§ 108. Use of the Cohortative.

a

The cohortative, i.e. according to § 48 c, the Ist pers.1 sing. or plur. of the imperfect lengthened by the ending h,‘Α linEœ',2 represents in general an endeavour directed expressly towards a definite object. While the corresponding forms of the indicative rather express the mere announcement that an action will be undertaken, the cohortative lays stress on the determination underlying the action, and the personal interest in it.

Its uses may be divided into —

b

1. The cohortative standing alone, or co-ordinated with another cohortative, and frequently strengthened by the addition of the particle an":

(a) To express self-encouragement, e.g. Ex 3:3  ägw aN"-hr'suña' I will turn aside now, and see … ! So especially as the result of inward deliberation (in soliloquies), e.g. Gn 18:21, 32:21 (rarely so used after -la;, Gn 21:16 let me not look …! Jer 18:18), and also as a more or less emphatic statement of a fixed determination, e.g. Is 5:1 I will sing3 …! 5:6, 31:8. Cf. also Gn 46:30 now let me die (I am willing to die), since I have seen thy face; and y Ps 31:8. In the 1St pers. plur. the cohortative includes a summons to others to help in doing something, e.g. y Ps 2:3 hq'T.n:n> come ! let us break asunder! &c., and Gn 11:3.

c

(b) To express a wish, or a request for permission, that one should be allowed to do something, e.g. Dt 2:27 hr'B.[.a, may I be allowed to pass through (let me pass through)! Nu 20:17 aN"-hr'B.[.n: may we be allowed to pass through ! Jer 40:15 let me go, I pray thee! &c.; 2 S 16:9; so after aol 2 S 18:14; after -la; 2 S 24:14, Jer 17:18, y Ps 25:2 ( hv'Abñae-la; let me not be ashamed; cf. y Ps 31:2, 18, 71:1); 69:15. After an"-la; Jon 1:14.

d

2. The cohortative in dependence on other moods, as well as in conditional sentences: (a) In dependence (with waÒw copulative; y Ps 9:15 after ![;m;ñl. ) on an imperative or jussive to express an intention or intended consequence, e.g. Gn 27:4 bring it to me, hl'b+eaow>, that I may eat, prop. then will I eat; Gn 19:5, 23:4, 24:58, 27:25, 29:21, 30:25f., 42:34, 49:1 Dt 32:1 Ho 6:1, y Ps 2:8, 39:14, Jb 10:20 QereÖ Is 5:19 and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, h['d†'nEw> that we may know. (it)! Gn 26:28, 1 S 27:5. Also after negative sentences, Gn 18:30, 32, Ju 6:39, and after interrogative sentences, 1 K 22:7, Is 40:25, 41:26, Am 8:5.

e

(b) In conditional sentences (with or without ~ai ) to express a contingent intention, e.g. Jb 16:6 hr'B.d;a]-~ai should I determine to speak, my grief is not assuaged, hl'D>x.a;w> and should I forbear, what am I eased ? without ~ai Jb 19:18, 30:26 (where, however, hlxyaw" is probably intended); y Ps 73:16 (unless äxa]w)' should be read), 139:8f. After the 3rd person, Jb 11:17 though it be dark, &c. So perhaps also 2 S 22:38 hp'D>r>a, if I determined to pursue, then …, but cf. y Ps 18:38.

f

(c) Likewise in the apodosis of conditional sentences, e.g. Jb 31:7f. if my step hath turned out of the way …, h['r>z>a, then let me sow; cf. 16:4 f. I also could speak as ye do, if ….! So even when the condition must be supplied from the context, e.g. y Ps 40:6 else would I declare and speak of them; 51:18 else would I (gladly) give it, i.e. if thou didst require it (cf. the precisely similar aF'a,w> y Ps 55:13); Jb 6:10. In the 1st plur. Jer 20:10. To the same category belong the cohortatives after the formula expressing a wish !TeyI-ym†iàynInE¬T.yI-ym†i, e.g. Jer 9:1 oh, that I had …, hb'z>[,a†,w> then (i.e. if I had) should I (or would I) leave my people, &c.; Ju 9:29; without WaÒw Is 27:4, y Ps 55:7, Jb 23:4 (cf. also verse 7).

g

Rem. 1. The question, whether a resolution formed under compulsion (a necessity.) is also expressed by the cohortative (so, according to the prevailing opinion, in Is 38:10 hk'leñae; Jer 3:25, 4:19, 21, 6:10, y Ps 55:3, 18 (?); 57:5, where, however, with Hupfeld, hb'k.v†' should be read; 77:7, 88:16, and in the 1st plur. Is 59:10), is to be answered in the sense that in these examples the cohortative form is used after its meaning has become entirely lost, merely for the sake of its fuller sound, instead of the ordinary imperfect. This view is strongly supported by the rather numerous examples of cohortative forms after waÒw consec. of the imperfect (cf. § 49 e, as also y Ps 66:6 hx'm.f.nI ~v' there did we rejoice4; y Ps 119:163 hb'[+et;a]w)'; Pr 7:7), which can likewise only be explained as forms chosen merely for euphony, and therefore due to considerations of rhythm.

h

2. The cohortative is strange after -d[; y Ps 73:17 until I wenthn"ybiña' I considered their latter end; possibly a pregnant construction for ' until I made up my mind, saying, I will consider ', &c. (but hn"ybiña' Pr 7:7 is still dependent on the preceding w" ); h['yGIòr>a;-d[; Pr 12:19 is at any rate to be explained in the same way (in Jer 49:19, 50:44 we have  äa-yKi with a similar meaning), as long as I (intentionally) wink with the eyelashes (shall wink). On the other hand, in Ex 32:30 rPek;a] is to be read, with the Samaritan, instead of hr'P.k;a] after yl;Wa.

Footnotes:

1[1] For the few examples of cohortatives in the 3rd sing., see § 48 d.

2[2] But verbs h¾¾l, according to § 751, even in the cohortative, almost always have the ending h¤,; cf. e.g. in Dt 32:20 ha,r>a, after hr'yTiñs.a;.

3[][3 R.V. let me sing].

4[1] Analogous to this cohortative (as equivalent to the imperfect) after ~v' is the use of the historic imperf. after za', § 107 c