Reading Genesis 1-2 in Hebrew - Bibal.Net

Reading Genesis 1–2 in Hebrew
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•œ•��—transliteration: way-yaµr' 'È-lO-hÓµm 'et-hA-'Ùµr KÓ-XÙµb, “and
Elohim saw the light that it was good.” The verb '⁄rC¬yaw is the Qal imperfect 3 rd sg. masc. from the
root h'r (“see”), with £yih◊lÈ' (“Elohim”) as subject. The definite direct object marker te' is
connected by maqqEp to the fem. noun rÙ' (“light”). In 1:1 tE' appears in an accented closed
syllable; here the syllable is un-accented, because it is joined by maqqEp to the following word,
hence short e (e–) appears in the unaccented syllableñte'. The conjunction y–ik (“that”) is
connected by maqqEp to the predicate adjective bÙX (“good”).
������������û������„������û������������������•œ•�—transliteration:
way-yabDEµl 'È-lO-hÓµm B µn hA-'Ùµr
˚b µn ha-xOµ-Hek, “and Elohim divided between the light and between the darkness.” The verb is
Hiphil imperfect 3 rd sg. masc. from the root ldb (“be divided, separate”) with £yih◊lÈ'(“Elohim”)
as subject. The letter n at the end of a word is written §, not n; and the letter k is written , not k.
When the space between two distinct objects is indicated, this is commonly done by repeating
the preposition §yEb (“between”), which is the construct state of §«y–ab (“interval, space between”).
The two nouns rÙ'Ah (“the light”) and eHxµah (“the darkness”) both have the definite article and
both begin with a guttural. Before the labial b, the word and is written ˚ (so also with m and p;
i.e., in the three so-called B˚mep labial letters). Notice the compensatory lengthening of the
vowel with the definite article in the noun rÙ'Ah (“light”) whereas the x in the noun eHxµah is
treated as though it were doubled (virtual doubling).
Occurrences of Spirants and Stops of b, k, p and t in Genesis 1:1–4
tyiH'Er–⁄b –b (B, not b) follows nothing; t (t) follows Ó
'Ar–Ab –b (B, not b) follows t of the preceding word
tE' t (t, not T) follows the vowel sound E
hAt¯yAh t (t, not T) follows the vowel sound ¸
˚h»bAw ˚h»t t (T) follows ‰ of previous word; b (b) follows A
y≈nL¯p-lav Lp (P) follows the consonant l
£Ùh¯t t (t) follows the vowel-sound
tep¥exar⁄m p (p not P) follows e; t (t) follows e
bÙX-y–ik –k (K not k) follows r; b (b) follow Ù
l–Ed¯bC¬y¬w b (b) follows a; –d (D) follows consonant b
§y–Eb –b (B) follows the preceding consonant £
eH¥x §yEb˚ b (b) follows the vowel ˚; (k) follows the vowel e
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