Perfect with Strong Vav. Vav Conv. Perf.

Perfect with Strong Vav. Vav Conv. Perf.
§ 52. Vav perf. follows a simple impf. in any of its uses, and has the same use. It has, however, in practice become a tense-form, used in the sense of impf., particularly as fut. and freq., although no impf. precedes. When a neg. or other word must come between the vav and perf., the discourse returns to the simple impf. Isaiah 11:6 ‏וְגָר זְאֵב עִם־כֶּבֶשׂ וְנָמֵר עִם־גְּדִי יִרְבָּץ‎ and the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; Hosea 2:7 ‏וּבִקְשָֽׁתַם וְלֹא תִמְצָא‎ and she shall seek them, and shall not find them. Genesis 12:12, 1 Samuel 1:11.
§ 53. (a) Vav perf. continues impf. in the sense of fut., and its use in this sense is general, although no impf. immediately precedes. 1 Kings 22:22 ‏אֵצֵא וְהָיִֽיתִי רוּחַ שֶׁקֶר‎ I will go out and be a lying spirit; Judges 6:16 ‏אֶֽהְיֶה עִמָּךְ‎ ‏וְהִכִּיתָֽ‎ I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite Midian. With interrog. Exodus 2:7 ‏הַֽאֵלֵךְ וְקָרָאתִי‎ shall I go and call? Judges 15:18, Rth_1:11, 1 Samuel 23:2. With neg. Jeremiah 22:10 ‏לֹא יָשׁוּב עוֹד וְרָאָה‎ he shall no more return, and see his native land. Genesis 18:18; Genesis 24:7, Genesis 24:38, Genesis 24:40; Genesis 40:13, Genesis 40:19; Genesis 46:33; Genesis 50:25.
(b) It continues the impf. when it is contingent or dependent on something foregoing, and in general in the senses mentioned § 43 b. E.g. of volition, 1 Samuel 17:32 ‏עַבְדְּךָ יֵלֵךְ וְנִלְחַם‎ thy servant will go and fight. Of command, Exodus 20:24 ‏מִזְבַּח אְַדָמָה תַּֽעְַשֶׂה־לִּי וְזָֽבַחְתָּ‎ an altar of earth shalt thou make me, and sacrifice upon it; Exodus 20:9.—Genesis 37:26 what gain ‏כִּי נַֽהְַרֹג את־אָחִינוּ וְכִסִּינוּ את־דָּמוֹ‎ that we should kill our brother, and cover his blood? 1 Samuel 29:8.—Genesis 27:12 ‏אוּלַי ימֻשֵּׁנִי וְהָיִיתִי כִמְתַעְתֵּעַ‎ perhaps he may feel me, and I shall be as one that mocks him. 2 Kings 19:4, Numbers 22:11, 2 Samuel 16:12.—2 Kings 14:10 ‏וְלָמָּה תִתְגָּרֶה בְּרָעָה וְנָֽפַלְתָּה‎ why shouldst thou provoke misfortune and fall? Jeremiah 40:15.—Genesis 39:9 ‏וְחָטָאתִי‎... ‏אֵיךְ אְֶֽעֶשֶׂה‎ how should I do this great evil and sin! 2 Samuel 12:18 how shall we tell him, and he will take on (how if... he will, &c.).—Judges 1:12 ‏וְנָתַתִּי לוֹ‎... ‏אְַשֶׁר יַכֶּה ק׳ס וּלְכָדָהּ‎ whoever smites Kirjath Sepher, and takes it, I will give, &c. Genesis 44:9. After ‏עד‎, ‏עד אשׁר‎ Genesis 29:8, Judges 16:2, 1 Samuel 1:22, 2 Samuel 10:5, Hosea 5:15. After ‏בְּטֶרֶם‎ Exodus 1:19, 1 Samuel 2:15 in a freq. sense. See Cond. Sent.
