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וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַֽיהוָה֙ הָיָ֣ה עִמּ֔וֹ וְלֹֽא־הִפִּ֥יל מִכָּל־דְּבָרָ֖יו אָֽרְצָה׃ 20 וַיֵּ֙דַע֙ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִדָּ֖ן וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כִּ֚י נֶאֱמָ֣ן שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל לְנָבִ֖יא לַיהוָֽה׃ 21 וַיֹּ֥סֶף יְהוָ֖ה לְהֵרָאֹ֣ה בְשִׁלֹ֑ה כִּֽי־נִגְלָ֨ה יְהוָ֧ה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל בְּשִׁל֖וֹ בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 19

            הפיל  verb (Hiphil perfect 3ms נפל): “cause to fall”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The subject of the verb, נפל, is the Lord.  The phrase, “fall to the ground,” means “to fail.”

Vocabulary

Verse 20

            דן  name: “Dan”

            באר שׁבע  name: “Beersheba”

            אמן  verb (Niphal participle ms): “confirmed”   

Verse 21

            שׁלה/שׁלו  name: “Shiloh”

            גלה  verb (Niphal perfect 3ms): “reveal, uncover oneself”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 20

• The final subordinate clause is a periphrastic construction without the copulative.

Verse 21

• The verb, יסף, in the Hiphil stem means to do something again.
• The Niphal stem can mark reflexivity, that is to do to oneself.

וּשְׁתֵּ֧ים עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה אֲבָנִ֗ים הֵקִ֣ים יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֮ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ תַּ֗חַת מַצַּב֙ רַגְלֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים נֹשְׂאֵ֖י אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֑ית וַיִּ֣הְיוּ שָׁ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ 10 וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֞ים נֹשְׂאֵ֣י הָאָר֗וֹן עֹמְדִים֮ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ עַ֣ד תֹּ֣ם כָּֽל־הַ֠דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־הָעָ֔ם כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ וַיְמַהֲר֥וּ הָעָ֖ם וַֽיַּעֲבֹֽרוּ׃ 11 וַיְהִ֛י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־תַּ֥ם כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לַֽעֲב֑וֹר וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ר אֲרוֹן־יְהוָ֛ה וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃ 12 וַ֠יַּעַבְרוּ בְּנֵי־רְאוּבֵ֨ן וּבְנֵי־גָ֜ד וַחֲצִ֨י שֵׁ֤בֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁה֙ חֲמֻשִׁ֔ים לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֹשֶֽׁה׃ 13 כְּאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף חֲלוּצֵ֣י הַצָּבָ֑א עָבְר֞וּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה אֶ֖ל עַֽרְב֥וֹת יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ ס          14 בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא גִּדַּ֤ל יְהוָה֙ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ בְּעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּֽרְא֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יָרְא֥וּ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 9

            אבן  “stone”

            קום  verb (Hiphil): “set up”

            מצב  noun (ms construct): “standing place” (BDB, 622)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The sentence typology of the first clause is O—V—S.
• The participle, נֹשְׂאֵ֖י, is a substantive.

Vocabulary

Verse 10

            תמם  verb (Qal infinitive construct): “complete, finish”

            מהר  verb: “hasten, hurry”

Verse 11

            ראובן  name: “Reuben”

            גד  name: “Gad”

            חצי  “half”

            מנשׁה  name: “Manassah” 

            חמשׁ  verb (Qal passive participle mpl): “battle array” (BDB, 332)

Verse 13

            חלוץ  verb: “arrayed, equipped (for battle)” (BDB, 323)

            יריחו  name: “Jericho”

Verse 14

            גדל  verb (Piel perfect 3ms): “caused to grow, glorify, exalted”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 10

• The כ preposition functions as a comparative, i.e. “even as.”

Verse 11

• The combination of וַיְהִ֛י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר is a temporal marker.

Verse 12

• The compound subject of the first clause is בְּנֵי־רְאוּבֵ֨ן וּבְנֵי־גָ֜ד וַחֲצִ֨י שֵׁ֤בֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁה֙.
• The participle, חֲמֻשִׁ֔ים, is functioning adverbially.
• The sentence typology of the final clause, דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֹשֶֽׁה, is V-S-O.

Verse 14

• This section ends with a three member construct phrase (four if the pronominal suffix is counted), כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו “all the days of his life.”

