B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה הִנְנִי־שָׁב שְׁבוּת

כִּי הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה וְשַׁבְתִּי אֶת־שְׁבוּת

In the above two verses 3 and 18 the word for 'return' is in the qal, the second sentence qal perfect, but the first sentence verse 18 is listed as a 'Participle'; I had not expected this. It is just as easily a Qal Perfect 3rd person, so how does a translator decide the difference? And should not the participle be translated as an ongoing action, or of course repetitive in some contexts?

Chris watts

Chris Watts wrote: ↑Sun Sep 04, 2022 1:24 pm כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה הִנְנִי־שָׁב שְׁבוּת

כִּי הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה וְשַׁבְתִּי אֶת־שְׁבוּת

In the above two verses 3 and 18 the word for 'return' is in the qal, the second sentence qal perfect, but the first sentence verse 18 is listed as a 'Participle'; I had not expected this. It is just as easily a Qal Perfect 3rd person, so how does a translator decide the difference?

The upper sentence, verse 18, has the subject of the spoken sentence included in the הִנְנִי which is first person singular. That then makes the שָׁב into a participle because it’s connected to the first person singular.

Chris Watts wrote: ↑Sun Sep 04, 2022 1:24 pm And should not the participle be translated as an ongoing action, or of course repetitive in some contexts?

Chris watts

Here the participle refers to an action that’s in the future from the point of view of the speaker. There’s no reason to expect an ongoing or repetitive action. As for how to translate it…

Literally, verse 18—Behold I the one who returns the captives… comes out better in English changing the participle to an active verb as follows: Behold I will return the captives… This is exactly why translations are not evidence on this discussion board.

Karl W. Randolph.

Your comments are appreciated Karl
Chris watts