Dlc Reading Gen1 2 b

RReeaaddiinngg GGeenneessiiss 11--22 iinn HHeebbrreeww

DDuuaannee LL.. CChhrriisstteennsseenn

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BIBAL™ Study Program Post-Certificate Studies

Published by BIBAL Corporation

845 Bodega Way, Rodeo, CA 94572 Phone: 510-377-7000 Fax: 801-650-9283

www.bibal.net

Copyright © 2005 by Duane L. Christensen

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission of the publisher

except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Cover image: the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1512, comparable in size to our Milky Way galaxy (STCiI-2001-16; taken by the NASA Hubble Space Telescope)

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Table of Contents

Preface: The Inductive Approach to Learning the Hebrew Language iv

Genesis 1–2: Verse-by-Verse Notes and Comments 1

Explanatory Remarks on the Text and Translation of Genesis 1–2 38

Logoprosodic Analysis 38

The Hebrew Text of Genesis 1–2 39

Genesis 1:1–13 39

Genesis 1:14–31 40

Genesis 2:1–25 43

Transliteration of Genesis 1–2 46

Translation of Genesis 1–2 and Logoprosodic Analysis 50

Days One, Two and Three: Creation of Planet Earth (Gen 1:1–13) 50

Days Four, Five and Six: Luminaries and Living Creatures (Gen 1:14–31) 52

Day Seven and the Creation of Humans and the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:1–25) 56

Textual Notes (especially for textual emendations in 2:2, 20) 60

The Three Cantos of Genesis 1–2 in Menorah Patterns 60

Structure of Genesis 1–2 within the Canonical Process 61

The Torah and the Former Prophets within the Canonical Process 61

The Book of Genesis in a Nested Menorah Pattern 62

The Primeval History: Parashot 1–2 in Alternate Menorah Patterns 62

The Structure of Genesis 1–11 by Canto Division in a Nested Menorah Pattern 63

Addendum: The Four Rivers and the Phenomenon of Gematria (by David Z. Crookes) 64

Appendices

Table 1: The Consonants 70

Table 2: The Vowels 71

Table 3: Transliteration of Vowel Points 72

Table 4: Writing the Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet 73

Vocabulary Lists

Verbs in Genesis 1–2 74

Nouns and Other Words in Genesis 1–2 76

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The Inductive Approach to Learning the Hebrew Language

Though most language teachers readily admit that the inductive approach is a more enjoyable method, relatively few are convinced that it actually works. Nonetheless, we all know that this is how children learn language before they ever attend their first classes in school. And experience shows that a great deal can be learned in relatively short periods of time by simply plunging in—immersing oneself in a given language so as to interact with the entire language system as a whole.

The method of study presented here begins with the context itself. This brief course takes the student through the 56 verses of the first two chapters of Genesis, which include a total of 762 Hebrew words—but only 215 different lexical items. We will go through these first two chapters of the Bible several times, each time with different goals in mind. And at the end of the journey, hopefully, we will all have a deeper knowledge of the language and the content of the first two chapters of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). By way of summary, Genesis 1–2 is arranged in three cantos, which are made up of a total of 27 strophes of varying length—seven strophes in 1:1–13 and 1:14–31; and 13 strophes in 2:1-25 (in a nested menorah pattern). In all cases, these strophes are arranged in concentric structural patterns in terms of their prosodic structure.

This book includes a listing of 215 lexical items in Genesis 1–2 in two separate lists: 56 verbs and 159 nouns, adjectives, and other words and particles. The easiest way to learn the meaning of each word is to understand its use within the context of the story itself. And the best way to do that is to hear the words spoken and sung (or canted) in rhythmic form and to repeat those words out loud—over and over again. The CD, which is included with this textbook, includes an interpretative reading of the Hebrew text of Genesis 1–2 by the author, and the performance of that same Hebrew text in traditional synagogue chant (by Barbara Tita), and a musical reading following the “key” of the late Suzanne Haïk-Vantoura (by John Wheeler). Learning a language is an aural event; and we learn through repetition and oral recitation. Genesis 1–2 is written in poetic form and the sounds of the words are important as we discover one surprise after another in terms of actual meaning.

Mastering the verbal system of the Hebrew language is a difficult task and beyond the scope of this reading course. Our goal here is merely to learn to recognize the basic verbal roots and to know the meaning of these roots. It is not necessary at this point to understand the details of the entire verbal system in its seven primary conjugational types (the binyanim): Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, Hiphil, Hophal, and Hithpael. That knowledge will come in due course as the student moves more deeply into the grammar of the Hebrew language.

When the content of Genesis 1–2 is mastered, as presented in this book, the student will know 2.5% of the vocabulary of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), which has 8674 items as listed in Strong’s Concordance. Hopefully this basic vocabulary and the exposure to the poetic nature of an important foundational text will provide a solid basis on which to build. The interested student is invited to explore the resources posted on our website (www.bibal.net), which provide the opportunity to become fluent in the literature and language of the Tanakh. Here you will find the transliteration of extensive biblical texts, along with an annotated translation that guides the student in terms of the rhythmic structure of the original text. All disjunctive accents (the te‘amim) are clearly marked in the English translation; and the prosodic structure of each text is explored in depth. Attention is drawn to repetition in words and phrases and to many poetic devices of the Hebrew language that make it come to life in surprising ways.

Dr. Duane Christensen, President BIBAL (Berkeley Institute of Biblical Archaeology and Literature) Corporation

Reading Genesis 1–2 in Hebrew

© 2005 BIBAL Corporation, All Rights Reserved Version 1.0

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Genesis 1–2: Verse-by-Verse Notes and Comments

Genesis 1:1–13

û „ û „ 1:1

„ ―transliteration: B¸-rE'-HÓµt BA-rAµ' 'È-lO-hÓµm. “In the beginning Elohim

created.” The preposition –b (“in”) is attached to the fem. noun tyiH'Er (“beginning”), which is related in meaning to the words §ÙH'ir (“first, chief”) and H'»r (“head”). The preposition –b (“in”) is always prefixed to the following word and never written separately. The verbal form here is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root 'rb (“create”), which appears in the Tanakh only with G-d as subject. The word £yih»l¤' (Elohim = G-d) is plural in grammatical form (and actually means “gods” in some contexts). On the grammatical form of the pl. masc., cf. Hebrew words that have been incorporated into the English language: cherubim and seraphim.

