1st-person wayyiqṭol Morphology: 1st-person wayyiqṭol Morphology

The study of 1st-person wayyiqṭol morphology in Biblical Hebrew (BH) reveals three distinct patterns—short, long, and augmented forms—each linked to different historical phases and sources. In Late Biblical Hebrew (LBH) and other post-exilic biblical traditions and extrabiblical sources texts there is a marked preference for long and augmented forms. Bn contrast, Classical Biblical Hebrew (CBH), particularly the Torah, shows a conservative retention of shorter wayyiqṭol forms, reflecting an earlier linguistic stage, as confirmed by comparative data from the Meshaʿ Stele. For their part, non-Pentateuchal CBH texts, i.e., in the Prophets Writings, appear to display a transitional phase, where long forms are common, but augmented forms are rare. Though the historical development of the three patterns is variously explained, the chapter argues that internal diversity within CBH is most compellingly explained as an organic linguistic difference between CBH sub-chronolects. The study raises questions about the conventional dichotomy between CBH and LBH, suggesting the need for finer distinctions within the diachronic framework of Biblical Hebrew. It also weighs implications for the Documentary Hypothesis.