Page:Introductory Hebrew Grammar- Hebrew Syntax (1902).djvu/82

 be bereaved of you both? 44:8 וְאֵיךְ נִגְנֹב  and how should we steal! 2:19 לִרְאֹת מַה־יִּקְרָא לוֹ  to see what he would call it; Jud. 9:28 מִי־שְׁכֶם כִּי נַֽעַבְדֶנּוּ  who is Shechem that we should serve him? Job 9:29 אָֽנֹכִי אֶרְשַׁע  I am (have) to be guilty! Gen. 44:34; 47:15, Ex. 3:11, Deu. 7:17, Jud. 8:6; 17:8, 9 wherever he might find, 1 S. 18:18; 20:2, 5 should sit, 23:13, 2 S. 2:22; 3:33 should Abner (was A. to) die! 6:9, 2 K. 8:13, Ps. 8:5, Job 7:17. With אוּלַי  Gen. 16:2; 24:5, Nu. 23:27, 1 S. 6:5, 1 K. 18:5, 2 K. 19:4, Am. 5:15. With אִם  if, Gen. 18:26, 28, 30; 30:31, Jud. 4:8, Am. 6:9. See Cond. Sent — With Job 9:29 cf. 10:15; 12:4, 1 S. 14:43; 28:1.

(c) In particular impf. follows final (telic) conjunctions, as לְמַעַן  in order that, אֲשֶׁר   that, לְבִלְתִּי   that not, פֶּן   lest. Ex. 4:5 לְמַעַן יַֽאֲמִינוּ  that they may believe; Deu. 4:40 אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לְךָ  that it may be well with thee (cf. next clause); Gen. 3:3 לֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתוּן   ye shall not touch it lest ye die. Ex. 20:20, 2 S. 14:14. See Final Sent.

Rem. 1. The expression מִי יוֹדֵעַ  who knows? differs little from perhaps, and is followed by impf., 2 S. 12:22, Jo. 2:14, Jon. 3:9. In Est. 4:14 אִם  is supplied before the verb.

§ 44. Frequentative impf. — The impf. expresses actions of general occurrence, such actions being independent of time. That which is nascent or ready to occur passes easily over into that which is of frequent or indefinite occurrence. This use of impf. is common in proverbial sayings, in comparisons, in the expression of social and other customs, and particularly of actions which, having a certain moral character, are viewed as universal, but also of actions which are or were customary in given circumstances without being necessary.

(a) Of actions for which Eng. uses the present. Gen.