Jewish tradition includes a story about the appropriateness of beginning the text of sacred Scripture with the letter b. When G-d was about to create the world, each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet entreated G-d: “Create the world through me!” After all the others had spoken, Bet stepped forward and said: “O Lord of the world! May it be Thy will to create the world through me, seeing that all who dwell in the world give praise daily unto Thee through me, as it is said, ‘Blessed be the Lord forever, Amen and Amen.” The Holy One, blessed be He, at once granted the petition of Bet, saying: “Blessed be he that comes in the name of the Lord.” And He created the world through Bet, as it is said, “B¸-rE'-HÓµt G-d created the heaven and the earth.”

Note the disjunctive accent XipxA on the word „ . Disjunctive accents, which are marked with the slash mark (/) in the English translation presented here, divide a given line into separate syntactic accentual-stress (SAS) units and constitute the key to understanding the musical phrasing of any given line. The clause ends with the strong disjunctive accent 'atnAx, which functions as the primary verse divider. In this book both the 'atnAx and the marker at the end of each verse (sOp PAs˚q) are indicated by a double slash (//).

û „ û —transliteration: 'Eµt haH-HA-maµ-yim w¸-'Eµt hA-'Aµ-rec, “the heavens and

the earth.” The marker of a definite direct object (tE'), which is not translated, appears twice here in its independent form. When it is attached to the following word with maqqEp, the vowel is shortened to read -te'. The wau-conjunction w (“and”) is always prefixed to the following word and never written separately. Note that the disjunctive accents on both £yaämLAHah (“the heavens”) and ¶eräA'Ah (“the earth”) fall on the penultimate (next to last) syllable. The sign äñ over a Hebrew consonant is used to indicate the position of the stress when, as in the two words here, it is not on the last vowel (the ultima). Both of these nouns have the definite article prefixed, i.e., the letter h (h) with doubling of the following consonant. When it is desired to pronounce a letter twice in succession, that letter is written but once, and a dot is inserted inside that letter (see LH in the word £yamKAHah [“the heavens”]). This dot is called daghesh forte (strong daghesh). For our purposes, it is sufficient to interpret a dot within a letter in Hebrew as a sign that something out of the ordinary is present at this particular point. Note that initial ' in the noun ¶’r’' (“earth”)



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cannot be doubled, which results in compensatory lengthening of the vowel in the definite article from —ñ a (Pa¥tax) to ”ñ A (qAmAc) and “vowel harmonization” in the change of the “e” vowel in the noun ¶’r’' to an “a” vowel in ¶’rA'Ah. The so-called gutturals ', h, x, v and also r cause many seemingly irregularities in the forms of words in Hebrew.

û ™ π‘ „ û 1:2

Œ û™ π‘ „û —transliteration: w¸-hA-'Aµ-rec hA-y¸-t‰µ tO-µh˚ wA-bO-µh˚, “and the earth

was formless and void.” The fem. noun ¶eree' (“earth”) has two prefixes: the wau-conjunction and the definite articleñAh. Note the diamond-shaped accent rebÓav on the word , which carries a relatively strong disjunctive force. The final syllable in the word hA-'Aµ-rec is a closed unaccented syllable. A closed syllable ends with a consonant whereas an open syllable ends with a vowel. The verbal form hAtyAh is Qal 3rd sg. fem. from the root hƒyAh (“be[come]”). Note that each syllable here is open: hA-y¸-tAµh, because h at the end of a word, except when that h constitutes the final root letter, is normally a vowel letter and thus silent, and often transliterated as ‰. For our purposes here, we are following the practice of Thomas Lambdin (Introduction to Biblical Hebrew. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1971) by indicating all occurrences of the Hebrew letter h with h, in the Hebrew text we are studying. Other vowel letters include w and y. Note that the divine name hwhy is made up entirely of these three vowel letters. The masc. nouns ˚hKät (“formlessness, emptiness”) and ˚h–»b µ (“emptiness”) appear together here as an idiom to designate primeval chaos. Before an open syllable both of these words lose their daghesh and are pronounced with the spirantized t and b accordingly.

û ™ π‘ „ —transliteration: w¸-xOµ-Hek val-P¸-n µ t¸hÙµm, “and darkness was on the face

of the Deep.” The masc. noun ™eHäx (“darkness”) is the subject in a noun clause in which the verb “to be” is understood. Note that the dot above the second consonant in the word ™eHx (“darkness”) fills two roles simultaneously—as the vowel ◊ñO (xÙlAm) and the dot that distinguishes W from H. The ⁄ñ in ™ must be written in the final KAp, but it has no sound. The preposition -lav (“upon”) is connected to the masc. noun hƒnLAp (“face”) with the meaning “on the face of.” The Hebrew is plural: faces-of abyss, not faces of-abyss; that is, the first of two words in the genitive relation suffers change; not the second, as in Latin or Greek.

The y after ‘ñ in yEnLp (“face of”) is silent, as is the y after ÷ñ in £yih»l¤' ('È-lO-hÓµm). When a final stressed syllable is closed, it will have a long vowel as in the word t¸hÙµm. The fem. noun £ÙhKt (“deep, abyss”) is closely related to the name of the goddess Tiamat, who plays an important role in the creation myth of ancient Mesopotamia. The w is silent under ≤ñ or with a dot in it ˚.

Œ û™ π‘ „ —transliteration: w¸-r˚µ-ax 'È-lO-hÓµm m¸-ra-xeµ-pet

val-P¸-n µ ham-mAµ-yim, “and the spirit of Elohim was hovering on the face of the waters.” The wau-conjunction w (“and”), which is affixed to a noun, is normally written with shewa. The verbal



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form tepeäxar⁄m is a Piel participle sg. fem. from the root •xr (“hover”) with £yih»lŒ' axä r (“spirit of Elohim”) as subject. The ⁄m prefix indicates that the form is a participle. Note the position of the stress here on the next to last syllable (the penult). The extra vowel under the final consonant in the word ax˚r is called the furtive Paµtax, because in pronunciation if steals in before its consonant. When a word ends with ', x or h (when this is not a vowel letter), a preceding long vowel is often followed by a glide element a. Traditionally this has been considered a non-syllabic element that was introduced into the Hebrew language at a relatively late stage in its historical development. Logoprosodic analysis, however, indicates that the furtive Paµtax is to be read as an ultra-short vowel, like the vocal shewa and the final unaccented short syllable in so-called segholate nouns and related constructions (like that of tepex µ ar⁄m and £y–am µah here), when it comes to counting morae in Hebrew. The vowel in the stressed syllable of the plural masc. form £iyam µ (“waters”), which is lengthened here to £y–am µah at the end of the verse, is an example of pausal lengthening. The dot in the letter –m indicates doubling, and is called daghesh forte (strong daghesh). The dot in the letter Lp in y≈nLp-lav indicates a stop (voiced pronunciation) instead of spirant (unvoiced pronunciation) in one of six B¸gadK¸pat letters (b g d k p t), which is called daghesh lene (weak daghesh). When the dot appears in a final –h it is known as maPPÓq (see –hAnyiml in 1:24 below). The same mark thus fulfills more than one function. At this point in time, it is sufficient to note the fact that when a dot appears within a letter in Hebrew, something out of the ordinary is taking place.

