May 27 2007
Genesis 12:4-5
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּוֹ֖ ל֑וֹט וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאתוֹ֖ מֵחָרָֽן׃ 5 וַיִּקַּ֣ח אַבְרָם֩ אֶת־שָׂרַ֨י אִשְׁתּוֹ֜ וְאֶת־ל֣וֹט בֶּן־אָחִ֗יו וְאֶת־כָּל־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָרָ֑ן וַיֵּצְא֗וּ לָלֶ֨כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן׃
Vocabulary
Verse 4
לוט name: “Lot”
חרן name (of a place): “Haran”
חמש numeral: “five”
שׁבעים numeral: “seventy”
Verse 5
שרי name: “Sarai”
רכושׁ noun: “property” (BDB 940)
רכשׁ verb: “acquired” (BDB 940)
כנען name: “Canaan”
Syntax & Misc.
Verse 4
- Sentence Typology 1 (וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה): V-S-M
- The waw-consecutive form of the verb הלך follows the first yod paradigm.
- Embedded Typology A (כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה): V-M-S
- Sentence Typology 2 (וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּוֹ֖ ל֑וֹט): V-M-S
- The אתו element is the preposition with the 3ms pronominal suffix.
- Sentence Typology 3 (וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאתוֹ֖ מֵחָרָֽן): S-P
- This clause demonstrates the idiomatic presentation of the age of Abram: “Now Abram was a son of five years and of seventy years,” meaning he was 75 years old (see also GKC 134h). The word year, שׁנה, need not be repeated after each composite numeral.
- In first yod verbs, the infinitive construct is formed by deleting the initial root letter and adding a final taw with segholate-type vowels; thus יצא becomes צֵאת.
Verse 5
- Sentence Typology 1 (וַיִּקַּ֣ח אַבְרָם֩ אֶת־שָׂרַ֨י אִשְׁתּוֹ֜ וְאֶת־ל֣וֹט בֶּן־אָחִ֗יו וְאֶת־כָּל־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָרָ֑ן): V-S-O
- Sentence Typology A (אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ): V
- Sentence Typology B (אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָרָ֑ן): V-M
- Sentence Typology 2 (וַיֵּצְא֗וּ לָלֶ֨כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן): V-M
- Patterning after first yod verbs, the infinitive construct of הלך follows suit.
- Sentence Typology 3 (וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן): V-M
- The additional morpheme on ארץ is a locative marking an adverbial modifier which designates the destination of the verbal motion.
It’s great to see that the Hebrew is back! I hope the relevant blogs will soon spread the word.
Gerrit
[...] 12:4-5 [...]