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.

14-25

ה֥וּא אַהֲרֹ֖ן וּמֹשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לָהֶ֔ם הוֹצִ֜יאוּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־צִבְאֹתָֽם׃ 27 הֵ֗ם הַֽמְדַבְּרִים֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם ה֥וּא מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹֽן׃ 28 וַיְהִ֗י בְּי֨וֹם דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ פ
29 וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹ֖ר אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה דַּבֵּ֗ר אֶל־פַּרְעֹה֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י דֹּבֵ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ 30 וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הֵ֤ן אֲנִי֙ עֲרַ֣ל שְׂפָתַ֔יִם וְאֵ֕יךְ יִשְׁמַ֥ע אֵלַ֖י פַּרְעֹֽה׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 14

            ראשׁ  noun: “head, first”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• Asyndetic, verbless clauses (S-P) begin the listing of names in verse 14 and also verse 26.
• The term אב is used to mean family, or clan, group.
• Verses 14-25 list the names of these family progenitors and their descendents.

Vocabulary

Verse 26

            צבא  noun: “hosts”

Verse 27

            פרעה  name: “Pharaoh”

Verse 30

            הן  particle: “behold”

            ערל  verb: “uncircumcised”

            שֹפה noun: “lip”

            איך  interrogative: “how?”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 26

• BDB suggests the alternative reading אל צבאתם meaning “against their armies” instead of על “according to their hosts” (not supported by any ancient text).

Verse 27

• The phrase, מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם, is in apposition to פַּרְעֹ֣ה.
• The repetition of this verbless clause, ה֥וּא מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹֽן, at the head and foot of these two verses is curious.  It must connect back to the usage of the two names in verse 20.

Verse 28

• The final relative clause, אֲנִ֖י דֹּבֵ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ, uses a periphrastic construction without a copulative.

Verse 29

• The dagesh in the lamed of לֵּאמֹ֖ר is a conjunctive dagesh (GKC, 20c).

Verse 30

• See previous comment on the idiom, עֲרַ֣ל שְׂפָתַ֔יִם.

Vocabulary

Verse 12

            הן  enclitic (from הנּה): “behold”

            איך  interrogative: “how?”

            ערל  “uncircumcised” (BDB, 790)

            שֹפה  noun (feminine dual): “lip”

Verse 13

צוה  verb (Piel waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms w/ 3mpl suffix): “command, give charge”

            יצא  verb (Hiphil infinitive construct): “bring out”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 11

• This direct speech introduction follows the typical topology, VSO.

Verse 12

• The construct phrase, מלך מצרים, is in apposition to the proper name, פרעה “Pharaoh.”
• The prefixed form, ישׁלח, is functioning like a jussive, “let the sons of Israel go out.”
• The idiom, עֲרַ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽיִם “uncircumcised of lips,” is only found here and in verse 30.  It probably means “unskilled in speaking.”
• The dual is an archaic form used to indicate a pair or twofold grouping of something, e.g. שְׂפָתָֽיִם “lips,” עינַ֫יִם “eyes,” ידַ֫יִם “hands,” etc.  The dual ending, masculineָ֫יִם  and feminine ָ֫תַיִם  , only occurs with nouns, “never with adjectives, verbs or pronouns” (GKC 88).

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            פרעה  name: “Pharaoh”

            גרשׁ  verb: “drive out” (BDB, 176)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The feminine adjective, חֲזָקָה “strong,” is in attributive position (after noun) and agrees in number, gender and definiteness.
• The adverbial phrase, בְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙, is fronted (i.e. highlighted) in the last two clauses.

Vocabulary

Verse 3

            ראה  verb (Niphal waw-consecutive imperfect 1cs): “appear”

            אל שׁדי  name: “El Shaddai”

Verse 4

            ברית  “covenant”

            כנען  name: “Canaan”

            מגור  noun: “sojourning” (BDB, 158)

            גור  verb: “sojourn”

Verse 5

            נאקה  noun: “groaning” (BDB, 611)

            משרים  “Egypt”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• Such a “double” introduction of direct speech,וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו, is common in Hebrew.
• An exhaustive study of this phrase, אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה, would reveal its use in the context of God authenticating his deliverance and power.
• The verbless clause, אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה, has the typology S—P.

Verse 3

• The disjunctive waw (waw + non-verb in narrative) can be translated as “but.”
• The verb, נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי “make known,” is a Niphal perfect 1cs from the root ידע.
• See my overview of the debate concerning the Divine Name.

Verse 4

• The infinitive construct, לָתֵ֥ת, is derived from נתן.
• The noun phrase, אֵ֛ת אֶ֥רֶץ מְגֻרֵיהֶ֖ם, is in apposition to the previous object of the infinitive, אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן.