‘ • ‘ „ ûœ• 1:3

‘ „ ûœ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer 'È-lO-hÓµm y¸-hÓ-'Ùµr, “and Elohim said, ‘Let there be light.’” The wau-conjunction attached to the verb here connects this sentence with the preceding, and also makes the imperfect form of the verb equivalent to a perfect (“and he said”). This phenomenon will be taken up in greater detail later; it is sufficient here to know that ramA' means “he said” and rem'C»y µaw means “and he said.” It should be noted that the ' in this latter form is quiescent (silent). The verbal form rem'C»y µ aw is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root rm' (“say”) with wau-conversive and £yih◊lÈ' (“Elohim”) as the subject. The prefixed y indicates the imperfect. The verb yihy is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root hƒyAh (“be[come]”) used with jussive force [i.e., 3rd person imperative]. The verb is attached by maqqEp to the fem. noun rÙ' (“light”).

‘ • —transliteration: wa-y¸-hÓ-'Ùµr, “and there was light.” The verb is Qal imperfect 3rd sg.

masc. with wau-conversive from the root hƒyAh (“be[come]”), which is attached by maqqEp to the fem. noun rÙ' (“light”). The wau-conjunction here, as in rem'C»y µ aw above, not merely connects, but converts the imperfect (shall be) into a perfect (was). The vertical sign below and to the left of the Paµtax in ‘ • is called meteg, which denotes secondary stress and also plays a role within the musical structure of the text. Note that this mark, which is also known as Gavy‰, is identical in form to that of the accent sill˚q at the end of each verse.



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‘ ƒ „ ‘ ô ‡•œ• 1:4

û „ û •œ•‘ ƒ „ ‘ ô ‡•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 3rd 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 3rd 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 ™eHx µ ah (“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 ™eHx µah 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

hAtyAh t (t, not T) follows the vowel sound ¸

˚h»bAw ˚h»t t (T) follows ‰ of previous word; b (b) follows A

y≈nLp-lav Lp (P) follows the consonant l £Ùht 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–EdbC¬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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„ ‹ œ• 1:5

û „ ‘ • û ‘ •‹ œ• —transliteration: way-yiq-rAµ' 'È-lO-hÓµm lA-'Ùµr yÙµm, “and Elohim called

the light day.” The letter q is pronounced more or less like –k (K); though farther back in the throat. The shewa under Ÿq is silent. The verb here is 3rd pl. masc. imperfect wau-conversive of the root 'rq (“call, proclaim, read”) with £yih◊lÈ' (“Elohim”) as subject. Note the disjunctive accent on the word ‹ , which is a combination of the conjunctive accent mehuPPak ( ‹ ) and PAsEq ( ), the vertical line following the word. The l prefixed to the noun rÙ'Ah (“the light”) here denotes the object of the verb. Note that it takes the vowel of the definite article it has replaced. Though the masc. noun £Ùy (“day”), as a division of time, is here described as “evening and morning,” it must be remembered that the word often denotes “time” in a general sense; and the sun and the moon (i.e., the great luminaries) are not created until Day Four of Creation Week; so we should not think in terms of the normal 24-hour day, which is determined by the rotation of the earth in relation to the sun.

„ —transliteration: w¸-la-xOµ-Hek qA-rAµ' lAµy-l‰, “and the darkness he called night.” The prefixed wau is the normal use of the conjunction and the object of the verb is the noun ™eHxµah (“the darkness”), which in this instance precedes the verb. The l prefixed to it denotes the object of the verb and takes the vowel of the definite article it replaces. The verb 'ArAq is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. of the root 'rq (“call”). At the end of a word, ' is always quiescent (silent). The stress in the word 'ArA µq would normally fall on the last syllable (ultima). It is 'ArAq µ here because of the stressed syllable Al µ immediately following. Note the unusual location of the stress in the masc. noun hAlyal µ (“night”), which is on the first syllable (penult). The vowel in this syllable is here lengthened in the pausal form . Verses in the Tanakh are normally subdivided into two parts, often of unequal length, the first of which is closed by the accent sign known as 'atnax ( ° ) and the second by a sign called sill˚q ( ï ) + sÙp PAs˚q (:), marking the end of the verse. Words standing at the end of these major verse divisions, with 'atnax and sill˚q, are said to be in pause. The h in the word hAlyal µ is a vowel letter and not a consonant.

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • —transliteration: wa-y¸-hÓ-veµ-reb wa-y¸-hÓ-bOµ-qer yÙµm 'e-xAµd,

“and it was evening and it was morning, Day One.” There should be a daghesh forte in y, but it has dropped out, as is commonly the case with this verbal form. The verb here, which occurs twice, is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hƒyAh (“be[come]”). The masc. nouns berev µ (“evening”) and req–»b µ (“morning”) are each connected to the preceding verb by maqqEp. Both of these nouns are segholates, with the stress on the first syllable (penult). On the masc. noun £Ùy (“day”) as a division of time see discussion above. The number dAxe' (“one”) may also be interpreted here as the ordinal—the “first” of the six “working days” in the Creation Week.



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Œ „ û œ• 1:6

„ ûŒ „ û œ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer 'È-lO-hÓµm y¸-hÓµ rA-qÓµ-av

B¸-tÙµk ham-mAµ-yim, “and Elohim said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters.” The verb here is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc with wau-conversive from the root rm' (“say”) with £yih»lÈ' (“Elohim”) as subject. The verb yihÃy is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc from the root hyh (“be[come]”) used as a jussive. The masc. noun avyiqAr (“extended surface, firmament”) has no real equivalent in current English. It refers to the “vault of heaven” in the cosmology of the ancient Near East and was apparently seen as solid, and supporting the “waters” above it. The old word “firmament” is as good as any. Another possibility is “sky dome.” On the furtive Paµtax in avyiqAr, see the discussion of ax˚r in 1:2 above. The preposition ™Ùt–⁄b (“in the midst of”) is a combination of the preposition –b (“in”) and the substantive ™∆wKAt µ (“midst”). The “waters” (£«y–Am µah) were envisioned to be above the firmament, on the earth, and also beneath the earth.

