Aug 31 2006

Genesis 24:42-44

Published by Hardy at 10:30 am under Genesis

וָאָבֹ֥א הַיּ֖וֹם אֶל־הָעָ֑יִן וָאֹמַ֗ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אִם־יֶשְׁךָ־נָּא֙ מַצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י הֹלֵ֥ךְ עָלֶֽיהָ׃ 43 הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב עַל־עֵ֣ין הַמָּ֑יִם וְהָיָ֤ה הָֽעַלְמָה֙ הַיֹּצֵ֣את לִשְׁאֹ֔ב וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י אֵלֶ֔יהָ הַשְׁקִֽינִי־נָ֥א מְעַט־מַ֖יִם מִכַּדֵּֽךְ׃ 44 וְאָמְרָ֤ה אֵלַי֙ גַּם־אַתָּ֣ה שְׁתֵ֔ה וְגַ֥ם לִגְמַלֶּ֖יךָ אֶשְׁאָ֑ב הִ֣וא הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הֹכִ֥יחַ יְהוָ֖ה לְבֶן־אֲדֹנִֽי׃

Vocabulary

Verse 42

            עין  noun: “spring”

            צלח  verb (Hiphil participle ms): “make successful”

Verse 43

            נצב  verb (Niphal participle ms): “(take one’s) stand”

            עלמה  “young woman” (BDB, 761)

            שׁאב  verb (Qal infinitive construct): “draw” (BDB, 980)

            שׁקה  verb (Hiphil imperative fs with 1cs suffix): “give a drink to”

            כד  “jar” (BDB, 461)

Verse 44

            גמל  “camel”

            שׁאב  verb: “draw” (BDB, 980)

            יכח  verb (Hiphil perfect 3ms): “decide”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 42

  • Sentence Typology 1 (וָאָבֹ֥א הַיּ֖וֹם אֶל־הָעָ֑יִן): V-M
    • The article with יום indicates “this day” or “today.”
  • Sentence Typology 2 (וָאֹמַ֗ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אִם־יֶשְׁךָ־נָּא֙ מַצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י הֹלֵ֥ךְ עָלֶֽיהָ): V-O
    • The object is direct speech.
  • Embedded Typology A (יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אִם־יֶשְׁךָ־נָּא֙ מַצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י הֹלֵ֥ךְ עָלֶֽיהָ): M-V-S-V-O-M
    • The particle, אם, begins the protasis of a conditional sentence; the apodosis is found in the following verse.
    • GKC states: “In Genesis 24:42f the condition is expressed in a more humble form by the addition of נָא” (159v).
    • The initial phrase, יהיה אלהי אדני אברהם, is the object of address referred to later by the 2ms suffix attached to substantive, ישׁ (cf. GKC 141k).
  • Embedded Typology i (אָנֹכִ֖י הֹלֵ֥ךְ עָלֶֽיהָ): S-V-M
    • The Qal participle, הלך, functions as a finite (periphrastic) verb.

Verse 43

  • Embedded Typology B (הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב עַל־עֵ֣ין הַמָּ֑יִם): S-V-M
    • The lack of a connection waw is peculiar, however does occur intermittently in direct speech.
  • Embedded Typology C (וְהָיָ֤ה הָֽעַלְמָה֙ הַיֹּצֵ֣את לִשְׁאֹ֔ב): V-SC-M
    • This clause completes the conditional (cf. A): “If … then, let there be…”
    • The substantival participle functions as an adjective agreeing in person, number and definiteness.
  • Embedded Typology D (וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י אֵלֶ֔יהָ הַשְׁקִֽינִי־נָ֥א מְעַט־מַ֖יִם מִכַּדֵּֽךְ): V-IO-O
    • The waw-consecutive perfect indicates future action (GKC 112t).
    • The object is direct speech.
  • Embedded Typology i (הַשְׁקִֽינִי־נָ֥א מְעַט־מַ֖יִם מִכַּדֵּֽךְ): V-O-M
    • This is a second level of direct speech (i.e. a quotation embedded in another quotation).
    • See note above (v. 42 A n.2) concerning the use of נָא.

Verse 44

  • Embedded Typology E (וְאָמְרָ֤ה אֵלַי֙ גַּם־אַתָּ֣ה שְׁתֵ֔ה וְגַ֥ם לִגְמַלֶּ֖יךָ אֶשְׁאָ֑ב הִ֣וא הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הֹכִ֥יחַ יְהוָ֖ה לְבֶן־אֲדֹנִֽי): V-IO-O
    • The object is direct speech.
  • Embedded Typology i (גַּם־אַתָּ֣ה שְׁתֵ֔ה): S-V
    • As in clause D above, this is the second level of direct speech.
    • The sequencing of וגם … גם connotes the idea of “both…and…” (GKC 162b).
    • The pronoun, אתה, is redundant.
  • Embedded Typology ii (וְגַ֥ם לִגְמַלֶּ֖יךָ אֶשְׁאָ֑ב): M-V
  • Embedded Typology F (הִ֣וא הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הֹכִ֥יחַ יְהוָ֖ה לְבֶן־אֲדֹנִֽי): S-P
    • The Kethib Qere perpetuum, הִוא, should be understood as הִיא (cf. GKC 17c).
  • Embedded Typology i (הֹכִ֥יחַ יְהוָ֖ה לְבֶן־אֲדֹנִֽי): V-S-M
    • The lamed preposition is sequenced with יכח to designate who benefits from the action (also Isaiah 2:4 וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים “He will judge the many peoples,” Isaiah 11:4 וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ בְּמִישׁ֖וֹר לְעַנְוֵי־אָ֑רֶץ “He will arbitrate with fairness for the poor of the earth”).

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