Sep 18 2006
Genesis 24:62-65
וְיִצְחָק֙ בָּ֣א מִבּ֔וֹא בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י וְה֥וּא יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב׃ 63 וַיֵּצֵ֥א יִצְחָ֛ק לָשׂ֥וּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה לִפְנ֣וֹת עָ֑רֶב וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּ֥ה גְמַלִּ֖ים בָּאִֽים׃ 64 וַתִּשָּׂ֤א רִבְקָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֖רֶא אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק וַתִּפֹּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל הַגָּמָֽל׃ 65 וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־הָעֶ֗בֶד מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַלָּזֶה֙ הַהֹלֵ֤ךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָעֶ֖בֶד ה֣וּא אֲדֹנִ֑י וַתִּקַּ֥ח הַצָּעִ֖יף וַתִּתְכָּֽס׃
Vocabulary
Verse 62
יצחק name: “Isaac”
באר “well”
לחי ראי name: “Lahai Roi” (meaning uncertain)
Verse 63
שוח verb: “rove about, stroll” [?] (BDB, 962)
גמל “camel”
Verse 64
רבקה name: “Rebekah”
Verse 65
הלזה “this” (BDB, 229)
צעיף “veil” (BDB, 858)
כסה verb: “cover”
Syntax & Misc.
Verse 62
- Sentence Typology 1 (וְיִצְחָק֙ בָּ֣א מִבּ֔וֹא בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י): S-V-M
- The initial waw is disjunctive.
- The adverbial modifier is a participial phrase.
- Sentence Typology 2 (וְה֥וּא יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב׃): S-V-M
- The periphrastic clause construction assumes the verb היה “to be.”
Verse 63
- Sentence Typology 1 (וַיֵּצֵ֥א יִצְחָ֛ק לָשׂ֥וּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה לִפְנ֣וֹת עָ֑רֶב): V-S-M
- The meaning of the infinitive, שוח, is dubious.
- The rare temporal idiom, לפנות ערב, uses lamed plus infinitive construct to express time (also Deuteronomy 23:12, with בקר in Exodus 14:27 and Judges 19:26; cf. GKC 114f n1).
- Sentence Typology 2 (וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙): V-O
- Sentence Typology 3 (וַיַּ֔רְא): V
- Sentence Typology 4 (וְהִנֵּ֥ה גְמַלִּ֖ים בָּאִֽים): S-V
- הנה may be used in narration to indicate surprise or astonishment from the standpoint of a character in this case Isaac.
- See GKC 122d for a discussion of the gender of גמל.
Verse 64
- Sentence Typology 1 (וַתִּשָּׂ֤א רִבְקָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ): V-S-O
- The literary repetition should be noted.
- Sentence Typology 2 (וַתֵּ֖רֶא אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק): V-O
- Sentence Typology 3 (וַתִּפֹּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל הַגָּמָֽל): V-M
- The connotation of נפל is not an accidental plunge but intentional dismounting of an animal.
Verse 65
- Sentence Typology 1 (וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־הָעֶ֗בֶד מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַלָּזֶה֙ הַהֹלֵ֤ךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּ): V-IO-O
- The object is direct speech.
- Embedded Typology A (מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַלָּזֶה֙ הַהֹלֵ֤ךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּ): S-P (or P-S)
- The participle, ההלך, serves as an adjective along with הלזה (a secondary form of זה; GKC 34f) agreeing in gender, number and definiteness.
- Embedded Typology i (לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּ): V-O
- The suffix serves as the object of the infinitive.
- Sentence Typology 2 (וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָעֶ֖בֶד ה֣וּא אֲדֹנִ֑י): V-S-O
- The object is direct speech.
- Embedded Typology A (ה֣וּא אֲדֹנִ֑י): S-P
- Sentence Typology 3 (וַתִּקַּ֥ח הַצָּעִ֖יף): V-O
- Sentence Typology 4 (וַתִּתְכָּֽס): V
- Indicating the צעיף, בו may be understood in the final clause.
