The Periphrastic Imperative and Jussive in the Aramaic Language of the Targums
In the Aramaic language of the targums (including the “official” Onqelos and Jonathan ben-Uzziel as well as the Palestinian targums and the Pseudo-Jonathan) different forms of imperative are used. The most extended forms for the positive commands are imperative, jussive and cohortative, and for the negative ones, the formula אל + jussive/imperfect. Apart from these basic forms, the periphrastic expressions are also used. Since it is difficult to systematize all the cases of the compound forms’ use, their semantic connotations are not explained sufficiently as yet. This article is concerned with the problem of differences in the meaning between the basic and periphrastic imperative forms in the targums.