Jun 28 2006

Genesis 21:15-17

Published by Hardy at 11:56 am under Genesis, Grammar

וַיִּכְל֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מִן־הַחֵ֑מֶת וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד תַּ֖חַת אַחַ֥ד הַשִּׂיחִֽם׃ 16 וַתֵּלֶךְ֩ וַתֵּ֨שֶׁב לָ֜הּ מִנֶּ֗גֶד הַרְחֵק֙ כִּמְטַחֲוֵ֣י קֶ֔שֶׁת כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֔ה אַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּמ֣וֹת הַיָּ֑לֶד וַתֵּ֣שֶׁב מִנֶּ֔גֶד וַתִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹלָ֖הּ וַתֵּֽבְךְּ׃ 17 וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַנַּעַר֒ וַיִּקְרָא֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶל־הָגָר֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ מַה־לָּ֣ךְ הָגָ֑ר אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֧ע אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־ק֥וֹל הַנַּ֖עַר בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם׃

Vocabulary

Verse 15

            כלה  verb: “used up”

            חמת  “waterskin” (BDB, 332)

            שׁלך  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive imperfect 3fs): “send out”

            שֹיה  “bush” (BDB, 967)

Verse 16

            מנגד  “opposite” (BDB, 617)

            רחק  verb (Hiphil infinitive absolute): “distant”

            טחה  verb (Palel participle mpl construct): “shooters, archers” (BDB, 377)

            קשׁת  noun: “bow”

            בכה  verb: “weep, wail”

Verse 17

            הגר  name: “Hagar”

            באשׁר  “in where” (BDB, 84)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 15

  • Sentence Typology 1 (וַיִּכְל֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מִן־הַחֵ֑מֶת): V-S-M
    • The plural subject, הַמַּיִם “water,” agrees with the plural verb.
    • The vowel class change (from short a-class, חֲמַת, to long i-class, חֵמֶת) and lengthening is because it is a pausal construction.
  • Sentence Typology 2 (וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד תַּ֖חַת אַחַ֥ד הַשִּׂיחִֽם): V-O-M
    • The final two words are in a construct relationship.

Verse 16

  • Sentence Typology 1 (וַתֵּלֶךְ֩): V
  • Sentence Typology 2 (וַתֵּ֨שֶׁב לָ֜הּ מִנֶּ֗גֶד הַרְחֵק֙ כִּמְטַחֲוֵ֣י קֶ֔שֶׁת): V-M
    • The lamed with 3fs pronominal suffix, לָהּ, serves as a reflexive, “she sat herself down.”
  • Embedded Typology 1 (הַרְחֵק֙): V
    • The infinitive absolute is functioning as an adverb of means, or attendant circumstance of place (GKC 113h).
  • Embedded Typology 2 (כִּמְטַחֲוֵ֣י קֶ֔שֶׁת): V-O
    • The kaf preposition denotes approximate distance—“about.”
    • The Palel (cf. GKC 55d) participle functions as a substantive.
  • Sentence Typology 3 (כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֔ה אַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּמ֣וֹת הַיָּ֑לֶד): V-O
    • The object is direct speech.
  • Embedded Sentence 1 (אַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּמ֣וֹת הַיָּ֑לֶד): V-O
    • The cohortative can reflect inward thoughts or deliberation and is rarely used with אַל “let me not see” (GKC 108b).
    • The beth introduces the object of the verb ראה (GKC 119k).
    • The object is an embedded clause.
  • Embedded Sentence A (בְּמ֣וֹת הַיָּ֑לֶד): V-S
  • Sentence Typology 4 (וַתֵּ֣שֶׁב מִנֶּ֔גֶד): V-M
  • Sentence Typology 5 (וַתִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹלָ֖הּ): V-O
    • The final dagesh, קֹלָהּ, distinguishes the suffix as a 3fs pronominal suffix.
  • Sentence Typology 6 (וַתֵּֽבְךְּ): V
    • The final he of the root is apocopated.

Verse 17

  • Sentence Typology 1 (וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַנַּעַר֒): V-S-O
    • The object is a construct phrase, קול הנער.
  • Sentence Typology 2 (וַיִּקְרָא֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶל־הָגָר֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם): V-S-IO-M
  • Sentence Typology 3 (וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ מַה־לָּ֣ךְ הָגָ֑ר): V-IO-O
    • The object is direct speech.
  • Embedded Typology 1 (מַה־לָּ֣ךְ הָגָ֑ר): S-P
    • The question, מה־לך, connotes “what is the matter with you.”
    • The name, הגר, is in apposition to the preceding 2fs pronominal suffix.
  • Embedded Typology 2 (אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י): V
    • The direct speech continues with a negative asyndetic clause.
  • Embedded Typology 3 (כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֧ע אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־ק֥וֹל הַנַּ֖עַר בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם): V-S-O-M
    • The כִּי clause marks an explanation of the previous idea (much like γαρ in Greek).
  • Embedded Typology A (בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם): S-P
    • The verbless clause is introduced by a locative relative (GKC 138e).

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