צְ דָ קָ ה וְ כָ בוֹד חַ יִּים life, righteousness, and honor. (Prov. 21:21)
10. תְּ הוֹם־אֶ ל־תְּ הוֹם קוֹרֵ א Deep calls unto deep. (Ps. 42:8 [Eng. 42:7])
11. הֲ שָׁ מַ ע ﬠַ ם קוֹל אֱ הִ ים
מִ וֹתּ־הָ אֵ שׁ מְ דַ בֵּ ר
כַּ אֲ שֶׁ ר־שָׁ מַ ֣ ﬠְתּ ָ אַ תָּ ה
Has a people heard the voice of God speaking from
the midst of the re as you have heard? (Deut. 4:33)
12. כִּ י כָ ל־בֵּ יתָ הּ לָ בֻ שׁ שָׁ נִים For all her household is clothed is scarlet. (Prov.
31:21)
13. וּמְ הַ לְ לִ ים לַ יהוָ ה יוֹםבּ ְ יוֹם
וְ הַ כֹּהֲ נִים הַ לְ וִ יִּ ם
e Levites and the priests praised the L ORD day by
day. (2 Chr. 30:21)
14. בָּ רוּ אַ תָּ ה בְּ נִי דָ וִ ד Blessed be you, my son David! (1 Sam. 26:25)
15. שִׁ מְ עוּ אֵ לַ י רֹדְ פֵ י צֶ ֣דֶ ק
יְהוָ ה מְ בַ קְּשׁ ֵ י
Hearken to me, you who pursue righteousness, you
who seek the L ORD. (Isa. 51:1)
Vocabulary
[אמן] (Nifʿal) he was faithful, (Hifʿil) he believed
אָ רַ ר he cursed
וֹגּאֵ ל redeemer
גָּ לָ ה he uncovered, revealed
גָּ מָ ל camel
ישׁוֵֹ ב inhabitant
יוֹצֵ ר potter
יָ צַ ר he formed
משׁוִֹ יַע savior, deliverer
מַ לְ אָ angel, messenger
נָ גַ ע he touched, smote
נָ גַ שׁ he approached
נָ הָ ר river
סוֹפֵ ר scribe
פָּ דָ ה he ransomed, redeemed
פָּשׁ ַ ע he rebelled, transgressed
רוֹאֶ ה seer, prophet
רﬠוֶֹ ה shepherd
רָ ﬠָ ה he pastured, tended
שַׂ ר prince, ruler
שָׁ אַ ר he was le, le over
וֹשׁפֵ ט judge
שָׁ קָ ה he drank, (Hifʿil) he watered
ﬠוֹתֵּ בָ ה (f ) abomination
Lesson 21
C OORDINATE R ELATIONSHIP: H EBREW V ERB S EQUENCES
21.1 A coordinate relationship consists of two or more verb forms linked together by
means of vav conjunction or vav consecutive. e verb that stands rst in such a
sequence functions as the governing verb and determines both the time (past, present,
or future) and the mode (indicative, subjunctive, or imperative) of the verbs linked to
it. is literary device gave writers great exibility in expressing their thoughts even
though they worked with a limited number of verbs.
e presentation here is not meant to be exhaustive. Coordinate relationships are
not always so easy to identify as those presented here. However, there are consistent
patterns that are important to recognize.
Coordinate Relationships Involving a Perfect as the Governing Verb
21.2 A perfect may serve as the governing verb when it stands in sequence with
another perfect or with an imperfect. Its usage seems to be limited to these two
categories.
Perfect + Perfect Sequence
Perfect + Perfect Sequence
21.3 e linking of two perfects is the simplest form of the coordinate relationship.
e rst perfect in such a sequence does not alter the time and mode of the second,
since the two are already essentially alike. Examples of the perfect plus perfect
sequence are surprisingly rare in the Hebrew Bible.
דָּ בָ ר שָׁ לַ ח אֲ דֹנָי בְּ יַﬠֲ קֹב
בְּ יִ שְׂ רָ אֵ ל וְ נָ פַ ל
e Lord has sent a word against Jacob, and it has fallen
upon Israel. (Isa. 9:7 [Eng. 9:8])
אֶ ֣ רֶ ץ י ָ ֽ רְ אָ ה וְ שָׁ קָ ֣ טָ ה e earth feared and was still. (Ps. 76:9 [Eng. 76:8])
אָ בִ ֣ י הֲ לוֹא אָ כַ ל וְ שָׁ תָ ה
וְ ﬠָשׂ ָ ה מִ שְׁפּ ָ ט וּצְ דָ קָ ה
Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and
righteousness? (Jer. 22:15)
Perfect + Imperfect Sequence
21.4 is is one of the most frequently occurring verb sequences in the Hebrew
Bible. It is a true narrative sequence, as noted earlier (see §16.33). It is marked by the
vav consecutive (ּ ַ ו), the special form of the conjunction linking the imperfect to its
governing perfect. e vav consecutive is used nowhere else in the Hebrew verb
system, not even on imperfects placed in sequence with other verb forms.
