SAM HAS THE PARTICLE KI BEFORE THE QATAL. 6) The cords of the grave coiled around (QATAL) me; the snares of death confronted (QATAL) me. 7) In my distress I called (YIQTOL) to the LORD; I cried (YIQTOL) to my God for help. From his temple he heard (YIQTOL—SAM:WAYYIQTOL) my voice; my cry came (YIQTOL—Sam: no verb) before him, into his ears. HERE IN V. 7 WE HAVE A TYPICAL SITUATION FOR THE USE OF YIQTOL IN A DESCRIPTION OF THE PAST. NORMALLY, THERE IS A CHAIN OF WAYYIQTOLS; THEY ARE CLAUSE INITIAL AND ARE BOUND TOGETHER BY THE CONJUNCTION WAW (WAY). HOWEVER, IF THE AUTHOR CHOSE TO HAVE WORDS PRECEDING THE VERB, THE USE OF WAYYIQTOL WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE, AND THE YIQTOL (OR SOMETIMES QATAL) IS USED INSTEAD. THE SCORES UPON SCORES OF SUCH EXAMPLES SHOW THAT WAYYIQTOL IS A YIQTOL WITH PREFIXED WAW, AND THAT YIQTOL AND WAYYIQTOL HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME SEMANTIC MEANING. IF SOMEONE DISAGREE, PLEASE EXPLAIN THE USE OF WAYYIQTIL IN THIS VERSE AND THE OTHER VERSES OF PSALM 18. THE YIQTOL "HEAR" IS CLAUSE INITIAL IN PSALM 18, BUT IN 1 SAM 22 A WAW IS ADDED, AND THE FORM IS WAYYIQTOL. THIS SHOWS THAT BOTH YIQTOL AND WAYYIQTOL CAN BE CLAUSE INITIAL, AND THAT BOTH FORMS HAVE THE SAME MEANING. OF THE 1,027 YIQTOLS WITH PAST REFERENCE THAT I HAVE FOUND, 131 ARE CLAUSE INITIAL. 8) The earth trembled (WAYYIQTOL) and quaked (WAYYIQTOL), and the foundations of the mountains shook (YIQTOL); they trembled (WAYYIQTOL) because he was angry (QATAL). THIS VERSE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS SAID ABOVE REGARDING THE USE OF YIWTOL. THE THREE WAYYIQTOLS ARE CLAUSE INITIAL, BUT THE AUTHOR PUT MWSDY HRYM BEFORE THE VERB, AND THEREFORE A YIQTOL WAS CHOSEN. THE CONJUNCTION WAW THAT BINDS THE ACCOUNT TOGETHER, IS HERE PREFIXED TO MWSDY. THIS IS TYPICAL: WHEN WORDS ARE PUT BEFORE THE VERB IN A PAST ACCOUNT AND A WAYYIQTOL IS NOT POSSIBLE, THE WAW IS PREFIXED TO THE WORD BEFORE THE VERB OR TO THE FIRST WORD OF THE PHRASE BEFORE THE VERB. 9) Smoke rose (QATAL) from his nostrils; consuming fire came (YIQTOL) from his mouth, burning coals blazed (QATAL) out of it. THE FIRST QATAL IS CLAUSE INITIAL. AFTER THIS QATAL WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED A WAYYIQTOL. BUT BECAUSE "HIS "MOUTH'S FIRE" IS PLACED BEFORE THE VERB, A YIQTOL WAS CHOSEN. AND THE EXPECTED WAW IS PREFIXED TO )$. 10) He parted (WAYYIQTOL) the heavens and came down (WAYYIQTOL); dark clouds were under his feet. 11) He mounted (WAYYIQTOL) the cherubim and flew (WAYYIQTOL); he soared (WAYYIQTOL) on the wings of the wind. 12) He made (YIQTOL, Sam—WAYYIQTOL) darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky. THESE THREE VERSES REPRESENT A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS EXPRESSED BY FIVE WAYYIQTOLS, WHICH IS NORMAL. THEN, IN PSALM 18 FOLLOWS A CLAUSE INITIAL YIQTOL, WHEREAS 1 SAMUEL 22 HAS A WAYYIQTOL. THIS SHOWS THAT YIQTOL AND WAYYIQTOL HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME MEANING. 13) Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced (QATAL), with hailstones and bolts of lightning. 14 ) The LORD thundered (WAYYIQTOL—SAM:YIQTOL) from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded (YIQTOL). VERSE 14 STARTS WITH A WAYYIQTOL AND CONTINUES WITH A YIQTOL. THE REASON FOR THE YOIQTOL IS THE WORD (LYWN BEFORE THE VERB. AND THE EXPECTED WAW IS PREFIXED TO (LYWN. 2 SAMUEL 22 HAS A CLAUSE INITIAL YIQTOL INSTEAD OF A WAYYIQTOL. THIS AGAIN SHOWS THAT YIQTOL AND WAYYIQTIL HAVE THE SAME MEANING. 15) He shot (WAYYIQTOL) his arrows and scattered (WAYYIQTOL) [the enemies], great bolts of lightning and routed (WAYYIQTOL) them. 16) The valleys of the sea were exposed (WAYYIQTOL) and the foundations of the earth laid bare (WAYYIQTOL—Sam:YIQTOL), at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. THE TWO VERSES REPRESENT A NORMAL PAST DESCRIPTION EXPRESSED BY FOUR WAYYIQTOLS. HOWEVER, 2 SAMUEL 22 HAS A YIQTOL IN THE SECOND PART OF V 16, WHERE PSALM 18 HAS A WAYYIQTOL. THIS SHOWS THAT THE TWO FORMS CAN BE USED INSTEAD OF EACH OTHER AND HAVE THE SAME MEANING. 17) He reached down (YIQTOL) from on high and took hold (YIQTOL) of me; he drew (YIQTOL) me out of deep waters. 