„ û —transliteration: wÓ-hÓµ mab-DÓµl B µn maµ-yim lA-mAµ-yim, “and let it

divide between the waters and the waters.” When the wau-conjunction is prefixed to the verb yihÃy the sequence of two successive occurrences of shewa becomes a long vowel Ó. The verbal form lyi–dbam is the Hiphil (causative) sg. masc. participle from the root ldb (“be divided, separate”). The preposition §y–Eb (“between”) is used here together with the preposition l (“to”) to express the idea of between the waters here and the waters there. Note the lengthening of both the first and second vowels in the word £«yΩflmAl. Before words stressed on the first syllable, the preposition l is optionally vocalized with A. The lengthening of the second vowel is because the word is in pause (i.e., the last word in the sentence).

˜ ‘ •œ• 1:7

Œ ‹ •œ•‘ • „ Œ

˜ ‘ •œ• —transliteration: way-yaµ-vaW 'È-lO-hÓµm 'et-hA-rA-qÓµ-av, “and Elohim made

the firmament.” The letter W is to be distinguished from H. The verb WavC¬yaw is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hWv (“make, do”) with £yih»lÈ' (“Elohim”) as subject. The definite direct object marker -te' is connected to the masc. noun avyiqAr (“firmament”) by maqqEp. The s¸gÙlt‰ ( Ç ), which is located above the v at the end of the word aÇvyiqArAh, is one of the stronger disjunctive accents and appears only when the verse has three sections.

Œ ‹ •œ• —transliteration: way-yab-DEµl B µn ham-maµ-yim '·-Heµr

miT-Taµ-xat lA-rA-qÓµ-av, “and he separated between the waters that were under the firmament.” The verb is Hiphil (causative) imperfect, 3rd sg. masc. from the root ldb (“be divided, separate”). The construction §yEb˚ ... §y–Eb (“between” … “and between”) designates space



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between two distinct objects as in 1:4 above. The relative pronoun reH‹' (“which, that”) introduces a subordinate clause with the verb “to be” understood. The preposition …l taxKatim (“under”) is the combination of the preposition §im (“from”), with assimilation of the n˚n, the preposition taxKat (“under”), and the preposition ñl (“to”). The long vowel under l represents the vowel of the definite article, which it replaces. On the meaning of the noun avyiqAr (“firmament”), see discussion above at 1:6.

‘ • „ Œ —transliteration: ˚-b µn ham-maµ-yim '·-Heµr mE-vaµl

lA-rA-qÓµ-av wa-y¸-hÓ-KEµn, “from the waters that were over the firmament; and it was so.” The construction §yEb˚ ... §y–Eb (“between” … “and between”) designates space between two distinct objects as in 1:4 above. The grammatical structure of the first five words here parallels that of the first five words in the previous clause. The preposition …l lavEm (“over”) is the combination of the preposition §im (“from”), with assimilation of the n˚n and compensatory lengthening of the vowel (since v cannot be doubled), the preposition lav (“under”), and the preposition ñl (“to”). The verb yihyaw is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hƒyAh (“be[come]”). The adverb §–Ek (“so, thus”) has its usual meaning.”

„ ô ‡ œ• 1:8

û „ ‘ • û ‘ •„ ô ‡ œ• —transliteration: way-yiq-rAµ' 'È-lO-hÓµm lA-rA-qÓµ-av HA-maµ-yim, “and

Elohim called the firmament sky.” The verb 'ArqiFyaw aais Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root 'rq (“call”). The avyiqAr (“firmament”), which is here identified as £«yAmAH (“heavens, sky”), is the vast “sky dome” that stretches from horizon to horizon as an extended surface that holds the waters above in place, in which the astronomical bodies are placed on Day Four (see 1:17 below).

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • —transliteration:way¸hÓ vereb way¸hÓ-BOqer yÙm HEnÓ, “and there was evening and there was morning, Day Two.” Cf. the discussion at 1:5b above.

œ• 1:9

‘ ‹ Œ‘ • •œ „

œ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer 'È-lO-hÓµm, “and Elohim said.” The verb here is Qal

imperfect 3rd sg. masc with wau-conversive from the root rm' (“say”) with Elohim as subject.



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‘ ‹ Œ —transliteration: yiq-qA-w˚µ ham-maµ-yim miT-Taµ-xat

haH-HA-maµ-yim 'el-mA-qÙµm 'e-xAµd, “let the waters be gathered from below the sky to one place.” The verb ˚w–Aqiy is Niphal (passive) imperfect 3rd pl. masc. from the root hƒwAq (“collect”) used in a jussive sense. with £«y–amah (“the waters”) as subject. The y indicates the imperfect; ˚ is the plural-ending of verbs; the daghesh forte in q is for an assimilated n, which is characteristic of the passive Niphal verb-stem. The preposition taxKatim (“from under”) is the combination of the preposition §im (“from”), with assimilation of the n˚n, and the preposition taxKat (“under”). Note that the definite noun £yamLAHah (“the heavens, sky”) does not have the preposition l prefixed as in the comparable prepositional phrase in 1:7 above. Note the disjunctive accent PaHXA on the word , which appears twice—in its normal position at the end of the word and again over the syllable receiving the stress. The preposition -le' (“to)” is attached to the masc. noun £ÙqAm (“place”) by maqqEp. The word dAxe' (“one”) here has its most common meaning.

‘ • •œ „ —transliteration: w¸-tE-rA-'eµh hay-yaB-BA-H‰µ wa-y¸-hÓ-kEµn, “and let the

dry land appear; and it was so.” The verbal form he'ArEtw is Niphal (passive) imperfect 3rd sg. fem. with the wau-conjunction from the root h'r (“see”) with hAHA–bC¬yah (“the dry land”) as subject. On the concluding phrase §Ek-yihy¬w (“and it was so”) see 1:7b above.

•œ ‹ œ• 1:10

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• Œ• „Œ û™•œ ‹ œ• —transliteration: way-yiq-rAµ' 'È-lO-hÓµm lay-yaB-BA-H‰µ 'eµ-rec, ”and

Elohim called the dry land earth.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root 'rq (“call”) with £yih»lÈ' (“Elohim”) as subject. The l here, which is attached to the fem. noun hAH–Ab¬y (“dry land, dry ground”), functions as a marker for the direct object of the verb as in 1:5 above. It takes the vowel of the definite article, which it replaces. The noun ¶ere' here refers to the whole earth, as opposed to the sky.

