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וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְיִצְחָ֗ק וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַ֣ךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ הִ֔וא וְאֵ֥יךְ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ יִצְחָ֔ק כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת עָלֶֽיהָ׃ 10 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ כִּ֠מְעַט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם׃ 11 וַיְצַ֣ו אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃

Vocabulary

Verse 9

            אך adv. “surely, no doubt, howbeit”

            אחות “sister”

            פן “lest”

Verse 10

            מעט “little, few”

            אשׁם  “guilt” (BDB, 79)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 9

• Sentence Typology 1 (וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְיִצְחָ֗ק): V-S-IO
• Sentence Typology 2 (וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַ֣ךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ הִ֔וא וְאֵ֥יךְ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא): V-O
• Sentence Typology A (אַ֣ךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ הִ֔וא): M-P-S
• Sentence Typology B (וְאֵ֥יךְ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא): M-V-O
• The particle, איך, may be used for rhetorical questions, exclamations or laments (GKC 148b)
• Sentence Typology i (אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא): P-S
• This clause is embedded within the direct speech of Abimelech quoting the speech of Isaac.
• Sentence Typology 3 (וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ יִצְחָ֔ק כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת עָלֶֽיהָ): V-IO-S-O
• Sentence Typology A (כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי): V
• Sentence Typology B (פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת עָלֶֽיהָ): V-M
• The prefix verbal form of מות is used to express a volitional, “lest I might die.”
• The preposition, על, is used adverbially possibly best translated by—“on account of her.”

Verse 10

• Sentence Typology 1 (וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ כִּ֠מְעַט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם): V-S-O
• Sentence Typology A (מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ): S-P
• The feminine independent pronoun may refer to an abstract idea.
• Embedded Typology i (עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֑נוּ): V-IO
• This clause is that which is referred to by the previous זאת and may be considered asyndetic or appositional to it.
• Sentence Typology B (כִּ֠מְעַט שָׁכַ֞ב אַחַ֤ד הָעָם֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֶּ֔ךָ): M-V-S-M
• Following, כמעט “easily, almost,” the perfect may “express actions and facts, whose accomplishment in the past is to be represented, not as actual, but only as possible (generally corresponding to the Latin imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive)” (GKC 106p).
• The verb, שׁכב, may euphemistically refer to sexual intercourse.
• Sentence Typology C (וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ עָלֵ֖ינוּ אָשָֽׁם): V-M-O
• The 1cs and 2ms conjugations of the waw-consecutive perfect may be distinguished from the waw-conjunctive perfect by accent (GKC 49h).  The waw-consecutive perfect typically has penultimate stress compared with the waw-conjunctive with ultimate stress.  This example, however, is an exception possibly based on the final א (cf. GKC 49k).
• Similar to the previous verse, the imperfect verbal aspect connotes a volitional idea—“you would have brought guilt.”

Verse 11

• Sentence Typology 1 (וַיְצַ֣ו אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה): V-S-IO-O
• The final he of צוה is apocopated in the short form of the waw-consecutive imperfect.
• Sentence Typology A (הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת): S-M-V
• The initial participle is used as a substantive with the compound object, באישׁ הזה ובאשׁתו.  The verb, נגע “to touch,” is regularly sequenced with ב to mark its complement.
• The infinitive absolute, מות, is used as a cognate accusative of the following Hophal imperfect.

The recent unveiling at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem of an Exodus fragment which may date to the 7^th or 8^th century CE is getting quite a bit of media coverage.  The most recent article at Artdaily.org includes an excellent picture of the first few verses of Exodus 15.  The text visible in the image is identical to the consonants of the MT (colored red below; the layout may not reflect the pagination of the fragment).

MT:

Exodus Fragment:

The final verses of “the Song of the Sea” from the Leningrad Codex:

 As always Jim Davila is on top of the story here and here.

Check out the biblical studies carnival at Deinde.  It is great to see the carnival continuing and new blogs participating.  Keep up the good work, Tyler!

וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִצְחָ֖ק בִּגְרָֽר׃ 7 וַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא כִּ֤י יָרֵא֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֔י פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה כִּֽי־טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽיא׃ 8 וַיְהִ֗י כִּ֣י אָֽרְכוּ־ל֥וֹ שָׁם֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים בְּעַ֖ד הַֽחַלּ֑וֹן וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה יִצְחָק֙ מְצַחֵ֔ק אֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃

Vocabulary

Verse 6

            גרר  name: “Gerar”

Verse 7

            שׁאל verb: “to ask”

            אחות “sister”

            פן conj.: “lest”

            רבקה name: “Rebekah”

            מראה noun: “appearance, sight”

Verse 8

            ארך verb: “to become long” (BDB, 73)

            שׁקף verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “to look down (upon)” (BDB, 1054)

            אבימלך name: “Abimelech”

            פלשׁתי name: “Philistine”

            בעד “behind, through”

            חלון “window” (BDB, 319)

            מצחק verb (Piel active participle ms abs): “to laugh, caress” (BDB, 850)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 6

• Sentence Typology 1 (וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יִצְחָ֖ק בִּגְרָֽר): V-S-M

Verse 7

• Sentence Typology 1 (וַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ): V-S-M
• In the construct phrase, אנשׁי המקום, the second noun is definite, thus the entire phrase should be considered definite.
• Sentence Typology 2 (וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא): V-O
• The verbal complement is embedded direct speech.
• Embedded Typology A (אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא): P-S
• The use of the masculine singular independent personal pronoun, הוא, is commonly used in the Torah to refer to feminine entities—it is pointed as the feminine singular IPP, הִיא.  This is referred to as a Kethib-Qere perpetuum.
• Sentence Typology 3 (כִּ֤י יָרֵא֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֔י): V-M
• אשׁתי serves as the object of the infinitive.  It could also represent direct speech with a gapped subject, הוא, mirroring the previous clause (GKC 147aN.
• Sentence Typology 4 (פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה): V-S-M
• For the use of פן in a historic narrative see GKC 152w.
• The verbal form, יהרגני, should be parsed as a Qal imperfect 3mpl with a 1cs pronominal suffix.
• Sentence Typology 5 (כִּֽי־טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽיא): P-S
• The construct phrase, טובת מראה, expresses a genitive of specification—“good with regard to appearance.”
• Notice the expected use of היא.

Verse 8

• Sentence Typology 1 (וַיְהִ֗י כִּ֣י אָֽרְכוּ־ל֥וֹ שָׁם֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים): V-P
• The initial temporal narrative frame ויהי כי may be left untranslated instead of using the expression: “And it happened that.”  The aspect of the following narrative is determined by the following waw-consecutive (ST 2 below).
• Embedded Typology A (אָֽרְכוּ־ל֥וֹ שָׁם֙ הַיָּמִ֔ים): V-M-M-S
• This temporal expression (literally, “the days there were long to him”) should be rendered idiomatically. 
• Sentence Typology 2 (וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף אֲבִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים בְּעַ֖ד הַֽחַלּ֑וֹן):  V-S-M
• The appellation, מלך פלשׁתים, is in apposition to the proper name, אבימלך.
• Sentence Typology 3 (וַיַּ֗רְא): V
• Sentence Typology 4 (וְהִנֵּ֤ה יִצְחָק֙ מְצַחֵ֔ק אֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ): S-V-O
• The particle, הִנֵּה, may express that which is seen or presented; in this context it may elicit surprise.
• Notice the word play on Isaac’s name: יצחק מצחק.
• The particle, את, is almost certainly the definite direct object marker and not the preposition as the verb is transitive.