The Syntax of the Verb in Classical Hebrew Prose

Book excerpt: 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.