(c) It continues an impf. following telic particles. Genesis 32:11 ‏פֶּן־יָבֹא וְהִכַּנִי‎ lest he come and smite me. Isaiah 28:13 ‏לְמַעַן יֵֽלְכוּ וְכָֽשְׁלוּ וְנִשְׁבָּֽרוּ‎ that they may go, and fall and be broken, &c. With ‏וְלֹא‎ that not Deuteronomy 19:10; Deuteronomy 23:15.—Genesis 3:22; Genesis 19:19, Exodus 1:10, Deuteronomy 4:16, Deuteronomy 4:19; Deuteronomy 6:15, 1 Samuel 9:5, Isaiah 6:10, Hosea 2:3, Amos 5:6.—Genesis 12:13, Numbers 15:40, Deuteronomy 4:1; Deuteronomy 6:18.
Rem. 1. It is rarer that impf. with simple vav is used instead of vav perf. after the particles in b, c, as Psalms 2:12 ‏פֶּן־יְֶֽאֶנַף וְתֹֽאבְדוּ‎ lest he be angry and ye perish. In most of the cases the verbs are parallel (just as in very many other cases they are asyndetous), e.g. Isaiah 40:27 (‏לָמָּה‎); Exodus 23:12, Isaiah 41:20 (‏לְמַעַן‎). And ‏אוּלַי‎ perhaps has often almost the force of a wish, and vav with impf. expresses purpose. Jeremiah 20:10 (cohor.), Numbers 22:6, 1 Kings 18:5.
§ 54. Vav perf. continues an impf. expressing what is customary or general (freq. impf.) in pres. or past. (a) Exodus 1:19 ‏בְּמֶרֶם תָּבוֹא הַֽמְיַלֶּדֶת וְיָלַֽדוּ‎ before the midwife comes they are delivered; Hosea 7:7 ‏כֻּלָּם יֵחַמּוּ כַּתַּנּוּר וְאָֽכְלוּ‎ they all get heated like an oven, and devour their judges; Isaiah 36:6 ‏אשׁר יִסָּמֵךְ אִישׁ עָלָיו וּבָא בְכַפּוֹ‎ on which one leans, and it goes into his hand; Amos 5:19 ‏כַּֽאְַשֶׁר יָנוּס הָאִישׁ מִפְּנֵי הָֽאְַרִי וּפְגָעוֹ הַדֹּב‎ as a man flees from a lion, and a bear meets him. Exodus 18:16, Deuteronomy 5:21; Deuteronomy 11:10, Isaiah 29:8, Isaiah 29:11-12, Jeremiah 17:5-8; Jeremiah 20:9, Ezekiel 29:7, Micah 2:1-13, Proverbs 4:16; Proverbs 16:29; Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 18:17.
(b) Very commonly in the past. Genesis 2:6 ‏וְאֵד יַֽעְַלֶה וְהִשְׁקָה‎... a mist used to go up, and water; Genesis 2:10 ‏וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְהָיָה‎ from there it separated itself, and became four heads; 1 Samuel 2:19-20, and a little robe ‏תַּֽעְַשֶׂה־לּוֹ אִמּוֹ וְהַֽעַלְתָה לוֹ‎ his mother used to make for him, and bring it up to him every year. Genesis 6:4; Genesis 29:2-3; Genesis 31:8; Genesis 38:9, Exodus 17:11, Numbers 21:8-9, 1 Kings 18:10. This use of vav perf. is very common in graphic descriptions of past events that were customary or habitual, and in giving the details of a scene. Genesis 29:2-3 (watering of the flocks), Exodus 33:7-11 (procedure with the Tabernacle), Judges 2:18-19 (what happened when a Judge was raised up), Judges 6:2-6 (details of a Midianite raid), 1 Samuel 1:4-7 (Elkanah's case with his two wives), 1 Samuel 2:13-16 (practice of the priests), 1 Samuel 17:34-36 (David's experiences with wild beasts), Amos 4:7-8 (a drought), 1 Kings 5:6-8 (Solomon's menage).
