Page:Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar (1910 Kautzsch-Cowley edition).djvu/367

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dition on which some consequence depends, e.g. Ex 15 if thou wilt diligently hearken, &c., Ex 19, 21, 22, 11 f. 16, 22 (see above, m); 23:22, Nu 21, Ju 16, 1 S 1, 12; after לוּ 1 S 14.

 [p The infinitive absolute is used to give emphasis to an antithesis, e.g. 2 S 24 nay; but I will verily buy (קָנוֹ אֶקְנֶה) it of thee, &c. (not receive it as a gift); Ju 15 no; but we will bind thee fast ... but surely we will not kill thee; cf. further Gn 31 (thou art indeed gone=) though thou wouldst needs be gone (Vulg. esto), because thou sore longedst, &c.; ψ 118, 18, 126:6 (the second infinitive absolute as a supplement to the first—see below, r—comes after the verb).—Hence also, as permissive, Gn 2 f. אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל thou mayest freely eat, but, &c. (so that verse 16 is in antithesis to verse 17); or concessive, 1 S 2 I said indeed ..., 14:43.

 [q The infinitive absolute is used to strengthen a question, and especially in impassioned or indignant questions, e.g. Gn 37 הֲמָלֹךְ תִּמְלֹךְ עָ֫לֵינוּ shalt thou indeed reign over us? Gn 37, 43, Ju 11, 1 S 2, 2 S 19, Jer 3, 13, Ez 28, Am 3, Zc 7; but cf. also Gn 24 must I needs bring again?

 [r (b) The infinitive absolute after the verb, sometimes (as in n) to intensify[1] the idea of the verb (especially after imperatives and participles, since the infinitive absolute can never precede either, e.g. Nu 11, Jb 13, 21, 37 שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ hearken ye attentively; Jer 22; after participles, e.g. Is 22, also elsewhere, e.g. Nu 23, 24 thou hast altogether blessed them; Jos 24, 2 K 5, Dn 11, and with the infinitive absolute strengthened by means of גַּם Gn 31, 46, Nu 16); sometimes to express the long continuance of an action; here again after an imperative, Is 6 שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ hear ye continually; after a perfect, Jer 6; after a participle, Jer 23; after an imperfect consecutive, Gn 19, Nu 11.

 [s To this class belong especially those cases in which a second infinitive absolute is co-ordinated with the first; the latter then expresses either an accompanying or antithetical action or the aim to which the principal action is directed; e.g. 1 S 6 הָֽלְכוּ הָלֹךְ וְגָעוֹ lowing as they went (lowing continually; so after a participle, Jos 6b Qe); Gn 8 it went forth to and fro[2]; Is 19 smiting and (i.e. but also) healing again; Jo 2 (see above, m).

 [t Rem. 1. Instead of a second infinitive absolute (see above) there is sometimes found a perfect consecutive (Jos. 6:13 a and 2 S 13 [but Stade’s וְזָעוֹק is

  1. In Arabic also, the intensifying infinitive regularly stands after the verb, but in Syriac before the verb.
  2. Also in Ez 1 for the distorted form רצוא reads simply יָֽצְאוּ יָצוֹא.