Jul 08 2008
Genesis 28:3-5
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.
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…”
Ah, yes. Thanks, Miller, for the correction!