Œ• „Œ û™ —transliteration: ˚-l¸-miq-wEµh ham-maµ-yim qA-rAµ' yam-mÓµm, “and the

gathering of waters he called seas.” The construct noun h≈wqim (“collection, gathering”), which is closely tied to the noun £«y–amah (“the waters”), has two prefixes: the wau-conjunction and the l, which is here the marker for the direct object of the verb 'ArAq (“he called”), which is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. The noun £ymƒy (“seas”) is the plural of the masc. noun £ƒy (“sea”).

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• —transliteration: wayyar' 'ÈlOhÓm KÓ-XÙb, “and Elohim saw that it was

good.” The verb '⁄rC¬y¬w is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root h'r (“see”) with £yih»lÈ' (“Elohim”) as subject. On the nominal clause bÙX yi–k (“that it was good”), see 1:4a above.



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‰ ‹ œ• 1:11

π ‹ › π‘ • ‘ „ ‘ • û

‹ œ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer 'È-lO-hÓµm Tad-HE' hA-'A-rec

De-He', “and Elohim said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation.’” The first verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc with wau-conversive from the root rm' (“say”) with Elohim as subject. The second verb is Hiphil (causative) imperfect 3rd sg. fem. from the root 'Hd (“sprout, grow green”) used with jussive meaning, with ¶rA'Ah (“the earth”) as subject. The masc. noun 'eHe–d (“grass”) is used here to denote the springing forth of vegetation in a general sense.

‰—transliteration: vEµ-Web maz-rÓµ-av zeµ-rav, “plant yielding seed.” The masc. noun

beWEv (“herb, herbage”) here has the broader meaning of plants in general. The verbal form avyirzam is a Hiphil participle sg. masc. from the root vrz (“sow, scatter seed”). The masc. noun varez (“sowing, seed, offspring”) is a cognate accusative.

π ‹ › π —transliteration: vEµc P¸-rÓµ vOµ-Weh P¸-rÓµ l¸-mÓ-nÙµ, “tree of fruit making fruit

after its kind.” The masc. noun ¶Ev (“tree of”) is in the construct state with the masc. noun yirJL⁄p (“fruit”). The dot in Lp is the daghesh forte being preceded by a full vowel E serves to join the two words together as conjunctive. The verbal form heWOv is a Qal participle sg. masc. from the root hWv (“make”). The stress is on the penult because the following word functions as a monosyllable. The preposition l (“to”) is attached to the masc. noun §yim (“kind, species”) with the pronominal suffix Ùñ (“his”).

‘ • ‘ „ ‘ • û —transliteration: '·-Heµr zar-vÙ-bÙµ val-hA-'Aµ-rec wa-y¸-hÓ-kEµn, “which has its seed in it on the earth; and it was so.” The combination of the relative pronoun reH‹' (“which”) and the preposition Ùb (“in it”) is the idiom for “in which.” The masc. noun varez (“seed”) has the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix Ùñ (“his”). The prepositional phrase ¶erA'Ah-lav (“on the earth”) has the strong disjunctive accent 'atnAx, which indicates a pause before the concluding clause. On §Ek-yihÃCyaw (“and it was so”) see discussion above at 1:7.

Hiphil (Causative) Verbal Forms

'EH⁄dLat in which Lt = she and añ under Lt indicates a causative idea lyid⁄bam in which m indicates a participle and añ under m indicates a causative idea lEd⁄b¬y in which y = he and añ under y indicates a causative idea avyirzam in which m indicates a participle and añ under m indicates a causative idea



10

™ ‹ • 1:12

™ „ ‘ • û ô π‘ ‡‘ ƒ „ û•œ•

™ ‹ • —transliteration: waT-TÙ-cEµ' hA-'Aµ-rec Deµ-He' vEµ-Web

mazrÓµav zeµrav l¸mÓnEµh˚, “and the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind.” The verb here is Hiphil (causative) imperfect 3rd sg. fem. from the root 'cy (“go forth”). The form 'EcÙLt is for 'EcwLat, which like 'EH⁄dLat, has añ under the preformative and is causative. Note the compensatory lengthening of the vowel in the first syllable of the definite noun ¶erA'Ah (“the earth”) because the ' cannot be doubled. On the next four words, see the discussion above at 1:11. The word ˚hEnyim¯l is an uncontracted form, with the same meaning as ÙEnyiml (see 1:11 above).

™ „ ‘ • û ô π‘ ‡ —transliteration: w¸-vEµc vO-Weh-P¸-rÓµ '‰-Heµr zar-vÙ-bÙµ

l¸-mÓ-nEµ-h˚, “and trees bearing fruit with seed in them after their kind.” See the discussion at 1:11 where the same words appear. The only real difference here is the maqqEp, which joins the words ô π‘ (“bearing fruit”) into a single word-stress unit and the use of the meteg to indicate a secondary stress. on the first syllable.

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• ‰—transliteration: way-yaµr' 'È-lO-hÓµm KÓ-XÙµb, “and Elohim saw that it was

good.” The verb is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root h'r (“see”) with £yih»lÈ' (“Elohim”) as subject. On the phrase bÙX y–ik (“that it was good”), see 1:4a above.

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • 1:13

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • —transliteration: way-y¸-hÓ-veµ-reb way-y¸-hÓ-bOµ-qer yÙµm

H¸-lÓ-HÓµ, “and it was evening and it was morning, Day Three.” Cf. discussion at 1:5b above.

Genesis 1:14–31

‹ œ• 1:14

„œ û„ ‹

‹ œ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer 'È-lO-hÓµm y¸-hÓµ

m¸-'O-rOµt Bir-qÓµ-av haH-HA-maµ-yim, “and Elohim said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky.” The first verb is the Qal imperfect 3rd pl. masc. with wau-conversive from the root rm' (“say”)



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with £yih◊l¤' (“Elohim”) as subject. The verb yih⁄y is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc from the root hƒyAh (“be[come]”) used as a jussive. The masc. noun rÙ'Am (“luminary”) as a source of light here refers to the sun and moon, which are here envisioned as placed in the “dome of the sky.” The construct form of the noun avyiqAr is avyiq⁄r.

„œ û —transliteration: l¸-hab-DÓµl B µn hay-yÙµm ˚-bV µn hal-lAµy-l‰, “to

divide between the day and between the night.” The verbal form is the Hiphil infinitive construct from the root ldb (“divide”). 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 definite article on the two nouns £Ùy (“day”) and hAlÕyal µ (“night”) is followed by doubling of the next consonant with daghesh. Note that the stress on the word is on the penult. The lengthening of the vowel here is pausal.