Verse 5

• The particle, אֲשֶׁ֥ר, can signal a causal clause, “because.”

There is much scholarly debate concerning when the divine name, or Tetragrammaton, was given to the people of God.  Some contend that Exodus chapter three represents the inauguration of the self-revelation of God’s proper name; whereas, others argue that the name was revealed earlier in the history of mankind.  Although the debate may not be solvable in this summary posting, a précis of the two main opinions is appropriately coordinated with the DH reading from Exodus chapter 3 (available here).  The central text for both sides is Exodus 6:2-3, which reads: 

God spoke with Moses, saying to him: “I am YHWH.  I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but by my name, YHWH, I did not make myself known to them.”  (Author’s translation)

The first hypothesis maintains that the divine name was made known first in the Book of Exodus when YHWH revealed himself to Moses.  This argument asserts that the revealed name of God was El Shaddai before the Exodus and YHWH after the Exodus.  This understanding easily explains why YHWH was unknown to Pharaoh in Exodus 5:2.  The Hebrews could not make known the divine name to Pharaoh if it had not been revealed previously to them.  Thus, one of the purposes of the Exodus event was to reveal the divine name not only to the Hebrews but to make it known to the Egyptians (Exodus 7:5). 

Conversely, another claim is that the divine name was known by the people of God prior to the Exodus account.  In favor of this acumen are several rationales ranging from direct references to Yahweh in the Book of Genesis to the Yahwistic element in Moses’ mother’s name, Jochebed (Exodus 6:20, Numbers 26:59).  What then of the clear statement in Exodus 6:2-3?  The favored interpretation of this text is not that YHWH did not let His name be known at all, but only that the significance of the divine name as a symbol of deliverance was not known by his people.  This problem appears to be irreconcilable with the current information as both arguments have difficulties and advantages.  

Any further thoughts?  Evidence for one side or the other?

For further study see R.W. Moberly, The Old Testament of the Old Testament:  Patriarchal Narratives and Mosaic Yahwehism (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992) 5-78; or for a more specific overview of these arguments see B. S. Childs, Exodus (London: SCM, 1974).  Also, U. Cassuto, A Commentary on the Book of Genesis, 2 vols., translated by Israel Abrahams (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1989).

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            פרעה  name: “Pharaoh”

            גרשׁ  verb: “drive out” (BDB, 176)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The feminine adjective, חֲזָקָה “strong,” is in attributive position (after noun) and agrees in number, gender and definiteness.
• The adverbial phrase, בְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙, is fronted (i.e. highlighted) in the last two clauses.

Vocabulary

Verse 3

            ראה  verb (Niphal waw-consecutive imperfect 1cs): “appear”

            אל שׁדי  name: “El Shaddai”

Verse 4

            ברית  “covenant”

            כנען  name: “Canaan”

            מגור  noun: “sojourning” (BDB, 158)

            גור  verb: “sojourn”

Verse 5

            נאקה  noun: “groaning” (BDB, 611)

            משרים  “Egypt”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• Such a “double” introduction of direct speech,וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו, is common in Hebrew.
• An exhaustive study of this phrase, אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה, would reveal its use in the context of God authenticating his deliverance and power.
• The verbless clause, אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה, has the typology S—P.

Verse 3

• The disjunctive waw (waw + non-verb in narrative) can be translated as “but.”
• The verb, נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי “make known,” is a Niphal perfect 1cs from the root ידע.
• See my overview of the debate concerning the Divine Name.

Verse 4

• The infinitive construct, לָתֵ֥ת, is derived from נתן.
• The noun phrase, אֵ֛ת אֶ֥רֶץ מְגֻרֵיהֶ֖ם, is in apposition to the previous object of the infinitive, אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן.

Verse 5

• The particle, אֲשֶׁ֥ר, can signal a causal clause, “because.”

In response to Tim’s comment on Exodus 5:20-23, I decided to post my thoughts on the issue here instead of in the comments so that others may add to the discussion.

Tim’s original question:

Why is the accent on the second syllable of this word ?????? in verse 22a, when it is on the first syllable in verse 22b (???????)?

Quotation of Exodus 5:22:

???????? ?????? ??????????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????? ??????????????

Tim,

 Thanks for the keen question and excellent observation!  The accent system is at times difficult to navigate and not always consistent, but let me explain the situation in a general way first and if you like we can discuss instances where this solution may falter.

 Most grammarians note that Hebrew words prefer end stress (i.e. stress on the ultima, or last syllable), however some words have penultimate (i.e. stress on the second to last syllable) emphasis (GKC 15c).  The term, ??? “why,” is of the later type (BDB 552).

