Page:Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar (1910 Kautzsch-Cowley edition).djvu/339

 hand, with the perf., e.g. . As after, so also after , , and  the imperf. may be used, according to the context, in the sense of our future, e.g., , ; after e.g. . The imperf. is used in the sense of our present after in,.

2. Driver (3, p. 35 f.) rightly lays stress upon the inherent distinction between the as expressing mere duration, and the  as expressing progressive duration (in the present, past, or future). Thus the words  represent the river of Paradise as going out of Eden in a continuous, uninterrupted stream, but, which immediately follows, describes how the parting of its waters is always taking place afresh. In the same way  represents new mists as constantly arising, and   new clouds of smoke. Also those actions, &c., which might be regarded in themselves as single or even momentary, are, as it were, broken up by the imperfect into their component parts, and so pictured as gradually completing themselves. Hence  (after a perf. as in verse 14) represents the Egyptians, in a vivid, poetic description, as being swallowed up one after another, and   the leading on by stages, &c.

(b) To express actions, &c., which were repeated in the past, either at fixed intervals or occasionally (the modus rei repetitae), e.g. thus did  Job continually (after each occasion of his sons’ festivities); 4:3 f., 22:6 f., 23:11, 29:7, 9, 12 f.,, , , , 39 (I used to bear the loss of it), , ,  ff. ( every time), 40:36 ff., f. 20 ff., 11:5, 9,, , , , , , , , , , , ,  (of tribute repeated year by year), 10:5, 13:33, 14:28, , , , , , , , , , ; even in a negative dependent clause,.

2. In the sphere of present time, again

(a) To express actions, events, or states, which are continued for a shorter or longer time, e.g.  19:19 ; 24:50, 31:35,. Other examples are, , , , , , and in the prophetic formula , , &c., cf. . So especially to express facts known by experience, which occur at all times, and consequently hold good at any moment, e.g. a wise son maketh a glad father; hence especially frequent in Job and Proverbs. In an interrogative sentence, e.g. is mortal man just before God? In a negative sentence,, &c.

(b) To express actions, &c., which may be repeated at any time, including therefore the present, or are customarily repeated on a given occasion (cf. above, e), e.g. as bees do (are accustomed to