The Syntax of the Verb in Classical Hebrew Prose

by Alviero Niccacci

Syntax of verbs in Hebrew is fraught with problems. According to classic grammars, many Hebrew words can be translated by virtually all the finite tenses of modern languages. Such grammars include lengthy catalogs of special cases and rules for exceptional uses, which illustrate how difficult the problem of verb syntax is. In turn, translators select the equivalent tense of modern languages based more on their own interpretation than on the rules of Hebrew syntax itself. In this landmark study on the syntax of Hebrew verbs, Niccacci reexamines the fundamental linguistic categories of prose and provides a systematic classification of the forms and constructions of Hebrew verbs. A final chapter deals with tense in poetry.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1990

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful book discussing the BH verbal system and linguistic aspects of word choice and verb placement such as the use of the Wayyiqtol for foreground in narrative in contrast to the use of Qatal for background information. Although some aspects are outdated, it still provides a useful overview that is referenced in more recent works. I would recommend reading chapter 9: Summary on the Use of Tense in Prose, first since it cleared up a lot of the content in the book, which would have been useful if it was placed towards the beginning of the book rather than at the end since some sections listed texts under certain syntactical categories without comments making it more difficult to follow the author's train of thought.