„ ‹ —transliteration: w¸-hA-y˚ l¸-'O-tOt ˚-l¸-mı-v·-dÓm

˚-l¸-yA-mÓm w¸-HA-nÓm,”and let them be for signs and for set-times and for days and years.” The verb ˚yAh¯w (“and they will be”) is Qal perfect 3rd pl. masc. with wau-conversive, which is used in a jussive sense, “let them be.” The preposition l (“to, for”) is prefixed to three successive nouns. The noun tÙ' (“sign”) appears here in the plural fem. form, written defectively (without the vowel letters). The noun dEvÙm (“appointed time”) appears in the plural masc. form. The nouns £Ùy (“day”) and hƒnAH (“year”) both appear in irregular pl. masc. forms. Note that the two occurrences of the wau-conjunction here before a consonant with shewa are written ˚.

‘ • ‘ „ ‹ 1:15

‹ —transliteration: w¸-hA-y˚µ lim-'Ù-rOµt Bir-qÓµ-av haH-HA-maµ-yim, “and let them be for lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth; and it was so.” On the verb ˚yAh¯w (“and let them be”) see discussion in previous verse (1:14). The spelling of the plural noun tOrÙ'm (“luminary”) should be compared with that of tOrO'm in 1:14.

‘ • ‘ „ —transliteration: l¸-hA-'Óµr val-hA-'Aµ-rec wa-y¸-hÓ-kEµn, “to give light

upon the earth; and it was so.” The verbal form „ is Hiphil (causative) infinitive construct from the root rw' (“be[come] light”). On the rest of this verse, see discussion above at 1:11.

„ Œ û™ ‘ •œ• 1:16

œ ‹ Œ ‘ƒ „ Å ‹ Œ ‘



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„ 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 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hWv (“make, do”) with Elohim as the subject. The noun £y¬nH (“two”) appears here in the plural construct state with the noun „ Œ (“luminaries”) written, once again, defectively (cf. 1:14). The pl. masc. adjective £yilOdCgah (“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.

„ ô û œ• 1:17

‘ „„ _ û 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 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root §tn (“give, put, set”) with Elohim as subject. The definite direct object marker with 3rd 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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The preposition lav (“upon”) is joined to the definite noun ¶erA'Ah (“the earth”) with maqqEp. The vowel in the definite article is lengthened because the ' that follows cannot be doubled.

Å œ 1:18

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• „ ûœ —transliteration: w¸-lim-HOµl Bay-yÙµm ˚-bal-laµy-l‰, “and to rule in the day

and in the night” The verbal form is Qal infinite construct with wau-conjunction from the root lHm (“rule, have dominion”). The preposition b (“in”) takes the vowel of the definite article, which it replaces before the nouns £Ùy (“day”) and hAlyal µ (“night”).

„ û — transliteration: ˚-l¸-hab-DÓµl B µn hA-'Ùµr ˚-b µn ha-xO-µHek, “and

to divide between the light and between the darkness.” The verbal form ly–idbahl is Hiphil infinitive construct from the root ldb (“divide”), which has the wau-conjunction attached. Before a word beginning with any consonant (except yod) plus shewa, the form of the wau-conjunction is ˚ ˚. 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”). §y–Eb is used not only of actual locality, however, but also with verbs of dividing (see 1:14 above).

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• —transliteration: way-yaµr' 'È-lO-hÓµm KÓ-XÙµb, “and Elohim saw that it was good.” On this clause, see the discussion at 1:12 and 1:4.

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • 1:19

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • —transliteration: wa-y¸-hÓ-veµ-reb wa-y¸-hÓ-bOµ-qer yÙµm r¸-bÓ-vÓµ, “and it was evening and it was morning, Day Four.” See discussion at 1:5b above.

œ „ Œ œ• 1:20

û „™ π‘ ‘œ „ Œ œ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer 'È-lO-hÓµm yiH-r¸-c µ

ham-maµ-yim Heµ-rec neµ-peH xay-y‰µ, “and Elohim said, ‘Let the waters swarm with a swarm of living creatures.” The verbal form œ• is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from

the root rm' (“say”) with Elohim as subject. The verb is Qal imperfect 3rd pl. masc. from the root ¶rH (“swarm”) used as a jussive (3rd person imperative) with the collective noun £iyam (“waters”) as subject. The masc. noun ¶ereH is collective, which means “swarming things,”



14

appears here in apposition to the noun phrase hCƒyAx Hepen (literally: “soul of life,” i.e., “a living, breathing being”).

û „™ π‘ ‘ —transliteration: w¸-vÙµp y¸-vÙ-pEµp val-hA-'Aµ-rec

val-P¸-n µ r¸-qÓµ-av haH-HA-maµ-yim, “and the birds, let them fly above the earth and across the dome of the sky.” The wau-conjunction is prefixed to the masc. collective noun •Ùv (“flying creatures, birds”). The verbal form is the Polel (the form that hollow verbs often take in place of the Piel) imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with a jussive sense from the root •wv (“fly”). The two uses of the preposition lv here illustrate the fact that Hebrew prepositions have a range of meaning that does not always correspond to a single meaning in English: ‘ (“upon the earth”) and y≈nK⁄p-lav (“on the face of,” or “across”) the dome of the sky (cf. 1:17 and 1:6 above).

„ ‘ œ• 1:21

† œ ‘ ƒ™ Œ

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• ™ ƒ ‹ ‘ ƒ„ ‘ œ• —transliteration: way-yib-rAµ' 'È-lO-hÓµm 'et-haT-Tan-nÓ-nÏµm

haG-G¸-dO-lÓµm, “and Elohim created the great sea monsters.” The verb œ• is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root 'rb (“create”) with Elohim as subject. Cf. 'ArAq and 'Arqiy (“call, proclaim”). The pl. masc. noun §yiCnKat (“sea monsters”) is also used for “serpents” (see Deut 32:33; Ps 91:13, Exod 7:9, 10, 12). Note that the final vowel of this word is written defectively: £«nñ for £y«nñ . The accentual-stress unit is: definite direct object marker te' (with maqqEp) + definite article h (with doubling of next consonant) + noun §yiCnKat + plural ending £«nñ. The adjective lÙdƒCg (“great”) is modified to agree with the preceding noun. Note that this word is written defectively (i.e., without the wau).

† œ ‘ ƒ —transliteration: w¸-'Eµt Kol-neµ-peH ha-xay-y‰µ hA-rO-meµ-Wet, “and every living creature that crawls about.” When the direct object marker -te' is not joined to the following word by maqqep, the vowel is lengthened. The word before maqqep always loses its stress and thus takes a short vowel here in Kol (“all, every”), i.e., xAXap qAmAc. The fem. noun Hepen means “that which breathes, the breathing substance or being” and is often translated as “soul, life, person.” Used with the fem. noun hCƒyAx (“living thing, animal”) it means a “living being, creature.” The guttural x acts as though it were doubled after the definite article (virtual doubling). The verbal form teWemOrAh is Qal participle sg. fem. from the root Wmr (“creep, crawl, move about”) with the definite article.



