Lesson 2 | Qal Imperfect
[5] In the Songs We’ve Learned
Let’s turn back to a couple of songs we have learned so far and take note of the qal imperfect verbs they contain.
This song from Hebrew I contains one sequential-imperfect, which comes from the root נָתַן, and so has a weak first letter (along with a weak final letter that doesn’t count, as noted earlier in this lesson). Notice that the first נ has dropped out, as usual, and that the other signs of the sequential-imperfect are there: an a-class vowel under the ו, and a dagesh in the prefix letter י. As a sequential-imperfect, it should be translated with the English past tense: “he has put in my mouth a new song.”
And there are three imperfect verbs as well. The second two are not sequential-imperfects, as can be seen by noting that the ו has a shva rather than an a-class vowel, and neither prefix consonant has a dagesh. Each clearly describes a simple future action: “many will see, and will fear, and will trust in Yahweh.”
There are many imperfect verbs in this song—six in total. Each is in the qal stem. And each verb can easily be translated in the imperfect tense, but the ESV translates the two in verse 1 in the present tense: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?” But that is fine: remember, the imperfect can express in-progress action in the present tense, not only in the future.
In the next lesson step we learn a new song with three more imperfect verbs!