 Emphasis, however, is not an absolute quality of any word.  The accent may shift from one syllable to another for several reasons, including:

1. The addition of affixes (think “sacrament” and “sacramental”).
2. Position in a clause (e.g. pausal forms).
3. Close relationship with previous or following words.

Let us consider the last qualification in more depth. 

 Words may lose their accent completely if bound to another word by a maqqep as in ???????????? (1 Samuel 17:28).  Conversely, the emphasis may be shifted to the ultima as a result of a strong connection to a previous word, ???????????? (Ezra 7:23). 

 Emphasis may vary also to distinguish a syllable from one that follows.  This appears to be at work in Exodus 5:22.  If one is not careful in reading the passage, the ending vowel of ??? may be slurred into the first syllable of the following word ?????.  Without stressing the final syllable, ambiguity would make the meaning of the clause unclear.  In this case, one may think of the accent shift as marking a “glottal stop,” or slight pause, between the final syllable of ??? and the first of the following word.  In English, one may slur together the words “his sin” so that one might hear the word hissin’, slag for “hissing.”

Other Notes:

 Gesenius comments on this situation as follows (120L):

Before the gutturals ?????? ,? ,? ,? is used for euphonic reasons (exceptions 1 Samuel 28:15, 2 Samuel 14:31, Jeremiah 15:18, before ?; 2 Samuel 2:22, Psalm 49:6, before ?); ???????, however, remains before ?. Before letters which are not gutturals, ?????? is found in Psalm 42:10, 43:2 (immediately after a tone-syllable).

Additionally, the accent shifts if followed by ???? or another word beginning with ? (Exodus 32:11, 12; Judges 21:3; Ezra 4:22; Daniel 1:10), however the shift does not occur with all ? words (see Genesis 44:7; Numbers 27:4; Judges 5:17; 2 Samuel 13:26, 16:9; 1 Chronicles 21:3; 2 Chronicles 25:16; Jeremiah 40:15; Joel 2:17).  In Joshua 9:22, the “guttural” ? causes the accent to shift forward as well.

Also notice that the dagesh forte is lost as the emphasis moves forward in the word (GKC 20L).

Vocabulary

Verse 20

            פגע  verb: “meet with” (BDB, 803)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The mpl subject of the initial verb is continued from the previous passage—שֹֽׁטְרֵ֧י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל.
• The beth preposition attached to the infinitive construct (בְּצֵאתָ֖ם) signals a temporal clause “when.”  The 3mp pronominal suffix refers back to the officials and serves as the “subject” of the infinitive.
• The phrase, נִצָּבִ֖ים לִקְרָאתָ֑ם, appears to be idiomatic for “waiting for them.”

Vocabulary

Verse 21

            באשׁ  verb (Hiphil): “cause to stink” (BDB, 92)

            ריח  noun: “smell, stink, odor”

Verse 22

            רעע  verb (Hiphil perfect 2ms): “caused harm, evil”

Verse 23

            מאז  “since” (BDB, 23)

            רעע  verb (Hiphil perfect 3ms): “cause harm, evil”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 21

• The first word of the quotation, יֵרֶא “May he look,” is a jussive by form; it is easily distinguishable from the imperfect, יִרְאֶה (see Genesis 22:8).
• The infinitive construct, לָֽתֶת, is derived from the root נתן.

Verse 22

• The final clause initial particle, זֶּ֖ה, refers to the people and is functioning as the object of the clause.

Verse 23

• The phrase, בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ, is the preposition beth plus שֵׁם “name” plus 2ms pronominal suffix.
• The apodosis begins with the verb, הֵרַ֖ע, with Pharaoh as the implied subject.
• The final clause uses the infinitive absolute plus finite verb construction, הַצֵּ֥ל לֹא־הִצַּ֖לְתָּ “surely you have not delivered.”

Vocabulary

Verse 15

            שׁטר  “officer” (BDB, 1009)

            צעק  verb (Qal waw-consecutive imperfect 3mpl): “cry out”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The verb, בוא, can refer to movement away (“go”) or movement to (“come”) a locality.
• The adverb, כֹה, functions as a ::glossary(demonstrative):: referring to the previous actions of Pharaoh.