וְשָׂרַי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת אַבְרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יָלְדָ֖ה ל֑וֹ וְלָ֛הּ שִׁפְחָ֥ה מִצְרִ֖ית וּשְׁמָ֥הּ הָגָֽר׃ 2 וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם הִנֵּה־נָ֞א עֲצָרַ֤נִי יְהוָה֙ מִלֶּ֔דֶת בֹּא־נָא֙ אֶל־שִׁפְחָתִ֔י אוּלַ֥י אִבָּנֶ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָ֖ם לְק֥וֹל שָׂרָֽי׃ 3 וַתִּקַּ֞ח שָׂרַ֣י אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָ֗ם אֶת־הָגָ֤ר הַמִּצְרִית֙ שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ מִקֵּץ֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר שָׁנִ֔ים לְשֶׁ֥בֶת אַבְרָ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְאַבְרָ֥ם אִישָׁ֖הּ ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ 4 וַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָגָ֖ר וַתַּ֑הַר וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וַתֵּקַ֥ל גְּבִרְתָּ֖הּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ׃ 5 וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֣י אֶל־אַבְרָם֮ חֲמָסִ֣י עָלֶיךָ֒ אָנֹכִ֗י נָתַ֤תִּי שִׁפְחָתִי֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וָאֵקַ֖ל בְּעֵינֶ֑יהָ יִשְׁפֹּ֥ט יְהוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽיׅךָ׃ 6 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־שָׂרַ֗י הִנֵּ֤ה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ עֲשִׂי־לָ֖הּ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ שָׂרַ֔י וַתִּבְרַ֖ח מִפָּנֶֽיהָ׃

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            אשׁת  “wife”

            שׁפחה  “maidservant”

            הגר  name: “Hagar”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• Chapter sixteen begins with a disjunctive waw.
• The construct phrase, אֵ֣שֶׁת אַבְרָ֔ם, is in apposition to the proper name.
• The lamed preposition (with 3fs pronominal suffix), וְלָ֛הּ, functions as a possessive.

Vocabulary

Verse 2

            עצר  verb: “restrain” (BDB, 783)

            אולי  “perhaps” (BDB, 19)

Verse 3

            קץ  “end”

Verse 4

            הרה  verb: “conceive” (BDB, 247)           

גברה  “mistress” (BDB, 150)

Verse 5

            חמס  noun: “wrong, harm”

            חיק  “bosom” (BDB, 300)

Verse 6

            ענה  verb (Piel imperfect 3fs): “treat harshly, afflict”

            ברח  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive imperfect 3fs): “cause to flee”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• The particle of entreaty or exhortation, נָא֙, is used commonly in a statement of wish or challenge.  It can be translated as “I pray” or “I request.”
• The verb, אִבָּנֶ֖ה (Niphal imperfect 1cs), means “to be built up” or “to be established.”  The idiom may be rendered variously, but one suggestion is “I may be established as (i.e. become) a mother through her.”
• The Hiphil (causative) of שׁמע (“to hear”) means “to obey.”

Verse 3

• The emphasis found in the text through repetition of the words, “wife” and “husband,” is staggering.

Verse 4

• The subject of the verbs, וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ and וַתֵּקַ֥ל, is Hagar.

Verse 5

• The verb, יִשְׁפֹּ֥ט, is functioning as a modal, “may the Lord judge.”

Discovered in 1880, the Siloam Tunnel Inscription (c. 700) marked the entrance to Hezekiah’s tunnel connecting the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam.  The inscription describes the events that led to its completion as two groups of diggers approached each other from opposite directions.  The inscription was damaged when removed from the tunnel.  Presently, it is on display at the Museum of the Ancient Orient in Istanbul, Turkey.  (As an aside, ::amazon(0691035024,Pritchard’s ANE Pictures):: [364, 875-877] has several excellent examples of tunneling in the ANE world)

Square Script Transliteration:

1 ????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? [????? ???? ??]

2 ????? ??? ?? ??? ????? ????? ??? ????[? ????]? ?? ??? ?

3 [?]? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?[?? ????]? ???? ?

4 ???? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?? [?]??? ?????

5 ???? ?? ????? ?? ????? ?????[? ?]??? ??? ???

6 ? ??? ??? ??? ??? ?? ???? ????[?]

*Line 2 – Some reconstructions read ????[?] as above but others read ??? before the elision.

