Jul 09 2008
Genesis 28:6-9
וַיַּ֣רְא עֵשָׂ֗ו כִּֽי־בֵרַ֣ךְ יִצְחָק֮ אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹב֒ וְשִׁלַּ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָ֔ם לָקַֽחַת־לוֹ֥ מִשָּׁ֖ם אִשָּׁ֑ה בְּבָרֲכֹ֣ו אֹתוֹ֔ וַיְצַ֤ו עָלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן׃ 7 וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶל־אִמֹּ֑ו וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ פַּדֶּ֥נָֽה אֲרָֽם׃ 8 וַיַּ֣רְא עֵשָׂ֔ו כִּ֥י רָע֖וֹת בְּנ֣וֹת כְּנָ֑עַן בְּעֵינֵ֖י יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִֽיו׃ 9 וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל וַיִּקַּ֡ח אֶֽת־מָחֲלַ֣ת׀ בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֲח֧וֹת נְבָי֛וֹת עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו לוֹ֥ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
Vocabulary
Verses 6-8
עשו name: “Esau”
פדנה ארם name: “Paddan Aram”
כנען name: “Canaan”
Verse 9
ישׁמעאל name: “Ishmael”
מחלת name: “Mahalath”
אחות noun: “sister” (BDB, 27)
נביות name: “Nebaioth”
Syntax & Misc.
Verse 6
- Clause Typology 1 (וַיַּ֣רְא עֵשָׂ֗ו כִּֽי־בֵרַ֣ךְ יִצְחָק֮ אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹב֒): V-S-O
- The verbal form is a Qal waw-consecutive imperfect from the third weak root, ראה. The final he elides (apocopates) when the stress retracts.
- The כי particle functions as a relative, similar to אשׁר.
- Embedded Typology A (בֵרַ֣ךְ יִצְחָק֮ אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹב֒): V-S-O
- The Piel of ברך takes a patach theme vowel, because of the resh which like the gutturals prefers a-class vowels.
- Embedded Typology B (וְשִׁלַּ֤ח אֹתוֹ֙ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָ֔ם לָקַֽחַת־לוֹ֥ מִשָּׁ֖ם אִשָּׁ֑ה): V-O-M
- The waw copulative with the perfect verb may be best understood as a continuation of the previous embedded clause (cf. GKC 167c concerning how the matrix clause is understood as connecting with the following verses, particularly vss. 8ff).
- Then final suffix of פדנה is the locative ending.
- Infinitive Typology i (לָקַֽחַת־לוֹ֥ מִשָּׁ֖ם אִשָּׁ֑ה): V-M-O
- The infinitive construct of לקח is analogous to a first weak verb, which forms the infinitive construct from the two strong letters (R2 & R3) together with a final taw and segholate-type vowels. Thus, in the present form, לקחת, the initial lamed is the preposition and NOT the root letter.
- The lamed functions as an ethical lamed.
- Clause Typology 2 (בְּבָרֲכֹ֣ו אֹתוֹ֔): V-S-O
- The beth plus infinitive construction is used as a temporal clause and must in English be translated with a finite verb; elsewhere one finds the full narrative frame, ויהי ב.
- The suffix refers to the subject of the verb, and the definite direct object marker marks the object.
- Clause Typology 3 (וַיְצַ֤ו עָלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן): V-M-O
- Final weak roots, like צוה, loose this weak letter when construed as a waw-consecutive imperfect.
- The element, לאמר, functions pragmatically to mark (direct) speech (cf. C. Miller, The Representation of Speech in Biblical Hebrew Narrative, HSM 55).
- Embedded Typology A (לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן): V-O-M
Verse 7
- Clause Typology 1 (וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶל־אִמֹּ֑ו): V-S-M
- Clause Typology 2 (וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ פַּדֶּ֥נָֽה אֲרָֽם): V-M
Verse 8
- Clause Typology 1 (וַיַּ֣רְא עֵשָׂ֔ו כִּ֥י רָע֖וֹת בְּנ֣וֹת כְּנָ֑עַן בְּעֵינֵ֖י יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִֽיו): V-S-O
- Embedded Typology A (רָע֖וֹת בְּנ֣וֹת כְּנָ֑עַן בְּעֵינֵ֖י יִצְחָ֥ק אָבִֽיו): P-S
Verse 9
- Clause Typology 1 (וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל): V-S-O
- Clause Typology 2 (וַיִּקַּ֡ח אֶֽת־מָחֲלַ֣ת׀ בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֲח֧וֹת נְבָי֛וֹת עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו לוֹ֥ לְאִשָּֽׁה): V-O-M
o The preposition, על, may be understood in English as “besides” or “in addition to” (cf. W-O 11.2.13d).
o The plural noun, נשׁי, is the plural of אשׁה (cf. BDB, 61).