Reading Genesis 1-2 in Hebrew - Bibal.Net

Reading Genesis 1–2 in Hebrew
��������������„����Œ����û���‘������������������•œ•�—transliteration:
way-yaµ-vaW 'È-lO-hÓµm 'et-H¸-n µ
ham-m¸-'O-rOµt haG-G¸-dO-lÓµm, “and Elohim made the two great lights.” The verb here is Qal
imperfect 3 rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hWv (“make, do”) with Elohim as the
subject. The noun £y¬n¯H (“two”) appears here in the plural construct state with the noun ��„����Œ��
(“luminaries”) written, once again, defectively (cf. 1:14). The pl. masc. adjective £yilOdC¯gah (“the
great”) indicates that the noun rÙ'Am (“luminary”) is masc. even though it appears in the plural
with what appears to be a feminine ending, which is written here defectively.
���œ���������������������������‹��Œ��‘���—transliteration:
'et-ham-mA-'Ùµr haG-GA-dOµl l¸-mem-Heµ-let
hay-yÙµm, “the greater light for dominion of the day.” The definite direct object marker -te'
indicates that what follows is the object of the verb WavCayaw (“and he made”) at the beginning of this
verse. Note that the sg. masc. adjective �������� (“the great”) is written defectively. The fem. noun
hAlAHÕmem (“rule, dominion”) appears here in the construct state with the definite noun £ÙCyah (“the
day”). Note the stress in the word ������������,
which falls on the penult. The l is the preposition, m
is the formative prefix, t the feminine ending from the root lHm (“rule, have dominion”).
����������ƒ����„ �����������Å����������������������������‹��Œ��‘�����—transliteration:
w¸-'et-ham-mA-'Ùµr
haq-qA-XOµn l¸-mem-Heµ-let hal-laµy-l‰ w¸-'Eµt haK-KÙ-kA-bÓµm, “and the lesser light for the dominion
of the night, and the stars.” The repetition of the definite direct object marker t'w twice here
indicates that the entire clause functions as the direct object of the verb WavCayaw (“and he made”) at
the beginning of this verse. The sg. masc. form of the adjective §OXAq (“small, lesser”) confirms
again that the noun rÙ'Am (“luminary”) is masculine. Note again that the stress in the word ����������
(“the night”) falls on the penult. Note that the noun ���������ƒ�� (“the stars”) has two occurrences of
meteg, the second of which is the accent sill˚q.
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�������ô������û���œ•���1:17�
���������‘������„ ����������
���œ•��—transliteration: way-yiT-TEµn 'O-tAµm 'È-lO-hÓµm Bir-qÓµ-av
haH-HA-maµ-yim, “and Elohim put them in the dome of the sky.” The verb �û
���œ•�� is Qal imperfect 3 rd
sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root §tn (“give, put, set”) with Elohim as subject. The
definite direct object marker with 3 rd pl. masc. suffix �_”��� is the direct object of the verb. On the
meaning of £yamKAHah avyiqAr (“dome of the sky”) see discussion at 1:6. The preposition b (“in”)
before shewa is pointed with ñ–ib hireq.
���������‘������„ ������—transliteration: l¸-hA-'Óµr val-hA-'Aµ-rec, “to give light upon the earth.” The
verbal form ��„ ������ is Hiphil (causative) infinitive construct from the root rw' (“be[come] light”).
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