§ 149. Sentences which expresses an Oath or Asseveration.

a

The particle ~ai, in the sense of certainly not, and aol-~ai (rarely yKi Gn 22:16) in the sense of certainly, are used to introduce promises or threats confirmed by an oath (especially after such formulae as hA'hy>-yx;à^v.p.n:-yx†e,1 ynIa'ñ yx;àyTi[.B;ñv.nI yBi, &c., as well as after imprecations, see below), and also simple asseverations e. g. 1 S 2:30, 2 S 20:20, Jb 27:5 after yli hl'yliñx' far be it from me, but mostly without any introductory formula.

b

Rem. No certain explanation of these particles has yet been given. According to the usual view, phrases expressing an oath depend on the suppression of an imprecation upon oneself, e. g. the Lord do so unto me, if I do it equivalent to I certainly will not do it; then naturally aol-~ai properly if I do it not equivalent to I certainly will do it. It is indeed difficult to understand such self-imprecations, put into the mouth of God, as in Dt 1:34 f., Is 14:24, 22:14, Jer 22:6, Ez 3:6, 35:6, y Ps 95:11. Possibly, however, the consciousness of the real meaning of the formula was lost at an early period, and aol-~ai simply came to express verily, ~ai verily not.—In 1 S 25:22, where, instead of a self-imprecation, a curse is pronounced upon others, read dwId'l. with the LXX for dwId' ybey>a†ol..
Examples:—

c

(a) The particles ~ai and aol-~ai used after the utterance of an oath and after formulae of swearing, e. g. 2 S 11:11 (see note on a) ^v,ñp.n: yxewI hA'hy>-yx; hZ<h; rb'D'h;-ta, hf,[/a†i-~ai as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing; 1 S 14:45, 2 K 5:16 (after hA'hy> y%;; in 1 S 14:39 and 29:6  äy-y%; is followed by a simple yKi); Ct 2:7, 3:5 (after yTi[.B;ñv.hi I adjure you); cf. also Gn 14:23, 21:23, 26:20; spoken by God, Dt 1:34f. 1 S 3:14 y Ps 95:11; similarly aol-~ai Gn 24:37 f.; spoken by God, Is 14:24, where aol-~ai occurs first with the perfect in the sense of a prophetic perfect, § 106 n, but in the parallel clause with the imperfect; Jer 22:6; in Gn 31:52 the negative oath introduced by ynIa'ñ-~aiàhT'a;-~ai is immediately afterwards continued by aol with the imperfect.—In Ez 34:10 the threat introduced in verse 8 by aol-~ai is, after a long parenthesis, resumed with ynIn>hi.

d

(b) ~ai and aol-~ai after formulae of cursing, e. g. 1 S 3:17 ^L.-hf,[]y); hKo ägw rb'd' yNIM,ñmi d%ek;T.-~ai @ysiAy hkow> ~yhil{a/ God do so to thee, and more also ! thou, shalt not hide anything from me, &c.; cf. 1 S 25:22. On the other hand, yKi follows the curse, in 1 S 14:44, 1 K 2:23 (here with a perfect), and in 2 S 3:35 ~ai yKi; in 1 S 25:34 the preceding yKi is repeated before ~ai; in 1 S 20:13 the purport of the asseveration is repeated (after the insertion of a conditional sentence) in the perfect consecutive.

e

(c) ~ai and aol-~ai as simple particles of asseveration, e. g. Ju 5:8 !gEm' ägw xm;row" ha,r'y)e-~ai truly, there was not a shield and spear seen, &c.; Is 22:14, Jb 6:28 (in the middle of the sentence); after hl'yliñx' hl'yliñx' absit, 2 S 20:20; aol-~ai with the imperf. Is 5:9, with the perfect, Jb 22:20.

Footnotes:

1[1] Also combined ^v.p.n: yxew> hA'hy>-yx; 1 S 20:3, 25:26 as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul (i.e. thou) liveth ! (Also in 2 S 11:11 read hwhy-yx; instead of the impossible %Y<òx;). On yx; and yxe in these noun-clauses (prop. living is the Lord, &c.), cf. § 93 aa, note.