Interrogatives
Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 1:01 am
I'm wanting to study those OT passages that are translated as interrogatives when there is no interrogative marker. Can you recommend a thorough online article on the topic?
bhebrew.biblicalhumanities.org
http://bhebrew.biblicalhumanities.org/
http://bhebrew.biblicalhumanities.org/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=665
Do such passages exist? Are they consistently translated as interrogatives across all translations? Across all languages? Is there a list of such passages?CowboysDad wrote:I'm wanting to study those OT passages that are translated as interrogatives when there is no interrogative marker.
I read this as irony, not a question. Though I admit that in irony a question is implied.CowboysDad wrote:There are passages like Jonah 4.11
I have always found this verse difficult to understand. My first reaction is because of my poor understanding of Biblical Hebrew language.CowboysDad wrote: and Exodus 8:22 (English v. 26)
Do you know of such a list? That would be the first step to analyze any patterns.CowboysDad wrote: in which the context suggests an interrogative, and I wanted to study similar passages to see if there might be any patterns.
Paul Joüon and T. Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew (Roma: Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 2006), 573–574.Joüon §161a wrote:A question, even when genuine, can be indicated, as in many languages, merely by the rising intonation(1): 1Kg 1.24 אַתָּה אָמַ֫רְתָּhave you ordered?; 2Kg 9.11 אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּםdo you know? (where the’ interrogative sense is not widely recognised). Sometimes it is the word order which gives a further indication of a question: 1Sm 16.4 שָׁלוֹם בּוֹאֶ֑ךָis your visit friendly? (but with הֲin 1Kg 2.13 with the same word order); Gn 27.24 (with הֲin vs. 21); 2Sm 18.29 (with הֲin vs. 32). The omission of the interrogative הis common after וintroducing an opposition: Jb 2.10 ואת־הָרָע לא נְקַבֵּלand shall we not receive evil? This type of sentence is particularly frequent with a pronoun and in surprised, rhetorical questions(2): Jdg 14.16 “I have not told it to my father nor to my mother וְלָךְ אַגִּידand am I to reveal it to you?”; 11.23; 2Sm 11.11; Is 37.11; Jr 25.29; 45.5; 49.12; Ez 20.31; Jn 4.11.
Steiner 1997 is “Ancient Hebrew,” in R. Hetzron (ed.), The Semitic Languages (London), pp. 145–73.Footnotes to Joüon §161a wrote:(1) Gn 39.9 אֵינֶ֫נּוּ גָדוֹל … מִמֶּ֫נִּי ולא חָשַׂךְ… may be such a case: Surely he is greater than I …? Even so he has not withheld …
(2) Cf. Steiner 1997: 167.
Did you look up the verses cited by Joüon, or merely trust him?Ken M. Penner wrote:Joüon §161a wrote:
This is a statement in Hebrew, not a question. Nathan is putting words in King David’s mouth which David had not said. The context is why it is often translated as a question.Ken M. Penner wrote:Joüon §161a wrote: 1Kg 1.24 אַתָּה אָמַ֫רְתָּhave you ordered?;
Look at the context and grammar—the elders of the city are not saying this, rather Samuel. They are not questioning if Samuel is coming in peace, rather Samuel is telling each elder that he can greet Samuel.Ken M. Penner wrote:Joüon §161a wrote: 2Kg 9.11 אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּםdo you know? (where the’ interrogative sense is not widely recognised). Sometimes it is the word order which gives a further indication of a question: 1Sm 16.4 שָׁלוֹם בּוֹאֶ֑ךָis your visit friendly?
In contrast, this is Bathsheba asking if Adonijah is coming to her in fullness. Different context.Ken M. Penner wrote:Joüon §161a wrote: (but with הֲin 1Kg 2.13 with the same word order);
The question was in verse 21, but after feeling the hairy arms, Isaac made a statement “You are my son Esau” to which Jacob merely assented.Ken M. Penner wrote:Joüon §161a wrote: Gn 27.24 (with הֲin vs. 21);
Again, look at the context. This is not really a question, because of the expectation by David that the news would be good. One of the commands was that Absalom not be killed, so when the one messenger came with the expectation of good news, David expected the command to be fulfilled.Ken M. Penner wrote:Joüon §161a wrote: 2Sm 18.29 (with הֲin vs. 32). The omission of the interrogative הis common after וintroducing an opposition:
This brings up a theological question—what exactly is meant? If we take it in the sense of Romans 8:28, then it is a statement. If we take it merely in appearances, then is it a question?Ken M. Penner wrote:Joüon §161a wrote: Jb 2.10 ואת־הָרָע לא נְקַבֵּלand shall we not receive evil? This type of sentence is particularly frequent with a pronoun and in surprised, rhetorical questions(2):
I’ve always read this as a statement, not a question. “I haven’t told my father and mother, yet I will tell it to you.”Ken M. Penner wrote:Joüon §161a wrote: Jdg 14.16 “I have not told it to my father nor to my mother וְלָךְ אַגִּידand am I to reveal it to you?”;
I didn’t check the verses where further comments weren’t made. But is not a pattern clear, that Joüon is taking as questions what Hebrew wrote as statements?Ken M. Penner wrote:Paul Joüon and T. Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew (Roma: Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 2006), 573–574.Joüon §161a wrote: 11.23; 2Sm 11.11; Is 37.11; Jr 25.29; 45.5; 49.12; Ez 20.31; Jn 4.11.
Sorry, but this last verse is definitely a statement, not a question. Joseph had become the de facto ruler of the household, except only the owner was above him and Joseph followed the owner’s commands. The woman was withheld from Joseph by the owner’s command. Grammar and context both make this a statement.Ken M. Penner wrote:Steiner 1997 is “Ancient Hebrew,” in R. Hetzron (ed.), The Semitic Languages (London), pp. 145–73.Footnotes to Joüon §161a wrote:(1) Gn 39.9 אֵינֶ֫נּוּ גָדוֹל … מִמֶּ֫נִּי ולא חָשַׂךְ… may be such a case: Surely he is greater than I …? Even so he has not withheld …
(2) Cf. Steiner 1997: 167.
Even in English this comes out as a statement. Look at the context—the other people questioned Jehu “Why did this madman come unto you?” to which Jehu responded, “Oh, so you know this man and his manner of speech.” A question is implied, but the statement itself is not a question. The question that preceded the statement implied that the people knew the man.Ken M. Penner wrote:Paul Joüon and T. Muraoka, A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew (Roma: Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 2006), 573–574.Joüon §161a wrote: 2Kg 9.11 אַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּםdo you know? (where the’ interrogative sense is not widely recognised).