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Volitional Imperfects and Poetic Subjunctive Expression
אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ אֶעֱלֶ֣ה בְתָמָ֔ר אֹֽחֲזָ֖ה בְּסַנְסִנָּ֑יו וְיִֽהְיוּ־נָ֤א שָׁדַ֨יִךְ֙ כְּאֶשְׁכְּלֹ֣ות הַגֶּ֔פֶן וְרֵ֥יחַ אַפֵּ֖ךְ כַּתַּפּוּחִֽים׃
(Song of Songs 7:9)
I said, “I will climb the palm tree; I will grasp its branches. May your breasts be like clusters of the vine, and the scent of your nose like apples.”
Introduction to Song of Songs 7:9
This highly poetic and sensuous verse expresses a male speaker’s desire using a sequence of imperfect verbs that reflect volition, desire, and poetic imagination. The verse features multiple uses of the imperfect with cohortative or subjunctive meaning, including the particle נָא, which emphasizes the speaker’s wish.… Learn Hebrew
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