Article
The Cohortative form looks very similar to the Imperfect
but functions in a sentence more like an
Imperative.
Cohortative verbs appear only in first person
forms. (Similarly, imperatives appear only in second person
forms, and
Jussive
usually appear in third person
forms.) A Cohortative
verb
does not carry the full force of a command (“We must do this!”), but
it conveys a stronger meaning than a simple suggestion or statement of
possibilty (“We could do this.”). The meaning is somewhere in the
middle. In English, a Cohortative is often translated with a helping
verb such as “let” or “want” or “will,” depending on the context (“Let
us do this!” or “I want to do this!”). Thus, the Cohortative verb
functions as an indirect command; the reader must examine the context to
determine the strength of desirability being expressed in each specific
instance.
Function
The Cohortative form can indicate any of the following kinds of actions:
Indirect commands
Example: ISA 2:5
| בֵּ֖ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב לְכ֥וּ וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּא֥וֹר יְהוָֽה |
| beth ya’aqov lekhu wenelekhah be’or yehwah |
| House-of Jacob come and-let-us-walk in-light-of Yahweh. |
| House of Jacob, come, and let us walk in the light of Yahweh. |
Actions of greater or lesser desirability
These may include instructions, requests, permissions, invitations,
assurances, wishes, etc.
Example: JER 40:15
| אֵ֤לְכָה נָּא֙ וְאַכֶּה֙ אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֔ה |
| ‘elekhah na’ we’akkeh ‘eth-yishma’el ben-nethanyah |
| Let-me-go oh and-I-will-kill [dir.obj]_Ishmael son-of_Nethaniah |
| Allow me to go kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah. |
Example: EXO 3:3
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אָסֻֽרָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה |
| wayyomer mosheh ‘asurah-nna we’er’eh |
| And-he-said Moses let-me-turn-aside_oh and-let-me-see |
| Moses said, “I will turn aside and see” |
Example: PSA 25:2
| אֱלֹהַ֗י בְּךָ֣ בָ֭טַחְתִּי אַל־אֵב֑וֹשָׁה |
| ‘elohay bekha vatahti ‘al-‘evoshah |
| My-God in-you I-trust not_let-me-be-ashamed |
| My God, I trust in you. Do not let me be humiliated |