B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

Job 24:14 איוב
24:14לָא֡וֹר יָ֘ק֤וּם רוֹצֵ֗חַ יִֽקְטָל־עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְי֑וֹן וּ֝בַלַּ֗יְלָה יְהִ֣י כַגַּנָּֽב׃

14The murderer riseth with the light, to kill the poor and needy;
And in the night he is as a thief.

Does this say "let be" or "will be" יהי?

Hi Kenneth,

The translation that you wrote seems right enough.
The second verb יהי is just like the first one יקום - talk about repeated acts.

The form of יהי is confusing. It seems that the right form should be יהיה (just like יקום before it - as imperfect).

Therefore some say that the word יהי כגנב should have been יהלך גנב
(or, in Aramaic form - יהך גנב).

David,
I am not sure, but I think that the word "yehee" is used in other quotes in Job also as "will be" instead of "let be." I looked them up, but I wasn't sure about some of the others too. I just asked about this one.

Wait a minute.
I think that first there is another subject.

How do you translate the word יקום?
"will"?
"let"?
or that you agree with the translation you brought?

I think "to the light" should be at the end of Job 24:13 and not at the beginning of Job 24:14. I think it says certain people won't return by light's paths to the light at the end of Job 24:13.

I think Job 24:14 says that a killer will kill people and in the night he will be like a thief.

(Never mind how you understand the verse generally.)

Kenneth Greifer wrote: ↑Sun Mar 07, 2021 8:19 pm I think Job 24:14 says that a killer will kill people and in the night he will be like a thief.

Why "will"?
Does it talk about this act that will happen from now on or that he describes the way of life of these people?

ducky wrote: ↑Sun Mar 07, 2021 8:51 pm (Never mind how you understand the verse generally.)

Kenneth Greifer wrote: ↑Sun Mar 07, 2021 8:19 pm I think Job 24:14 says that a killer will kill people and in the night he will be like a thief.

Why "will"?
Does it talk about this act that will happen from now on or that he describes the way of life of these people?

David,
I asked the original question because I don't know the answer. If I knew the answer, I wouldn't have asked the question in the first place.

He kills by day and steals by night.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
www.hebrewetymology.com

I wonder if "by day" is the right way to see it.
Maybe it comes to say that he kills at the beginning of the morning.