Jul 08 2008

Genesis 28:3-5

Published by Hardy at 7:45 am under Genesis

וְאֵ֤ל שַׁדַּי֙ יְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֹֽתְךָ֔ וְיַפְרְךָ֖ וְיַרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְהָיִ֖יתָ לִקְהַ֥ל עַמִּֽים׃ 4  וְיִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ אֶת־בִּרְכַּ֣ת אַבְרָהָ֔ם לְךָ֖ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֣ אִתָּ֑ךְ לְרִשְׁתְּךָ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְאַבְרָהָֽם׃ 5  וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יִצְחָק֙ אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹ֔ב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָ֑ם אֶל־לָבָ֤ן בֶּן־בְּתוּאֵל֙ הָֽאֲרַמִּ֔י אֲחִ֣י רִבְקָ֔ה אֵ֥ם יַעֲקֹ֖ב וְעֵשָֽׂו׃

Vocabulary

Verse 3

            שׁדי noun: “mountain(s); Almighty (deity name)” (BDB, 994; HALOT, 1420)

            פרה verb (Hiphil jussive 3ms w/ 2ms suffix): “be fruitful” (BDB, 826)

            קהל noun: “assembly” (BDB, 874)

Verse 4

            ברכה noun: “blessing” (BDB, 139)

            מגור noun: “sojourning (place)” (BDB, 158)

Verse 5

            לבן name: “Laban”

            בתואל name: “Bethuel”

            ארמי adjective: “Aramean” (BDB, 74)

            רבקה name: “Rebekah”

            עשו name: “Esau”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 3

  • Embedded Typology D (וְאֵ֤ל שַׁדַּי֙ יְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֹֽתְךָ֔): S-V-O
    • The subject, אל שׁדי, is fronted (cf. J-M 155ne).
  • Embedded Typology E (וְיַפְרְךָ֖): V-O
  • Embedded Typology F (וְיַרְבֶּ֑ךָ): V-O
  • Embedded Typology G (וְהָיִ֖יתָ לִקְהַ֥ל עַמִּֽים): V-M
    • The verb היה should be understood as “to become” rather than merely “to be”.

Verse 4

  • Embedded Typology H (וְיִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ אֶת־בִּרְכַּ֣ת אַבְרָהָ֔ם לְךָ֖ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֣ אִתָּ֑ךְ לְרִשְׁתְּךָ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְאַבְרָהָֽם): V-M-O-M
    • The לך modifier is expanded further after the object in conjunction with another element.
  • Infinitive Typology i (לְרִשְׁתְּךָ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְאַבְרָהָֽם): V-S-O
    • First waw/yod roots form (here: ירשׁ) their infinitives construct by dropping the first root radical and adding a final taw with segholate-type vowels. 
    • The infinitive may take full complementation (i.e. subjects and objects) in BH.
  • Embedded Typology a (נָתַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְאַבְרָהָֽם): V-S-M

Verse 5

  • Clause Typology 1 (וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יִצְחָק֙ אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹ֔ב): V-S-O
  • Clause Typology 2 (וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָ֑ם אֶל־לָבָ֤ן בֶּן־בְּתוּאֵל֙ הָֽאֲרַמִּ֔י אֲחִ֣י רִבְקָ֔ה אֵ֥ם יַעֲקֹ֖ב וְעֵשָֽׂו): V-M
    • The phrases (בן־בתואל , הארמי, and אחי רבקה) are in apposition to לבן, and אם יעקב ועשו is in apposition to רבקה.

 

2 responses so far

2 Responses to “Genesis 28:3-5”

  1. # Miller Prosseron 08 Jul 2008 at 9:46 am

    Regarding the syntax at the beginning of verse 3, I would analyze the first two words as the subject of the following noun (S-V-O). To translate literally, “(As for) El-Shadday, may he bless you…”

  2. # Chip Hardyon 08 Jul 2008 at 9:52 am

    Ah, yes. Thanks, Miller, for the correction!

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