Furthermore, in the perfect + imperfect sequence, one rarely encounters the imperfect
prexed with vav conjunction ( ְ ו).
An imperfect prexed with vav consecutive will customarily be translated in past
time and in the indicative mode. It may describe an action resulting from a previous
action (consequence) or an action subsequent to a previous action (sequence).
וְ הָ אָ דָ ם יָ דַ ע אֶ ת־חַ וָּ ה אִ שְׁוֹתּ
וַ תַּ ֣ הַ ר וַ תֵּ ֣ לֶ ד אֶ ת־קַ ֣ יִ ן
Now the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceived
and bore Cain. (Gen. 4:1)
זָ כָ ר וּנְ קֵ בָ ה בְּ רָ אָ ם וַ יְבָ ֣ רֶ
אֹתָ ם וַ יִּ קְ רָ א אֶ ת־שְׁ מָ ם אָ דָ ם
Male and female he created them, and he blessed
them, and he named them Humankind. (Gen. 5:2)
זָ כַ ֣ רְ תִּ י בַ לַּ ֣יְ לָ ה שִׁ מְ יְהוָ ה
וָ אֶ שְׁ מְ רָ ה וֹתּרָ תֶ ֣
I have remembered thy name in the night, O L ORD, and
I have kept thy law. (Ps. 119:55)
21.5 e narrative use of imperfects with vav consecutive became so commonplace
that they were oen used in this sense even without a preceding governing perfect,
especially with imperfect forms of the verb הָ יָה , “he was.” In such cases, the imperfects
are translated as past action.
וַ יְהִ י דְּ בַ ר־יְהוָ ה אֶ ל־יוֹנָ ה And the word of the L ORD came (was) to Jonah. (Jon. 1:1)
וַ יְהִ י אַ חַ ר הַ דְּ בָ רִ ים הָ אֵ ֣ לֶּ ה And it came to pass aer these things ... (Gen. 22:1)
Coordinate Relationships Involving an Imperfect as the Governing Verb
21.6 Imperfects may serve as governing verbs when they are placed in sequence with
other imperfects or with perfects.
Imperfect + Imperfect Sequence
21.7 e second verb in this sequence sometimes expresses the outcome or purpose
of the action of the rst verb. ere are no objective criteria for determining when this
is the case. e reader must decide whether this was the author’s intended meaning.
e work of the translator becomes both an art and a science.
יְבָ רֶ כְ יְהוָ ה וְ יִ שְׁ מְ רֶ ֣ May the L ORD bless you, and may he keep you.
(Num. 6:24)
נִ שְׁ לְ חָ ה אֲ נָ שִׁ ים לְ פָ נֵ ֣ינוּ
וְ יַ חְ פְּ רוּ־לָ ֣נוּ אֶ ת־הָ אָ ֣ רֶ ץ
Let us send men before us, that they may explore
the land for us. (Deut. 1:22)
וְ אֶ סְ לַ ח וַ אֲ נִי אֶ שְׁ מַ ע מִ ן־הַ שָּׁ מַ ֣יִ ם
אֶ ת־אַ רְ צָ ם לְ חַ טָּ אתָ ם וְ אֶ רְ פָּ א
And I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their
sin, and I will heal their land. (2 Chr. 7:14)
Imperfect + Perfect Sequence
21.8 is sequence is used with all the various meanings and in all the various
modes of the imperfect. In each of the examples which follow the perfect takes on not
only the imperfect sense but also the indicative, jussive, cohortative, or subjunctive
tone of the rst verb.