Rem. 1. (1) The story is generally introduced by ‏וְהָיָה‎ and it used to be, followed by ‏אִם‎ or ‏כִּי‎ with perf. (simple perf. Numbers 11:8), sometimes without ‏והיה‎ (Judges 2:18); or by freq. impf. Exodus 33:7. (2) Details are often introduced or a new start made in the narrative by ‏והיה‎. (3) When vav is disjoined from the verb the simple freq. impf. is employed. (4) The writer does not always consistently continue vav perf. or freq. impf., but falls into simple narrative with vav impf., &c., 1 Samuel 2:16, Judges 6:4; Judges 12:5, Judges 12:6. The passage 1 Samuel 17:34 seq. is freq., ‏וַיקם‎ having the force of a vigorous supposition (when he rose up).
The use of vav perf. as freq. is exceedingly free; it may occur in any connexion, introducing an additional trait or an entirely new fact. Isaiah 6:3 ‏וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל־זֶה‎ and one cried (continuously) to the other; 2 Samuel 12:16 ‏וּבָא וְלָן וְשָׁכַב‎ and he went in and lay all night (the child died on 7th day). 1 Samuel 7:16 ‏וְהָלַךְ‎ and he used to go yearly (following a historical narrative); 1 Kings 9:25 ‏וְהֶֽעֱלָה שׁ׳‎ and Sol. offered thrice a year (a new point). 1 Samuel 16:23; 1 Samuel 27:9, 1 Kings 4:7, 2 Kings 3:4, cf. Genesis 37:3.
§ 55. Vav perf. continues verbal forms belonging to the sphere of impf., or equivalent to it in meaning, as (a) imper., coh., juss.; (b) infin.; (c) ptcp.
(a) 1 Samuel 8:22 ‏שְׁמַע בְּקוֹלָם וְהִמְלַכְתָּֽ‎ listen to their voice, and appoint a king; 1 Kings 2:31 ‏פְּגַע־בּוֹ וּקְבַרְתּוֹ‎ fall upon him, and bury him. Genesis 6:14; Genesis 19:2; Genesis 45:19, Exodus 18:19-22, 1 Samuel 12:24; 1 Samuel 15:3, 1 Samuel 15:18, 2 Samuel 19:33, 1 Kings 2:36; 1 Kings 17:13, Jeremiah 25:15. So after inf. abs. as general imper. (§ 88d), Deu.
Jeremiah 1:16; Jeremiah 31:26, Jeremiah 32:14. Cohort, Genesis 31:44 ‏נִכְרְתָה בְרִית וְהָיָה לְעֵד‎ let us make a cov. and it shall be a witness; Ru.
2. 7. After juss., Exodus 5:7 ‏הֵם יֵֽלְכוּ וְקֽשְׁשׁוּ תֶבֶן‎ let them go themselves, and gather straw. 1 Kings 1:2; 1 Kings 22:13. Genesis 1:14; Genesis 28:3.
(b) Infin.—In ref. to fut., 2 Kings 18:32 ‏עַד־בֹּאִי וְלָֽקַחְתִּי‎ till I come and take you; Judges 8:7 ‏בְּתֵת י׳ את־זֶבַח בְּיָדִי וְדַשְׁתִּֽי‎ when Je. gives Zebah into my hand I will thrash, &c. Genesis 27:45, Exodus 1:16; Exodus 7:5, Judges 6:18, 1 Samuel 10:2, 1 Samuel 10:8, 1 Kings 2:42, 2 Kings 10:2, 2 Kings 10:3. So inf. abs. for finite verb, Isaiah 5:5; Isaiah 31:5. After inf. in freq. sense, Amos 1:11 ‏עַל־רָדְפוֹ אָחִיו וְשִׁחֵת רַֽחְַמָיו‎ and stifled his compassions; Jeremiah 7:9-10 ‏הְַגָנֹב רָצֹחַ וּבָאתֶם‎... ‏וְנָאֹף‎ do ye steal, murder, commit adultery... and then come and stand before me! Jeremiah 23:14.
