Use of Imperative, Cohortative and Jussive in Hebrew

Use of Imperative in Hebrew

The Imperative form in Biblical Hebrew is used to issue commands or requests to others.
It is most commonly used in second person forms (you), both singular and plural.
There are distinct forms for masculine and feminine, as well as singular and plural. For example, the masculine singular form of ‘write’ is ‘ketov’, while the feminine singular is ‘ktovi’.
The imperative generally uses the same form as the future tense but drops the prefix (usually the pronoun).
Some irregularities can occur. These must be learned through memorisation and practice.

Use of Cohortative in Hebrew

The Cohortative mood in Biblical Hebrew expresses a wish, request, or self-encouragement.
It is used principally in the first person singular and plural forms (we, I).
The Cohortative mood is formed by adding a ‘he’ suffix to the imperfect form of the verb, though in some cases the suffix might be ‘na’.
An example of the cohortative is ‘elechah’ from the root verb ‘halak’ (to walk), meaning “let me walk” or “I will (choose to) walk”.
The context of the sentence can often help distinguish between uses of Cohortative and other moods.

Use of Jussive in Hebrew

The Jussive mood in Biblical Hebrew expresses an order or command, it is softer than the Imperative and can also express a wish or a polite request.
The Jussive is mainly used with third person forms (he, she, it) and occasionally with the first person singular.
The formation of the Jussive involves typically shortened forms of the imperfect, but sometimes they are identical to the imperfect form.
An example of the jussive form is ‘yichtov’ from the root verb ‘katav’ (to write) meaning ‘let him write’ or ‘he should write’.
Understanding the context is valuable in recognising a Jussive use, particularly because of its similarities to the Imperative and Cohortative moods.

Examples of Imperative, Cohortative and Jussive Moods

Imperative: ‘Lech lecha’ (you go). The word ‘lech’ is the masculine imperative of ‘to go’ used to command Abraham.
Cohortative: ‘Na’eleh’ (let us go up). The word ‘Na’eleh’ uses the cohortative ‘na’ to express desire or intention from ‘to go up’.
Jussive: ‘yehi or’ (let there be light). The phrase ‘yehi or’ uses the Jussive form of ‘to be’ to create a divine command.

Grasping the Imperative, Cohortative and Jussive moods will contribute to a deeper understanding of nuances in Biblical Hebrew. These forms enrich narrative and poetic passages and bring to light the expressive depth of the language.