15

™ Œ —transliteration: '·-Heµr HA-r¸-Cc˚µ ham-maµ-yim l¸-mÓ-nE-heµm, “with which

the waters swarm after their kind.” The particle of relation is a connecting link, without any perfectly corresponding equivalent in English. The verb here is Qal perfect 3rd pl. masc. from the root ¶rH (“swarm”) with Œ (“the waters”) as subject. On the meaning of ™ see 1:11, 12 above. Here the pronominal suffix is 3rd pl. masc. written defectively (£ehEñ for £ehyEñ).

™ ƒ ‹ ‘ ƒ —transliteration: w¸-'Eµt Kol-vÙµp KA-nAµp l¸-mÓ-nEµ-h˚, “and every winged

bird after its kind.” The noun ƒ (“wing, extremity”) is part of a construct chain with the sense of “every bird of wing.” The first Añ is A because it appears in an unstressed open syllable, the second ñ is A because it has the stress (which lengthens the vowel). The construct singular of this word would be •¬n–k (“wing of”) and the dual would be £iyapƒn–¯k (“two wings”). On ™ see 1:12 above

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• —transliteration: way-yaµr' 'È-lO-hÓµm KÓ XÙµb, “and Elohim saw that it was good.” On this clause, see the discussion at 1:4, 12 and 1:18.

„ ô ‡ • 1:22

û „ Œ•œ Œ ‘ ‹ πû „ ‘ • û ‘ • 1:23

„ _ ‡ • —transliteration: wa-y¸-bAµ-rek 'O-tAµm 'È-lO-hÓµm lE'-mOµr, “and Elohim blessed them saying …” The initial verb is Piel (intensive) imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root ¢rb (“bless”) with Elohim as subject. The direct object marker has the 3rd pl. masc. suffix £Añ (“them”). rOm'El is Qal infinite construct from the root rm' (“say”), which functions much like the quotation mark in English and so is often best left not translated.

Œ•œ Œ ‘ ‹ π—transliteration: P¸-r˚µ ˚-r¸-b˚µ ˚-mil-'˚µ 'et-ham-maµ-yim

Bay-ya-mÓµm, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas.” We have here a series of thee successive 2nd pl. masc. imperatives from the roots hrp (“be fruitful”), hbr (“multiply”) and 'lm (“fill”) with the collective noun £iyam (“waters”) as the definite direct object of all three verbs. The preposition b (“in”) is prefixed to the pl. form of the noun £ƒy (“sea”).

û „ —transliteration: w¸-hA-vÙµp yiµ-reb BA-'Aµ-rec, “and the birds let them multiply in

the earth.” Note that the subject, the collective noun „ (“the birds”) precedes the verb, which is Qal shortened imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root hbr (“be[come] much”) used in a jussive sense. The prefixed preposition b (“in”) takes the vowel of the definite article It displaces.

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • —transliteration: wa-y¸-hÓ-veµ-reb wa-y¸-hÓ-bOµ-qer yÙµm

x·-mÓ-HÓµ, “and it was evening and it was morning, Day Five.” See discussion at 1:5b above.



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√ œ ‹ œ• 1:24

‘ • √ „ ‘ ı û√ œ ‹ œ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer 'È-lO-hÓµm TÙ-cEµ'

hA-'Aµ-rec neµ-peH xay-y‰µ l¸-mÓ-nAµh, “and Elohim said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind.’” On the first two words, see 1:20 above. The verb is Hiphil (causative)

imperfect 3rd sg. fem. from the root 'cy (“go forth”) used as a jussive, with (“the land”).as

subject. On the construct chain œ ‹ (“living creatures”) see 1:21. The word √ (“to her kind”) is the combination of the preposition l (“to, after”) + the noun §yim (“kind”) + the 3rd sg. fem. pronominal suffix –hAñ. The dot (daghesh) here is the hE maPPÓq, which indicates that it carries consonantal force. Without the dot, a final hE is silent (i.e., used as a vowel letter).

‘ • √ „ ‘ ı û —transliteration: B¸-hE-m‰µ wA-reµ-meW w¸-ha-y¸-tÙ-

'eµ-rec l¸-mÓ-nAµh wa-y¸-hÓ-kEµn, “herd-animals and crawling things and wildlife of the earth after their kind, and it was so.” The fem. noun hAmEh–b, which is commonly translated as “cattle,” is a more general term that refers to living creatures other than humans, including all the larger animals. Here it is used in opposition to wild “animals of the earth” (¶ere'-Ùtyax) and is thus interpreted to mean domestic or perhaps “herd-animals” like cattle, sheep and goats (i.e., livestock).” The segholate noun Wemer (“creeping things”), which is used in a collective sense, is prefixed with the wau-conjunction. On the expression ‘ • , see 1:11, 15 above.

√ •œ ‘ •œ• 1:25

√ ‘‘ ƒ „ û•œ• ™ „ û ‘ ƒ ô

√ •œ ‘ •œ• —transliteration: way-yaµ-vaW 'È-lO-hÓµm 'et-xay-yaµt

hA-'Aµ-rec l¸-mÓ-nAµh, “and Elohim made the wildlife of the earth after their kind.” The verb here is Qal shortened imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hWv (“make, do”) with Elohim as subject. The direct object of the verb is the singular nominal phrase ¶erA'Ah t¬Cyax (“living creature of the earth”) used in a collective sense. On –hƒnyimÕl see 1:11, 15, 24.

√ ‘ —transliteration: w¸-'et-haB-B¸-hE-m‰µ l¸-mÓ-nAµh, “and herd-animals (or livestock) after their kind.” On the meaning of the words here, see 1:24.

™ „ û ‘ ƒ ô —transliteration: w¸-'Eµt Kol-reµ-meW hA-'·-dA-m‰µ l¸-mÓ-nEµ-h˚, “and

everything that creeps on the ground, after its kind.” The masc. collective noun Wemer µ (“creeping things”) is another example of what is often called a segolate noun, with the stress on the



17

penult. The fem. noun hAmAd‹'Ah (“ground”) has the definite article with compensatory lengthening of its vowel. On ˚hEnyim¯l, which is written defectively, see 1:12, 21.