21.9 Indicative Imperfect + Perfect Sequence
הוּא יִ שְׁ לַ ח מַ לְ אָ כוֹ לְ פָ נֶ ֣י
וְ לָ קַ חְ תּ ָ אִ שָּׁ ה לִ בְ נִי מִ שָּׁ ם
He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a
wife for my son from there. (Gen. 24:7)
וְ אֵ ד יַ ֽﬠֲ לֶ ה מִ ן־הָ אָ ֣ רֶ ץ
וְ הִ שְׁ קָ ה
אֶ ת־כָּ ל־פְּ נֵי־הָ אֲ דָ מָ ה
And a mist used to go up from the earth, and it used to
water all the face of the ground. (Gen. 2:6)
בְּ יַ ד מֶ ֣ לֶ ־בָּ בֶ ל תִּנּ ָ תֵ ן
בָּ אֵ שׁ שׂוְּ רָ פָ הּ
It shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon,
and he shall burn it with re. (Jer. 34:2)
21.10 Jussive Imperfect + Perfect Sequence
וַ יּ֣ אֹמֶ ר אֱ הִ ים יְהִ י מְ אֹרֹת
בִּ רְ קִ יַע הַ שָּׁ מַ ֣יִ ם וְ הָ יוּ לְ אֹתֹת
וּלְ מﬠוֲֹ דִ ים וּלְ יָ מִ ים וְ שָׁ נִים
And God said, “Let there be lights in the rmament of
the heavens, and let them be for signs and for seasons
and for days and years.” (Gen. 1:14)
וְ אֵ ל שַׁדּ ַ י יְבָ רֵ אֹתְ וְ יַפְ רְ May God Almighty bless you and may he make you
וְ יַ רְ בֶּ ֣ וְ הָ יִ ֣ית ָ לִ קְ הַ ל ﬠַמּ ִ ים fruitful, and may he multiply you, and may you become
a company of peoples. (Gen. 28:3)
21.11 Cohortative Imperfect + Perfect Sequence
וַ יֹּ֣ אמֶ ר ﬠָ ה נַﬠֲ לֶ ה וְ יָ רַ ֣ שְׁ נוּ
אֹתָ הּ
And he said, “Let us go up at once, and let us possess it.”
(Num. 13:30)
וַ יּֽ ֹאמְ רוּ נָ קוּםוּ בָ נִ ֣ינוּ And they said, “Let us rise up, and let us build.” (Neh.
2:18)
וְ ﬠַתּ ָ ה לְ כָ ה נִ כְ רְ תָ ה בְ רִ ית
וָ אָ ֣ תָּ ה וְ הָ יָה לְ ﬠֵ ד בֵּ ינִי אֲ נִי
וּבֵ ינ ֶ ֣
And now, come, let us make (cut) a covenant, I and you,
and let it be for a witness between me and you. (Gen.
31:44)
21.12 Subjunctive Imperfect + Perfect Sequence
פֶּ ן־יִ נָּ חֵ ם הָ ﬠָ ם וְ שָׁ ֣ בוּ מִ צְ רָ ֣ יְ מָ ה Lest the people repent, and (lest) they return to Egypt.
(Exod. 13:17)
ְ
לְ מַ ֣ ﬠַ ן תִּ זְ כְּ רִ י וָ בֹשְׁתּ In order that you may remember, and that you may
be confounded (ashamed). (Ezek. 16:63)
וַ יִּדּ ַ ר יַﬠֲ קֹב נ ֶ ֣ דֶ ר לֵ אמֹר אִ ם־
יִהְ יֶה אֱ הִ ים ﬠִמּ ָ דִ י שׁוְּ מָ רַ ֣ נִי
בַּדּ ֶ ֣ רֶ הַ זֶּ ה וְ נָ ֽ תַ ן־לִ י לֶ ֣חֶ ם
לֶ אֱ כֹל וּבֶ ֣גֶ ד לִ לְ בֹּשׁ
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, “If God will be with
me, and (if ) he will keep me in this way, and (if ) he
will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear ...”
(Gen. 28:20)
פֶּ ן־יִ שְׁ לַ ח יָ דוֹ וְ לָ קַ ח גַּ ם מֵ ﬠֵ ץ
הַ חַ יִּים
Lest he put forth his hand, and (lest) he take also
from the tree of life. (Gen. 3:22)
Relationships Involving an Imperative as the Governing Verb
21.13 An imperative may serve as a governing verb when it is placed in sequence
with a perfect, an imperfect, or another imperative. When an imperative functions as
the governing verb, the verb that follows it sometimes expresses the notion of purpose
or result. It is not always clear which meaning the writer had in mind. In such cases
the translator must exercise his or her judgment.
Imperative + Perfect Sequence
Imperative + Perfect Sequence
21.14 e perfect in this coordinate relationship must be translated as an imperative.
It is instructive in this respect to compare the similar commands given in Jeremiah
36:2 and 36:28, the rst involving an Imperative + Perfect sequence and the second
involving an Imperative + Imperative sequence. (e imperative קַ ח is from the root
לָ קַ ח .)
ָ
קַ ח־לְ מְ גִ לַּ ת־סֵ ֣ פֶ ר וְ כָ תַ בְ תּ
ָ
אֵ לֶ ֣יה
Take for yourself a scroll and write on it. (36:2)
קַ ח־לְ מְ גִ לָּ ה אַ חֶ ֣ רֶ ת וּכְ תֹב
ָ
ﬠָ לֶ ֣יה
Take for yourself another scroll and write on it.
