Time and the Biblical Hebrew Verb: The Expression of Tense, Aspect, and Modality in Biblical Hebrew

by John A. Cook

In this book John Cook interacts with the range of approaches to the perennial questions on the Biblical Hebrew verb in a fair-minded approach. Some of his answers may appear deceptively traditional, such as his perfective-imperfective identification of the qatal–yiqtol opposition. However, his approach is distinguished from the traditional approaches by its modern linguistic foundation. One distinguishing sign is his employment of the phrase “aspect prominent” to describe the Biblical Hebrew verbal system. As with almost any of the world’s verbal systems, this aspect-prominent system can express a wide range of aspectual, tensed, and modal meanings. In chap. 3, he argues that each of the forms can be semantically identified with a general meaning and that the expressions of specific aspectual, tensed, and modal meanings by each form are explicable with reference to its general meaning. After a decade of research and creative thinking, the author has come to frame his discussion not with the central question of “Tense or Aspect?” but with the question “What is the range of meaning for a given form, and what sort of contextual factors (syntagm, discourse, etc.) help us to understand this range in relation to a general meaning for the form?” In chap. 4 Cook addresses long-standing issues involving interaction between the semantics of verbal forms and their discourse pragmatic functions. He also proposes a theory of discourse modes for Biblical Hebrew. These discourse modes account for various temporal relationships that are found among successive clauses in Biblical Hebrew. Cook’s work addresses old questions with a fresh approach that is sure to provoke dialogue and new research.

Genres: Linguistics, Biblical Studies

400 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

John A. Cook (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison) is associate professor of Old Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Wisconsin (Madison and Milwaukee campuses), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Wheaton College, and Grace College.

Reviews

[Ray Clendenen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I began Biblical Hebrew studies in college in the 60s using a traditional approach (Weingreen). I continued my studies for 4 years in seminary in the 70s. Never was I introduced to modern linguistics. I despaired of really understanding how Hebrew verbs really worked. I was given a list of around 25 different meaning for the QATAL and about that many for the YIQTOL, and no real understanding of what happened with the WEQATAL and the WAYYIQTOL. Was reading the verb just guesswork? I studied at a Jewish grad school and got a second MA, but my understanding of the Hebrew verb system didn't increase. I taught Hebrew for a few years and began to read Longacre. Hebrew finally began to make sense using discourse pragmatics to study syntax. I got a PhD under Longacre. Recently Cook showed me that I needed to go back and work on Hebrew semantics to supplement what I had learned from Longacre. My only issue with Cook is his commitment to SVO word order. Maybe someday I'll really get it.

[Eric Chevlen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I give this book only one star but other readers with other interests might score it higher. The author gives academic reviews of various linguistic theories, and then applies his own somewhat syncretic approach to the question of Biblical Hebrew verbs. While I might recommend this book to linguists interested in Biblical Hebrew verb forms, it is too academic for other readers.