18) He rescued (YIQTOL) me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong (QATAL) for me. HERE WE HAVE A PAST DESCRIPTION WITH FOUR YIQTOLS WHICH ARE CLAUSE INITIAL. THEY HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION AND MEANING AS WAYYIQTOLS. THIS SHOWS THAT YIQTOL AND WAYYIQTOL ARE INTERCHANGEABLE. 19) They confronted me (YIQTOL) in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was (WAYYIQTOL) my support. 20) He brought (WAYYIQTOL) me out into a spacious place; he rescued (YIQTOL) me because he delighted (QATAL) in me. HERE WE HAVE TWO CLAUSE INITIAL YIQTOLS AND TWO CLAUSE INITIAL WAYYIQTOLs WITH THE SAME FUNCTION AND SAME MEANING. 36) You give (WAYYIQTOL) me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains (YIQTOL) me; you stoop down (YIQTOL) to make me great. 37) You broaden (YIQTOL) the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn (QATAL). CONTRARY TO THE NIV, I THINK BOTH VERSES HAVE PAST REFERENCE. THE ACCOUNT IS EXPRESSED BY ONE WAYYIQTOL, THE REASON FOR THE TWO YIQTOLS IN V 36, IS THAT BOTH ARE PRECEDED BY A SUBSTANTIVE, AND THE EXPECTED WAWS ARE PREFIXED TO THESE SUBSTANTIVES. THE YIQTOL OF V. 37 IS CLAUSE INITIAL. 38) I pursued (YIQTOL) my enemies and overtook (WEYIQTOL, SAM: WAYYIQTOL) them; I did not turn back (YIQTOL) till they were destroyed. FIRST THERE IS A CLAUSE INITIAL YIQTOL, THEN FOLLOWS A WEYIQTOL, AND LASTLY A YIQTOL PRECEDED BY A NEGATIVE PARTICLE WITH THE EXPECTED PREFIXED WAW. INSTEAD OF THE WEYIQTOL, 2 SAM 22 HAS A WAYYIQTOL. THIS MAY INDICATE THAT THE MASORETES SOMETIMES HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR POINTING—DID THE WORD HAVE STRONG ENOUGH STRESS TO WARRANT A WAYYIQTOL POINTING. THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXAMPLES OF A SIMILAR VACILLATION. 39) I crushed (YIQTOL, SAM: WAYYIQTOL) them so that they could not rise (YIQTOL); they fell (YIQTOL, SAM: WAYYIQTOL) beneath my feet. HERE WE HAVE TWO CLAUSE INITIAL YIQTOLS AND ONE YIQTOL PRECEDED BY A NEGATIVE PARTICLE WITH PREFIXED WAW. 2 SAMUEL 22 HAVE WAYYIQTOLS INSTEAD OF THE FIRST AND LAST YIQTOL. BUT THE MIDLE VERB COULD NOT BE A WAYYIQTOL BECAUSE OF THE PRECEDING NEGATIVE PARTICLE. 40) You armed (WAYYIQTOL) me with strength for battle; you made (YIQTOL) my adversaries bow at my feet. 41) You made my enemies turn (QATAL) their backs in flight, and I destroyed (YIQTOL, SAM: WAYYIQTOL) my foes. THE PAST EVENTS ARE EXPRESSED BY ONE WAYYIQTOL, TWO YIQTOLS AND ONE QATAL. THE FIRST YIQTOL IS CLAUSE INITIAL, AND THE SECOND IS PRECEDED BY A PARTICIPLE WITH PREFIXED WAW. 2 SAMUEL 22 HAS A WAYYIQTOL INSTEAD OF THE LAST YIQTOL. THE STRUCTURE OF THE LAST CLAUSE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND THE WAW IS IN 2 SAMUEL 22 PREFIXED TO THE VERB (WAYYIQTOL) INSTEAD OF BEING PREFIXED TO THE PARTICIPLE. 42) They cried (YIQTOL) for help, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but he did not answer (QATAL). 43) I beat (WEQATAL) them as fine as dust borne on the wind; I poured (YIQTOL) them out like mud in the streets. 44) You have delivered (YIQTOL, Sam: WAYYIQTOL) me from the attacks of the people; you have made (YIQTOL) me the head of nations; people I did not know (QATAL) are subject (YIQTOL) to me. THE PAST EVENTS ARE EXPRESSED BY ONE WEYIQTOL FIVE YIQTOLS, ONE QATAL, AND ONE WEQATAL. 1 SAMUEL 22 HAS A WAYYIQTOL INSTEAD OF A YIQTOL AT THE BEGINNING OF V. 44. AGAIN AN EXAMPLE OF THE INTERCHANGEABILITY OF THE YIQTOL AND THE WAYYIQTOL. In order to keep my comments as simple as possible, I have not commented on the QATALS. If you want other examples of the interchangeability of YIQTOL and WAYYIQTOL, you can analyze Proverbs 31:10-31 and Psalm 107. The main points of the analysis of Psalm 18 are: In the text above, there are 19 WAYYIQTOLs, 26 YIQTOLs, and 1 WEYIQTOL, all with past reference. If WAYYIQTOL has the opposite meaning of YIQTOL (past versus present/future), how can we explain all the YIQTOLs with past reference in Psalm 18? ADDITION: I use the Gramcord (Accordance) DSS text. This text lacks Psalm 18. Does anyone know where I can get an electronic copy of the DSS text of Psalm 18? Best regards, Rolf Furuli Stavern Norway _______________________________________________ b-hebrew mailing list [email protected] http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
