Summary
A jussive verb is used to express indirect commands, direct negative
commands limited by time, and other similar actions with varying degrees
of desirability as determined by the context.
Article
The Jussive form looks very similar to the Imperfect
but functions in the sentence more like an
Imperative.
Jussive
verbs
usually appear in third person
forms. (Similarly, Imperative verbs appear only in second person
forms, and Cohortative verbs appear only in the first person,
forms.) A Jussive verb does not carry the full force of a command ("He
must do this!"), but it conveys a stronger meaning than a simple
suggestion or statement of possibilty ("He could do this."). The
meaning is somewhere in the middle. In English, a Jussive is often
translated with the helping verb "may" or "let," depending on the
context ("May he do this!" or "Let him do this!"). Thus, the Jussive
verb functions as an indirect command; the reader must examine the
context to determine the strength of desirability being expressed in
each specific instance.
Biblical Hebrew does not use the Imperative form to express negative
commands. Rather, negative commands are always expressed using either
the Imperfect conjugation form or the Jussive form. In cases where the
Jussive form is being used to express a negative command, the verb will
appear in a 2nd person form rather than a 3rd person form. When used in
this way, the Jussive form takes the negative particle particle_negative-al
in nearly all instances.
Function
The Jussive form can indicate any of the following kinds of actions:
Indirect commands
Example: GEN 1:14
| יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם |
| yehi me'oroth birqia' hashamayim |
| Let-there-be luminaries in-expanse-of the-heavens |
| Let there be lights in the sky |
Direct negative commands (2nd person forms with negative particle אַל)
Example: JOB 41:8
| זְכֹ֥ר מִ֝לְחָמָ֗ה אַל־תּוֹסַֽף |
| zekhor milhamah 'al-tosaf |
| Remember battle not_repeat! |
| you will remember the battle and do it no more. |
Actions of greater or lesser desirability
These may include instructions, requests, permissions, invitations,
assurances, wishes, etc.
Example: GEN 24:51
| וּתְהִ֤י אִשָּׁה֙ לְבֶן־אֲדֹנֶ֔יךָ |
| uthehi 'ishah leven-'adoneykha |
| and-let-her-be wife to-son-of your-lord |
| so she may be the wife of your master's son |
Example: PSA 45:11
| וְיִתְאָ֣ו הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יָפְיֵ֑ךְ |
| weyith'aw hammelekh yofyekh |
| and-let-him-desire the-king your-beauty |
| In this way the king will desire your beauty |
Example: PSA 104:20
| תָּֽשֶׁת־חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וִ֣יהִי לָ֑יְלָה |
| tasheth-hoshekh wihi laylah |
| You-bring_darkness and-let-it-be night |
| You make the darkness of the night |