(c) Ptcp.—In ref. to fut., Exodus 7:17. ‏הִנֵּה אָֽנֹכִי מַכֶּה וְנֶֽהֶפְכוּ לְדָם‎ behold I will smite the waters, and they shall be turned into blood. So Exodus 7:27-28; Exodus 8:17; Exodus 17:6, Deuteronomy 4:22, Joshua 1:13, 1 Samuel 14:8, 1 Kings 2:2; 1 Kings 13:2-3; 1 Kings 20:36, Jeremiah 21:9; Jeremiah 25:9. In a contingent or freq. sense, Exodus 21:12 ‏מַכֵּה אִישׁ וָמֵת‎ any one who smites a man so that he dies; 2 Samuel 14:10 ‏הַֽמְדַבֵּר אֵלַיִךְ וַֽהְַבֵאתוֹ אֵלַי‎ whoever speaks to thee bring him to me (it is scarcely necessary to read ‏והבאתִו‎, cf. Jeremiah 2:27, Son_5:9, Joshua 2:17, Joshua 2:20). 1 Samuel 2:13-14 ‏כל־אישׁ זֹבֵחַ זֶבַח וּבָא נַעַר הַכֹּהֵן‎ whenever any one sacrificed the priest's man would come... ). 1 Samuel 2:14. Numbers 21:8, 2 Samuel 17:17, Micah 3:5.
§ 56. Vav perf. may follow anything which supplies the ground or condition of a new development. Hence it forms the apodosis to temporal, causal, and conditional sentences or their equivalents, casus pendens, &c. Genesis 3:5 ‏בְּיוֹם אְַכָלְכֶם וְנִפְקְחוּ עֵֽינֵיכֶם‎ on the day ye eat your eyes shall be opened. Obadiah 1:8. Hosea 1:4 ‏עוֹד מְעַט וּפָֽקַדְתִּי‎ yet a little, and I will visit; and often with ‏עוד‎, Exodus 17:4, Isaiah 10:25; Isaiah 21:16; Isaiah 29:17, cf. Isaiah 16:14; Isaiah 18:5, 1 Samuel 2:31, 1 Kings 13:31.—Isaiah 6:7 ‏נָגַע זֶה עַל־שְׂפָתֶיךָ וְסָר עְַוֹנֶֽךָ‎ this has touched thy lips, and thine iniquity shall depart. Psalms 25:11 ‏לְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ י׳ וְסָֽלַחְתָּ‎ for thy name's sake pardon. Isaiah 3:16-17; Isaiah 37:29, Numbers 14:24, Judges 11:8, 1 Kings 20:28, 2 Kings 19:28.—Casus pendens, Isaiah 9:5 ‏וְהָֽיְתָה‎... ‏כִּי כָל־סְאוֹן סֹאֵן‎ for every boot of him that trampeth in the fray... shall be for burning; Isaiah 10:26 ‏וּמַטֵּהוּ עַל־הַיָּם וּנְשָׂאוֹ‎ and his rod upon the sea, he shall lift it up. Numbers 14:31, Numbers 14:1 S. 25, 27, 2 Samuel 14:10. After ‏הנה‎. Numbers 14:40 ‏הִנֶּנּוּ וְעָלִינוּ‎; Jeremiah 23:39 ‏הִנְנִי וְנָשִׂיתִי‎ (so rd. = ‏ונשָׂאתי‎). Ezekiel 34:11. Cf. Genesis 47:23. In all the above uses of vav the apod. has a certain emphasis.
And, of course, vav perf. continues another vav perf. Genesis 3:22 ‏וָחַי‎... ‏וְאָכַל‎... ‏וְלָקַח‎... ‏פֶּן־יִשְׁלַח‎. Deuteronomy 11:18-20.
