[e] 2. The noun-clause connected by wāw copulative to a verbal-clause, or its equivalent, always describes a state contemporaneous with the principal action, or (when the predicate is a transitive participle) an action represented in constant duration (cf. § 107 d, as well as § 116 n and o), e.g. Gn 19 and the two angels came to Sodom at even, וְלוֹט ישֵׁב while Lot sat, &c.; 18:1, 8, 16, 22, 25:26, Ju 13, 1 S 1, 2 S 4, 11 (always with a participle); with an adjectival predicate, Gn 18; with a substantival predicate, 18:27; with an adverbial predicate, 9:23. Not infrequently such a circumstantial clause indicates at the same time some contradictory fact, so that וְ is equivalent to whereas, whilst, although, e.g. Gn 15, 18, 20, 48 (although he was the younger); Ju 16 how canst thou say, I love thee, וְלִבְּךָ אֵין אִתִּי whereas thine heart is not with me? 2 S 3, ψ 28 whilst mischief is in their hearts. These clauses describing a state are, however, only a subdivision of the large class of circumstantial clauses, on which see § 156.
[f] 3. As the examples given under a and b show, the syntactical relation existing between the subject and predicate of a noun-clause is as a rule expressed by simple juxtaposition, without a copula of any kind. To what period of time the statement applies must be inferred from the context; e.g. 1 K 18 יְהֹוָה הָֽאֱלֹהִים the Lord is the true God; 1 S 9; Is 31 גַּם־הוּא חָכָם yet he also is wise; Gn 42; on the other hand, Gn 19 וְלוֹט ישֵׁב and (=while) Lot was sitting; Ez 28; Gn 7 אָֽנֹכִי מַמְטִיר I am raining, i.e. I will rain. Sometimes even a jussive or optative is to be supplied as predicate, Gn 27 upon me be thy curse; Gn 11, 20, Ex 12. Cf. § 116 r, note.
[g] Not infrequently, however, a connexion is established between subject and predicate (a) by adding the separate pronoun of the 3rd person singular or plural, expressly resuming and therefore strengthening the subject, or (b) (especially for the sake of a more exact specification of time) by the help of the verb הָיָה. The first of these will be a compound sentence, since the predicate to the main subject consists of an independent clause.
[h] Examples of (a): Gn 41 the seven good kine שֶׁ֫בַע שָׁנִים הֵ֫נָּה they are seven years; Dt 1, 4; Ec 5 זֹה מַתַּת אֱלֹהִים הִיא this—it is a gift of God; Nu 3 אֵ֫לֶּה הֵם; in a question, Gn 27. Sometimes הוּא is used in this way to strengthen a pronominal subject of the first or second person, and at the same time to connect it with the predicate which follows,[1] e.g. אָֽנֹכִי אָֽנֹכִי הוּא Is 43 I, even I, am he that blotteth out, &c.; 51:12; אַתָּה הוּא 2 S 7, Is 37, ψ 44, Neh 9, 7; in an interrogative sentence, Jer 14;[2] in Jer 49 הוּא in a verbal-clause strengthens אַתָּה.
- ↑ On a similar use of the separate pronoun of the third person in Aramaic (Dn 2, Ezr 5, &c.) see Kautzsch, Gramm. des Bibl. Aram., § 87. 3.
- ↑ This is of course to be distinguished from the use of הוּא (to be inferred from the context) as predicate in the sense of ὁ αὐτός; see above, § 135 a, note 1; or such cases as Dt 32 see now כִּי אֲנִי הוּא that I, even I, am he; 1 Ch 21.
