This paper argues that one possible use of either form of the focus particle (הנה and הן; “behold”) is to indicate literary dependence for what follows. Using the focus particle to mark an allusion has ramifications for understanding the rhetoric of the alluding text and can be used as a corroborating factor to determine the later, borrowing text in demonstrable cases of literary dependence.
The argument will unfold in four steps. First, the focus particle in the Elihu speeches of Job 32–37 will be analyzed and shown to consistently mark allusions in what follows. The particle appears in its full form four times in Job 32–37 (32:12, 19; 33:2, 7), and each time it introduces a likely allusion whose source is in the preceding dialogue cycle. For example, 32:12 introduces an allusion to 9:33, and 32:19 alludes to 15:2. Additionally, the shorter form of the particle introduces literary dependence in four of its nine uses in Job 32–37 (i.e., 33:6, 10, 12; 36:5). This correlation between the focus particle and allusions in the Elihu speeches has not been previously observed because many of the allusions have gone unnoticed.
Second, this pragmatic function of the particle will be compared to other claimed markers that implicitly signal literary dependence (e.g., “YHWH has spoken” in Micah 4:4). The existence of implicit markers of dependence creates space for the focus particle to function similarly in certain contexts.
Third, this proposal will be compared to linguistic analyses regarding the focus particle in order to relate the pragmatic function of indicating dependence to a broader understanding of the particle’s semantics (e.g., Miller-Naudé and Van der Merwe 2011).
Fourth, instances where the focus particle seems to be used similarly outside of Job will be explored (e.g., Isa 52:13; Hos 2:16 [Eng. 2:14]; Joel 2:19; Prov 1:23). This will indicate both the pervasiveness of this function for the focus particle and the usefulness of the particle as a corroborating factor in identifying allusions and the direction of dependence. The study will conclude with a discussion of the rhetorical function of using the focus particle to indicate dependence.