Imperative and Second Person Indicative Forms in Biblical Hebrew Prose

This study describes the difference in semantic and pragmatic functions between commands expressed by imperatives and commands expressed by the second person indicative forms (waw-consecutive perfect or the imperfect). The description is based on the examination and analysis of the contexts in which these forms occur, while applying and relying on modern linguistics theories in pragmatics and discourse analysis. The corpus for this study is the prose portions in the Pentateuch and Former Prophets.

The study shows that although the two verb forms may be used to issue commands, they carry different implications. Imperative forms are used to present urgent, personal and more subjective commands. Therefore, they typically occur in interpersonal discourse. Indicative forms are used to present commands that the speaker perceives as not urgent, neither personal nor emotional. They convey the speaker's certain or confident knowledge that his command will be carried out. Therefore, they typically occur in contexts where a superior speaker presents instructions, laws and commandments.