10.94

Cohortative (Let me / Let us)

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Overview

Cohortative (Let me / Let us)
A distinct verb form used for 1st person wishes, intentions, or requests. The speaker expresses what they want to do or what they want a group (including themselves) to do.

READING GOAL:
To recognize the cohortative form by its ื” ending on 1st person verbs.

The Rule

English: "Let me..." or "Let us..."

Judean: 1st person prefix + verb + ื” ending

  • ื (I) + verb + ื” = "let me..."
  • ื  (we) + verb + ื” = "let us..."

The ื” ending marks this as a WISH or INTENTION, not a simple statement.

How It's Formed

Person Future Form Cohortative Form Meaning
I ืืฉืžืข ืืฉืžืขื” let me hear
we ื ืฉืžืข ื ืฉืžืขื” let us hear

The only difference is the ื” at the end!

Scripture Examples

EXAMPLE 1 - Psalms 25:2
"let me not be ashamed"
ืืœ ืื‘ื•ืฉื”
cohortative (let me be ashamed) ืื‘ื•ืฉื” ยท not ืืœ

Breakdown: ื (I) + ื‘ื•ืฉ (ashamed) + ื” (cohortative ending)

EXAMPLE 2 - Jeremiah 18:18
"let us not give heed"
ืืœ ื ืงืฉื™ื‘ื”
cohortative (let us give heed) ื ืงืฉื™ื‘ื” ยท not ืืœ

Breakdown: ื  (we) + ืงืฉื‘ (give heed) + ื” (cohortative ending)

EXAMPLE 3 - Genesis 11:3
"let us make brick"
ื ืœื‘ื ื” ืœื‘ื ื™ื
bricks ืœื‘ื ื™ื ยท let us make brick ื ืœื‘ื ื”

Breakdown: ื  (we) + ืœื‘ืŸ (make brick) + ื” (cohortative ending)

EXAMPLE 4 - Genesis 11:3
"let us burn"
ื•ื ืฉืจืคื”
cohortative (let us burn) ื ืฉืจืคื” ยท and ื•

Breakdown: ื• (and) + ื  (we) + ืฉืจืค (burn) + ื” (cohortative ending)

When It's Used

  • Expressing a wish: "Let me hear" - speaker wants to hear
  • Expressing intention: "Let us go" - speaker intends for group to go
  • Making a request: "Let me not be ashamed" - speaker requests this outcome
  • With ืืœ for negative wishes: "Let us NOT give heed"

When It's NOT Used

  • Simple statements: "I will hear" uses future form ืืฉืžืข (no ื”)
  • Commands to others: Use imperative for "you" commands
  • 3rd person wishes: "Let him go" does NOT use cohortative (see Jussive lesson)

Remember: Cohortative is ONLY for 1st person (I / we). It has the ื” ending.

Cohortative vs Future

Form Hebrew Meaning
Future ืืฉืžืข I hear / I will hear
Cohortative ืืฉืžืขื” let me hear
Future ื ืฉืžืข we hear / we will hear
Cohortative ื ืฉืžืขื” let us hear

Key Points

  • Cohortative = 1st person wish or intention
  • Formed by adding ื” to the end of 1st person future form
  • ื + verb + ื” = "let me..."
  • ื  + verb + ื” = "let us..."
  • Used with ืืœ for negative wishes: ืืœ ืื‘ื•ืฉื” "let me not be ashamed"
  • This is a DISTINCT form - the ื” ending is real and visible
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*Rule discovered and documented through direct textual analysis by Itharey Daughter of the Diaspora and it is implemented into the Judean Translator.

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