DH Translation:

1.            …tunneling.  This is the report of the tunneling:  While [the stonecutters were swinging]

2.            their axes against each other, and while they were digging only three cubits apart, a man’s voice was heard

3.            calling to another because a fissure (zdh) was cut out from the north to the south.  On that day the

4.            stonecutters struck through the tunnel each side came together, axe to axe.  And the water flowed from

5.            the spring to the pool for twelve hundred cubits and

6.            the height of the rock was one hundred cubits over the head of the stonecutters.

Short Bibliography:

Conder, C. R. "The Siloam Tunnel." PEFQS 14 (1882) 122-31.

Cooke, G. A. ::amazon(B00085L27W,A Text-book of North-Semitic Inscriptions)::, Oxford: Clarendon, 1903.

Davies, G.I. ::amazon(0521402484,Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions)::, 68.

Pritchard, J.B. ::amazon(0691035032,ANET)::, 320-2.

Schick, C. “Phoenician Inscriptions in the Pool of Siloam,” PEFQS 12 (1880) 180ff, 238.

Other archeology related posts include: The Gezer Calendar; Tel Dan Inscription; ‘Izbet Sartah Ostracon; Tel Zayit Inscription; Egyptian Tomb Discovery (photos)

וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜ה חֶרְפָּ֤ה וּגְדוּפָה֙ מוּסָ֣ר וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה לַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר סְבִיבוֹתָ֑יִךְ בַּעֲשׂוֹתִי֩ בָ֨ךְ שְׁפָטִ֜ים בְּאַ֤ף וּבְחֵמָה֙ וּבְתֹכְח֣וֹת חֵמָ֔ה אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ 16 בְּֽשַׁלְּחִ֡י אֶת־חִצֵּי֩ הָרָעָ֨ב הָרָעִ֤ים בָּהֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָי֣וּ לְמַשְׁחִ֔ית אֲשֶׁר־אֲשַׁלַּ֥ח אוֹתָ֖ם לְשַֽׁחֶתְכֶ֑ם וְרָעָב֙ אֹסֵ֣ף עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וְשָׁבַרְתִּ֥י לָכֶ֖ם מַטֵּה־לָֽחֶם׃ 17 וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֣י עֲ֠לֵיכֶם רָעָ֞ב וְחַיָּ֤ה רָעָה֙ וְשִׁכְּלֻ֔ךְ וְדֶ֥בֶר וָדָ֖ם יַעֲבָר־בָּ֑ךְ וְחֶ֙רֶב֙ אָבִ֣יא עָלַ֔יִךְ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 15

            חרפה  noun: “reproach”

גדופה  noun: “taunt” (BDB, 154)

מוסר  noun: “discipline (warning of)” (BDB, 416)

משׁמה  “horror” (BDB, 1031)

שׁפט  noun: “judgment” (BDB, 1048)

חמה  noun: “wrath”

תוכחת  noun: “rebuke” (BDB, 407)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The preposition beth (בַּעֲשׂוֹתִי֩) marks a subordinate temporal clause.
• The term, אַף “nose,” connotes the figurative meaning of “anger” in this context in conjunction with the other terms for wrath and rebuke.
• The final clause, דִּבַּֽרְתִּי, is an asyndetic relative clause modifying the previous verbless clause with the divine name.

Vocabulary

Verse 16

            חץ  “arrow”

            משׁחית  noun: “ruin, destruction” (BDB, 1008)

            יסף  verb (Hiphil imperative 1cs apocopate): “add”

Verse 17

שׁכל  verb (Piel waw-consecutive perfect 3cpl with 2ms suffix): “make childless” (BDB, 1013)

            דבר  “plague” (BDB, 184)  

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 16

• In the phrase, חִצֵּי֩ הָרָעָ֨ב הָרָעִ֤ים, the final adjective (mpl) modifies the first noun (mpl) that is in construct with the second element, “famine.”
• The LXX demonstrates the Vorlage חִצַּי (τας βολιδας μου), “my arrows.”
• See my comment on מַטֵּה־לָֽחֶם at Ezekiel 4:16.

Verse 17

• The noun phrase, חַיָּ֤ה רָעָה֙, probably means “wild beasts.”  This idea of wild beasts inheriting the land has deep roots in the MT (cf. Gen. 37:20, 33; Lev. 26:6; Ezek. 14:15; 34:25).