- Prophetic perfect tense
The prophetic perfect tense is a
verb tense that some claim is used by theprophet s in theHebrew Bible . Thisliterary technique refers to future events in thepast tense . Many scholars contest the existence of this tense, claiming that all of the events ascribed to prophetic perfect can be understood to have indeed occurred in the past.Examples
Isaiah 5:13 "Therefore My people are gone into captivity, for want of knowledge; and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude are parched with thirst"(JPS)
Isaiah 10:28-32 "He is come to Aiath, he is passed through Migron; at Michmas he layeth up his baggage; They are gone over the pass; they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah trembleth; Gibeath-shaul is fled. Cry thou with a shrill voice, O daughter of Gallim! Hearken, O Laish! O thou poor Anathoth! Madmenah is in mad flight; the inhabitants of Gebim flee to cover. This very day shall he halt at Nob, shaking his hand at the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem."(JPS)
Jeremiah 23:2 "Therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed My people: Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not taken care of them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord."(JPS)
Amos 5:2 "The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise; she is cast down upon her land, there is none to raise her up"(JPS)
External links
*http://www.pbc.org/dp/smith2/ch11.html
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