§ 40. The perf. expresses actions regarded as completed, where Eng. rather uses the present. — (a) In the case of stative verbs, i.e. verbs expressing mainly a mental or physical condition, as to know, remember, refuse, trust, rejoice, hate, love, desire, be just, &c.; to be, be high, great, small, deep, clean, full, be old, many, &c. Eng. by its pres. expresses the condition, Heb. rather the act which has resulted in it. Gen. 27:2 זָקַנְתִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי יוֹם מוֹתִי I am old, I know not, &c.; Jud. 14:16 רַק שְׂנֵאתַנִי וְלֹא אֲהַבְתַּנִי thou only hatest me, and lovest me not; Gen. 42:31 לֹא הָיִינוּ מְרַגְּלִים we are not spies. Stative verbs, however, often occur in such a way that their perf. must be rendered by a past tense; Gen. 28:16 I knew, 34:19 he delighted, 37:3 loved, Jud. 8:34 remembered. The connexion shows to what time the completed act belongs.
(b) In a class of actions which are completed just in the act of giving them expression. This usage appears chiefly with verbs denoting to speak, as verbs of swearing, declaring, advising, and the like, or their equivalents in gesture. Deu. 26:3 הִגַּדְתִּי הַוּוֹם I profess this day; 2 S. 17:11 כִּי יָעַצְתִּי I advise; 2 S. 19:8 בַּֽיהוָֹה נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי I swear by the Lord. Gen. 22:16, Nu. 14:20, Deu. 4:26; 26:17; 30:15, 18, 19, 1 S. 17:10, 2 S. 16:4 I worship, 19:30, 1 K. 2:42 I hear (obey), 2 K. 9:3 I anoint, Jer. 22:5; 42:19, Ez. 36:7, Ps. 129:8; 130:1, Pr. 17:5. Song 2:7 I adjure. So the frequent אָמַר י׳ saith Je., or כֹּה א׳ י׳ thus saith. In some cases impf. יֹאמַר is used, hardly as a frequent. but as a present. This occurs in the midst of a speech, Is. 1:11, 18; 33:10; 40:1, 25; 41:21, Ps. 12:6. Both forms Is. 66:9.
(c) In a class of actions which, being of frequent occurrence, have been proved by experience (perf. of experience). Jer. 8:7 the turtle and swallow שָֽׁמְרוּ אֶת־עֵת בֹּאָנָה observe the time of their coming; Job 7:9 כָּלָה עָנָן וַיֵּלֶךְ the cloud