(36:28)
e conclusion to be drawn from these two passages is that the perfect takes on an
imperative meaning. Both provide a continuation of the initial command. e
following examples illustrate the imperative + perfect sequence.
אֶ תְ כֶ ם שׁ֣וּ בוּ אֶ ל־הַ מֶּ ֣ לֶ אֲ שֶׁ ר־שָׁ לַ ח
וְ דִ בַּ רְ תֶּ ם אֵ לָ יו
Return to the king who sent you and say to
him. (2 Kgs. 1:6)
קוּם וְ יָ רַ דְ תּ ָ בֵּ ית הַ וֹיּצֵ ר Arise and go down to the house of the potter.
(Jer. 18:2)
שִׁ מְ עוּ אֶ ת־דִּ בְ רֵ י הַ בְּ רִ ית הַ זֹּאת
וַ ﬠֲשׂ ִ יתֶ ם אוֹתָ ם
Hear the words of this covenant and do them.
(Jer. 11:6)
Imperative + Imperfect Sequence
21.15 An imperfect in coordinate relationship with an imperative sometimes
expresses purpose or result.
לְ כוּ וְ נִ בְ נֶ ה אֶ ת־חוֹמַ ת יְ רשׁוָּ לַ ֣ Come, let us build the wall of
Jerusalem. (Neh. 2:17)
קוּ֣ מוּ וְ נַ ֽﬠֲ לֶ ה צִ וֹיּן Arise, and let us go up to Zion. (Jer. 31:6)
תְּ נָ ה־לָּ ֣נוּ בָ שָׂ ר וְ נֹאכֵ ֣לָ ה Give us esh (meat), that we may eat. (Num. 11:13)
פְּ קַ ח־נָ א אֶ ת־ﬠֵ ינָיו וְ יִ רְ אֶ ה Open his eyes, that he may see. (2 Kgs. 6:17)
Imperative + Imperative Sequence
21.16 e second imperative in this sequence oen expresses purpose or result. e
translator must decide whether or not this is the case.
סוּר מֵ רָ ע וַ ﬠֲשׂ ֵ ה־טוֹב Depart from evil and do good. (Ps. 34:15 [Eng. 34:14])
בַּקּ ֵשׁ שָׁ לוֹם וְ רָ דְ פֵ ֣הוּ Seek peace and pursue it. (Ps. 34:15 [Eng. 34:14])
בָּ רֵ אֱ הִ ים וָ מֻ ת Curse (bless) God and die. (Job 2:9)
ﬠִ מְ דוּ וּרְ אוּ אֶ ת־יְ ﬠוּשַׁ ת
יְהוָ ה
Stand still and see the salvation of the L ORD. (2 Chr.
20:17)
Infinitive Absolute + Perfect Sequence
21.17 e innitive absolute may sometimes be used with the force of an imperative
(on the various uses of the innitive absolute, see §§19.25–28). A perfect may be
placed in sequence with an innitive absolute used in this manner, in which case the
perfect must also be translated as an imperative.
הָ לוֹ וְ דִ בַּ רְ תּ ָ אֶ ל־דָּ וִ ד Go and say to David. (2 Sam. 24:12)
ָ
הָ לוֹ וְ רָ חַ צְ תּ
שֶׁ ֽ בַ ע־פְּﬠ ָ מִ ים בַּיּ ַ רְ דֵּ ן
Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan. (2 Kgs. 5:10)
שָׁ מַֹ ע בֵּ ין־אֲ חֵ יכֶ ם
שׁוְּ פַ טְ תֶּ ם צֶ ֣דֶ ק
Hear (cases) between your brethren and judge
righteously. (Deut. 1:16)
Participle + Perfect Sequence
21.18 e participle is oen used to describe an impending action, something
destined to take place in the near future. is is especially true when the participle is
introduced by the demonstrative particle הִ נֵּ ה , “behold!” (see §20.21). When a perfect
is placed in sequence with such a participle, it too is translated in future time.
וְ אַ תֶּ ם עֹבְ רִ ים וִ ירִ שְׁתּ ֶ ם
הַ וֹטּבָ ה הַ זֹּאת אֶ ת־הָ אָ ֣ רֶ ץ
And you shall cross over and shall take possession of
that good land. (Deut. 4:22)
הִ נְ נִי שֹׁלֵ ַ ח מַ לְ אָ כִ י וּפִ נָּ ה־דֶ ֣ רֶ
לְ פָ נָי
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he will prepare
a way before me. (Mal. 3:1)
Exercises
Exercise 1
In the following phrases and sentences, identify (a) the verb sequence, (b) the verb
stems, and (c) the verb roots.
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