As many juss. forms cannot be understood in a juss. sense, many scholars are inclined to go behind the Mass. tradition, and point according to what is supposed to be classical usage. Two main lines of emendation present themselves: 1. to point וַ or וָ (vav conv.) in a number of cases where Mass. has וְ with juss. forms. E.g. Job 34:37 וַיֶּרֶב for וְיֶרֶב, Is. 63:3 וַיִּז for וְיֵז. Pr. 15:25, Job 15:33; 20:23; 27:22, &c. 2. To substitute indicative (defectively written) for juss. of Mass. E.g. Mic. 3:4 וְיַסְתִּר for ויסתֵּר. Deu. 32:8, Ps. 85:14, Job 34:29, &c. In cases where there is consonantal shortening in the form only the first method is available; in cases where there is mere vowel difference either method may be used, e.g. Job 13:27 וְתָשֵׂם may be read וַתָּשֶׂם or וְתָשִׂם as may seem necessary. 3. These two principles may need to be supplemented by more or fewer of the assumptions referred to, § 51, R. 5.
Unfortunately even these very wide operations on the Mass. text fail to explain all the instances. Cases like Jo. 2:20, Dan. 11:4, 16, Lev. 15:24, Ez. 14:7, &c. remain. In these cases the juss. seems used as an ordinary impf., and the question is raised how wide the usage may be. While therefore it is of course legitimate to subject any case of Mass. pointing to criticism, sporadic emendations, so long as uncertainty remains on the general question, afford little satisfaction.
The state of the question being understood the following cases may be looked into. Exx. of שׁוב Is. 12:1, Job 10:16, Ecc. 12:7, Dan. 11:10, 18, 19, 28. שׂים Zeph. 2:13, Ps. 85:14, Job 13:27; 24:25; 33:11, Dan. 11:17. גיל Is. 35:1, 2; 61:10, Zech. 10:7, Pr. 23, 25, &c. היה Gen. 49:17, 1 S. 10:5, Lev. 15:24, Ps. 72:16, Job 18:12; 20:23; 24:14. חזק hiph. Is. 27:5; 42:6, Job 18:9. רעם hiph. 1 S. 2:10, 2 S. 22:14, Job 37:4, 5; 40:9 (nowhere in indic.) שׁלד hiph. Job 15:33; 27:22, Dan. 8:12, cf. Ps. 68:15. סתר hiph. Mic. 3:4, Job 34:29. מות Is. 50:2 Job 36:14. חוס Ps. 72:13 and often. מטר hiph. Ps. 11:6, Job 20:23. רום Nu. 24, 7, 1 S 2:10, Mic. 5:8 — Nu. 24:19, Deu. 28:8, 21, 36; 32:8, 18, 1 K. 8:1, Is. 27:6; 63:3, Hos. 14:7, Mic. 6:14; 7:10, Jer. 13:10 (cf.
