Verb Jussive

Summary

A jussive verb is used to express direct negative commands, indirect commands, and other similar actions with varying degrees of desirability as determined by the context. In Biblical Aramaic, the Jussive form is nearly indistinguishable from the Imperfect form.

Article

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 Aramaic does not use the Imperative form to express negative commands. Rather, negative commands are expressed using 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 אַל in nearly all instances.

Pe’al Jussive/Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Aramaic	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יִכְתֻּב	yikhtubh	let him write
feminine singular third person	תִּכְתֻּב	tikhtubh	let her write
masculine singular second person	תִּכְתֻּב	tikhtubh	let you write
feminine singular second person	תִּכְתְּבִין	tikhtebhiyn	let you write
common singular first person	אֶכְתֻּב	‘ekhtubh	let me write
masculine plural third person	יִכְתְּבוּן	yikhtebhun	let them write
feminine plural third person	יִכְתְּבָנ	yikhtebhan	let them write
masculine plural second person	תִּכְתְּבוּן	tikhtebhun	let you write
feminine plural second person	תִּכְתְּבָן	tikhtebhan	let you write
common plural first person	נִכְתֻּב	nikhtubh	let us write

Hithpe’el Jussive/Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Aramaic	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יִתְכְּתֵב (or יִתְכְּתִב)	yithkethebh (or yithkethibh)	let him write himself
feminine singular third person	תִּתְכְּתֵב	tithkethebh	let her write herself
masculine singular second person	תִּתְכְּתֵב	tithkethebh	let you write yourself
feminine singular second person	תִּתְכַּתְבִין	tithkathbhiyn	let you write yourself
common singular first person	אֶתְכְּתֵב	‘ethkethebh	let me write myself
masculine plural third person	יִתְכַּתְבוּן	yithkathbhun	let them write themselves
feminine plural third person	יִתְכַּתְבָן	yithkathbhan	let them write themselves
masculine plural second person	תִּתְכַּתְבוּן	tithkathbhun	let you write yourselves
feminine plural second person	תִּתְכַּתְבָן	tithkathbhan	let you write yourselves
common plural first person	נִתְכְּתֵב	nithkethebh	let us write ourselves

Pa’el Jussive/Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Aramaic	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יְכַתֵּב (or יְכַתִּב)	yekhattebh (or yekhattibh)	let him write down
feminine singular third person	תְּכַתֵּב	tekhattebh	let her write down
masculine singular second person	תְּכַתֵּב	tekhattebh	let you write down
feminine singular second person	תְּכַתְּבִין	tekhattebhiyn	let you write down
common singular first person	אֲכַתֵּב	‘ekhattebh	let me write down
masculine plural third person	יְכַתְּבוּן	yekhattebhun	let them write down
feminine plural third person	יְכַתְּבָן	yekhattebhan	let them write down
masculine plural second person	תְּכַתְּבוּן	tekhattebhun	let you write down
feminine plural second person	תְּכַתְּבָן	thekhattebhan	let you write down
common plural first person	נְכַתֵּב	nekhattebh	let us write down

Hithpa’al Jussive/Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Aramaic	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יִתְכַּתַּב	yithkattabh	let him write himself down
feminine singular third person	תִּתְכַּתַּב	tithkattabh	let her write herself down
masculine singular second person	תִּתְכַּתַּב	tithkattabh	let you write yourself down
feminine singular second person	תִּתְכַּתְּבִין	tithkattebhiyn	let you write yourself down
common singular first person	אֶתְכַּתַּב	‘ethkattabh	let me write myself down
masculine plural third person	יִתְכַּתְּבוּן	yithkattebhun	let them write themselves down
feminine plural third person	יִתְכַּתְּבָן	yithkattebhan	let them write themselves down
masculine plural second person	תִּתְכַּתְּבוּן	tithkattebhun	let you write yourselves down
feminine plural second person	תִּתְכַּתְּבָן	tithkattebhan	let you write yourselves down
common plural first person	נִתְכַּתַּב	nithkattabh	let us write ourselves down

Haphel Jussive/Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Aramaic	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	יְהַכְתֵּב (or יְהַכְתִּב)	yehakhtebh	let him cause to write
feminine singular third person	תְּהַכְתֵּב	tehakhtebh	let her cause to write
masculine singular second person	תְּהַכְתֵּב	tehakhtebh	let you cause to write
feminine singular second person	תְּהַכְתְּבִין	tehakhbebhiyn	let you cause to write
common singular first person	אֲהַכְתֵּב	‘ehakhtebh	let me cause to write
masculine plural third person	יְהַכְתְּבוּן	yehakhtebhun	let them cause to write
feminine plural third person	יְהַכְתְּבָן	yehakhtebhan	let them cause to write
masculine plural second person	תְּהַכְתְּבוּן	tehakhtebhun	let you cause to write
feminine plural second person	תְּהַכְתְּבָן	tehakhtebhan	let you cause to write
common plural first person	נְהַכְתֵּב	nehakhtebh	let us cause to write

Examples

Example: JER 10:11

יֵאבַ֧דוּ מֵֽאַרְעָ֛א

ye’bhadhu me’ar’a’

let-them-perish from-the-earth

they will perish from the earth

Example: DAN 4:19

חֶלְמָ֤א וּפִשְׁרֵא֙ אַֽל־יְבַהֲלָ֔ךְ

chelema’ uphishre’ ‘al-yebhahelakh

the-dream and-the-interpretation not_ let-it-trouble-you

do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you

Example: DAN 5:10

אַֽל־יְבַהֲלוּךְ֙ רַעְיוֹנָ֔ךְ

‘al-yebhahelukh ra’yonakh

not_ let-it-trouble-you your-thoughts

Do not let your thoughts trouble you

Example: DAN 5:10

וְזִיוָ֖יךְ אַל־יִשְׁתַּנּֽוֹ

veziyvaykh ‘al-yishtanno

and-your-countenance not_ let-it-be-changed

and do not let the look on your face change

Example: DAN 5:12

כְּעַ֛ן דָּנִיֵּ֥אל יִתְקְרֵ֖י

ke’an daniyye’l yithqerey

now Daniel let-him-be-called

Now call for Daniel