Vocabulary

Verse 16

            תבן  “straw” (BDB, 1061)

            לבנה  “brick” (BDB, 527)

            מכים  verb (Hophal participle mpl from נכה): “be beaten”

Verse 17

            רפה  verb (Niphal participle mpl): “be lazy” (BDB, 951)

            על־כן  “therefore”

Verse 18

            לבנה  “brick” (BDB, 527)

            תכן  “measurement, quota, capacity” (BDB, 1067)

            לבנה  noun: “brick” (BDB, 527)

Verse 19

            שׁטר  “officer” (BDB, 1009)

            גרע  verb: “diminish” (BDB, 175)

לבנה  noun: “brick” (BDB, 527)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 16

• The first clause serves as an explanation of the wrong done to the Hebrews.  ::glossary(asyndeton,Asyndeton)::, the lack of a clause connector, indicates such an explanative clause.
• Notice the highlighting of the first elements of the clauses— תבן“straw” and לבנה “brick.”
• The direct speech marker, אֹמְרִ֥ים לָ֖נוּ, is interjected in the middle of the command: לְבֵנִ֛ים עֲשׂ֑וּ “Make bricks!”

Verse 17

• The final quotation begins with נֵלְכָ֖ה, a cohortative form of הלך.

Verse 18

• The object of the clause, תֶ֖בֶן, is ::glossary(fronting,fronted):: for emphasis (cf. verse 16).

Verse 19

• The phrase, דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ, serves as an ::glossary(idiom):: meaning “daily amount.”

Vocabulary

Verse 10

            נגשׁ  “taskmaster” (BDB, 620)

שׁטר  “officer” (BDB, 1009)

            תבן  “straw” (BDB, 1061)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• When the second element of a construct phrase is definite, the entire phrase is definite; hence, הָעָם is translated as “the taskmasters of the people” (GKC 127).
• The negative existence predicator, אֵין, (with a 1cs pronominal suffix functioning as the clause subject; GKC 152m) sequenced with the participle, נֹתֵן, is periphrastic.  There are more than 200 occurrences of this grammatical construction in the MT (33x in the Pentateuch—Genesis 20:7, 30:1, 41:8, 24, 39, 43:5; Exodus 3:2, 5:10-11, 16, 8:17, 12:30, 22:9, 33:15; Lev. 11:4, 26, 14:21, 26:6, 17, 36; Numbers 27:17; Deuteronomy 1:32, 4:12, 22, 8:15, 21:18, 20, 22:27, 28:26, 29, 31, 68, 32:39).
• The sentence typology of the quotation is S-V_phrase-IO-O.

Vocabulary

Verse 11

            תבן  “straw” (BDB, 1061)

            מאשׁר  “from wherever” (BDB, 84; GKC 138e)

            גרע  verb (Niphal participle ms): “be withdrawn” (BDB, 175)

Verse 12

            פוץ  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “scatter”

            קשׁשׁ  verb (Po’el infinitive construct): “gather stubble” (BDB, 905)

            קשׁ  “stubble” (BDB, 905)

            תבן  “straw” (BDB, 1061)

Verse 13

            נגשׁ  “taskmaster” (BDB, 620)

            אוץ  verb (Qal participle ms): “press” (BDB, 21)

            תבן  “straw” (BDB, 1061)

Verse 14

שׁטר  “officer” (BDB, 1009)

ויכו  verb (Hophal waw-consecutive imperfect 3mpl from נכה): “be beaten”

נגשׁ  “taskmaster” (BDB, 620)

חק  noun: “amount due, prescribed duty”

            לבן  verb: “make brick” (BDB, 527)

            תמול  “yesterday, formerly” (BDB, 1069)

            שׁלשֹם  “three days ago” (BDB, 1026)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 11

• The common grammatical construction—double imperatives without intervening waw—usually links a verb of motion (e.g. הלך, בוא, קום, ירד) with another command to express durative action.  Also found in Exodus 4:19, 5:18; 6:11, 8:21, 9:19, 10:8, 24, 12:31, 17:9, 19:21, 24, 32:1, 7, 34, 33:1 (more than 250x in MT).
• A negative particle sequenced with דָּבָר means “nothing” (regularly with negative לֹא cf. 1 Kings 5:7, 10:3; Isaiah 39:2; Jeremiah 42:4 or with אֵין cf. Numbers 20:19; 1 Samuel 20:21).

Verse 12

• The Po’el (or Poel) verbal stem occurs as a replacement for the causative Piel with geminate and hollow roots (original ו).  The passive is Po’al and reflexive Hithpo’el.  GKC 55c states: “[Po’el] expresses an aim or endeavour to perform the action.”

Verse 13

• The idiom, דְּבַר־י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ, means “daily work” or possibly “daily amount.”
• The beth preposition, בִּהְי֥וֹת, is temporal “when.”

Verse 14

• The relative clause, אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣מוּ עֲלֵהֶ֔ם נֹגְשֵׂ֥י פַרְעֹ֖ה, modifies the clause subject, שׁטר.
• The idiom, תְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם “three days ago,” refers to the day before yesterday.
• Two phrases sequencing גַם … גַם should be understood as “either … or” (BDB, 168).