§ 57. When there is an adverbial clause the phrase ‏וְהָיָה‎ and it shall be, or, was (freq.), is often prefixed, particularly when the actions are fut. ox frequentative. Exodus 22:27 ‏וְהָיָה כִּי־יִצְעַק אֵלַי וְשָֽׁמַעְתִּי‎ and when he shall cry unto me, I will hear; Numbers 21:9 ‏וָחָי‎... ‏וְהָיָה אִם־נָשַׁךְ אֶת־אִישׁ וְהִבִּיט‎ and it was if a serpent had bitten a man, he looked... and lived; Judges 6:3 ‏וְהָיָה אִם־זָרַע ישׂ׳ וְעָלָה מִדְיָן‎ and it was when Israel had sown, Midian used to come up. Genesis 24:14; Genesis 27:40, Genesis 44:31, Exodus 1:10; Exodus 4:8-9; Exodus 17:11; Deuteronomy 17:18, Judges 4:20, 1 Samuel 3:9; 1 Samuel 16:16, 1 Kings 1:21; 1 Kings 11:38.—Genesis 30:41; Genesis 38:9, Judges 19:30, 1 Samuel 16:23, 2 Samuel 14:26; 2 Samuel 15:5. If and be disjoined from verb the impf. must be used, Genesis 12:12; Genesis 30:42. But frequently impf. without and is employed, Genesis 4:14, Exodus 33:7-9, 1 Samuel 2:36; 1 Samuel 17:25, 2 Samuel 15:35, 1 Kings 2:37; 1 Kings 19:17, 2 Kings 4:10, Isaiah 2:2; Isaiah 10:27; Isaiah 14:3, Isaiah 14:4.
Rem. 1. In § 56 the time designations are sometimes very terse; Exodus 16:6 ‏עֶרֶב וִֽידַעְתֶּם‎ at evening, then ye shall know. Cf. Numbers 16:5 ‏בֹּקֶר וְיֹדַע‎ in the morning he will show. Judges 16:2. Proverbs 24:27 ‏אַחַר וּבָנִֽיתָ‎ afterwards, then build thy house, 1 Kings 13:31. The causal connection also may be very slightly expressed. Genesis 20:11 there is no fear of God here ‏וַֽהְַרָגוּנִי‎ and they will kill me. Rth_3:9 I am Ruth ‏וּפָֽרַשְׂתָּ‎ therefore spread thy skirt. 2 Kings 9:26 I saw the blood of Naboth yesterday ‏וְשִׁלַּמְתִּֽי‎ and I will requite thee. Isaiah 5:8 till there be no place ‏וְהֽוּשַׁבְתֶּם‎ and ye be let dwell alone. 2 Samuel 7:9, 2 Samuel 7:14; 2 Samuel 14:7, Genesis 26:10, Genesis 26:22, Deuteronomy 6:5, Judges 1:15, Proverbs 6:11; Proverbs 24:33, Proverbs 24:34. Amos 5:26-27, and (therefore) ye shall take up (the unexpressed ground is the exaggerated cultus in contrast to Amos 5:25).
Vav perf., however, has acquired the force of a representative of the impf., and may occur in a fut. or freq. sense in any connection. Joshua 22:28, Isaiah 2:2, Judges 13:3, 1 Samuel 15:28, 1 Kings 2:44. Exodus 6:6, 2 Samuel 16:13. Peculiar Amos 7:4 ‏וְאָֽכְלָה‎ and it would (or will, is in act to—the imminent act made pres.) devour. The act was not begun.
Rem. 2. The two most common forms of § 57 are Hosea 1:5 ‏וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי‎ I will break; and Hosea 2:21 ‏וְהַיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶֽעֱנֶה‎ I will answer, cf. Hosea 2:18. The latter common in Is. (see exx. at end of § 57). Amos 8:9, Zephaniah 1:8, with 12.
Rem. 3. In later style ‏והיה‎ sometimes agrees with subj. Numbers 5:27, Jeremiah 42:16; cf. Jeremiah 42:17, instead of being used impersonally.