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• —transliteration: way-yaµr' 'È-lO-hÓµm KÓ-XÙµb, “and Elohim saw that it was good.” On this clause see 14:4, 12, 18, 21.

ƒ „ ô û • œ• 1:26

‘ œ •‘ û „ ‘

ƒ „ ô û • œ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer 'È-lO-hÓµm na-v·-Weµh 'A-dAµm B¸-cal-mEµ-n˚ Kid-m˚-tEµ-n˚, “and Elohim said, ‘Let us make a human in our image according to our likeness.” On the first two words, see 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24. The verb heW‹van is Qal imperfect 1st pl. from the root hWv (“make, do”), which is used as a cohortative (1st person imperative). The initial root consonant is v, which takes the composite shewa (xAXap Pa¥tax) and causes the vowel of the preformative n to dissimilate to Pa¥tax. The noun £AdA' is interpreted here as collective for “human-kind.” The masc. noun £lc (“image”) has the preposition b (“in”) as prefix and the 1st pl. pronominal suffix ˚nñ (“our”). The fem. noun t˚m–d (“likeness”) has the preposition k (“according to, like”) and the 1st pl. pronominal suffix ˚nñ (“our”).

œ • —transliteration: w¸-yir-D˚µ bid-gaµt hay-yAµm ˚-b¸-vÙµp

haH-HA-maµ-yim, “and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd pl. masc from the root hdr (“rule, have dominion”). Used with the preposition b the verb means “rule over, have dominion over”). The fem. noun hƒg–Ad (“fish”) appears here in its construct form as a collective. In Jonah, the sg. masc. form g–Ad (“fish”) appears three times (Jonah 2:1 [twice], 11) and the feminine hƒg–Ad (“fish”) once (Jonah 2:2)—all four times in reference to a single fish. The sg. masc. noun •Ùv (“bird”) appears here as a collective in construct with the definite pl. masc. noun £iyamLAHah (“the sky”), with prefixed wau-conjunction, which is pointed here and in the following two occurrences as ñ˚ before a labial (b m p, the so-called B˚mep letters), and the prefixed preposition b (“over”).

‘ —transliteration: ˚-baB-B¸-hE-m‰µ ˚-b¸-kol-hA-'Aµ-rec, “and the herd-animals

(or livestock) and over all the earth.” On the meaning of hAmEh–¯b (“animal”), which is here used as a collective, see 1:24 above. The prefix b takes the vowel of the definite article it displaces. The concluding phrase ¶erA'Ah-lAk (“all the earth”) has two prefixes: the preposition b (“in, over”) and the wau-conjunction. The compensatory lengthening of the vowel in the definite article here is due to the fact that the ' that follows cannot be doubled.



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‘ û „ ‘ —transliteration: ˚-b¸-kol hA-reµ-meW hA-rO-mEµW val-hA-'Aµ-rec, “and

over all crawling things that crawl on the earth.” The verbal form WEmOrAh is Qal active participle sg. masc. from the root Wmr (“creep, crawl, move about”) with the definite article. Note the compensatory lengthening of the vowel of the definite article because the following r cannot be doubled and is thus treated as though it were a guttural. The preposition lav (“on”) is attached to its object ¶erA' µAh (“the earth”) by maqqEp, with compensatory lengthening of the vowel under the definite article and pausal lengthening of the vowel of the penult.

‘ ‹ œ• 1:27

û „ û „ û‘ ‹ œ• —transliteration: way-yib-rAµ' 'È-lO-hÓµm 'et-hA-'A-dAµm

B¸-cal-mÙµ, “and Elohim created the human in his own image” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root 'rb (“create”) with Elohim as subject and £AdA'Ah (“the human”) as definite direct object. The masc. segholate noun £elec (“image”) has the preposition b (“in”) as prefix and the 3rd sg. pronominal suffix Ùñ (“his”). Before suffixes, segholates take what is called their primary form—the original form of the noun, which had but one vowel, that vowel standing under the first root letter.

„ û —transliteration: B¸-ceµ-lem 'È-lO-hÓµm BA-rAµ' 'O-tÙµ, “in the image of

Elohim he created him.” The verb here is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root 'rb (“create”) with Elohim as subject. The definite direct object marker tE' has the 3rd sg. masc. prominal suffix Ùñ (“his”). With pronominal suffixes the vowel changes in this “mark of the accusative” from Eñ (E) to Oñ (O). According to BDB (p. 84), “In Hebrew the ground-form is tÙ'.”

û „ û › —transliteration: zA-kAµr ˚-n¸-qE-b‰µ BA-rAµ' 'O-tAµm, “male and female

he created them.” The masc. noun rAkƒz (“male”) and the fem. noun hAbEqn (“female”) together constitute the “image” of G-d. The wau-conjunction become ˚ before shewa. The definite direct object marker tE' has the 3rd pl. masc. pronominal suffix £Añ (“them”).

œ• ˜ • 1:28

„ ‘ û _ û πœ ‹• ›

‘ û „œ ‘• —transliteration: wa-y¸-bAµ-rek 'O-tAµm 'È-lO-hÓµmü, “and Elohim blessed them”

The verb is Piel imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root ¢rb (“bless”) with



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Elohim as subject and the definite direct object marker with 3rd pl. masc. pronominal suffix £AtO' (“them”).

œ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer lA-heµm 'È-lO-hÓµmü, “and Elohim said to them.”

The verb is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root rm' (“say”) with Elohim as subject. The indirect object is the preposition l (“to”) with 3rd pl. masc. pronominal suffix £ehñ (“them”)

„ ‘ û _ û π—transliteration: P¸-r˚µ ˚-r¸-b˚µ ˚-mil-'˚µ 'et-hA-'Aµ-rec

w¸-kib-H˘-hA, “‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.’” On this sequence of three successive imperatives, see 1:23 above. The definite direct object of these three verbs is ¶erA'Ah (“the earth”) with compensatory lengthening of the vowel under the definite article. The fourth verb here is Qal imperative 2nd pl. masc. from the root Hbk (“subdue”) with 3rd sg. fem. pronominal suffix Ahñ (“it”), because the antecedent is the fem. noun ¶ere' (“earth”). Note that the word is written defectively.

œ ‹• › —transliteration: ˚-r¸-d˚µ Bid-gaµt hay-yAµm ˚-b¸-vÙµp

haH-HA-maµ-yim, “and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky.” The verb hdr (“rule”) followed by the preposition b (“in”) means “rule over.” On the construct chains œ • (“fish

of the sea”) and (“birds of the sky”) see 1:26 above.

‘ û „œ ‘ —transliteration: ˚-b¸-kol-xay-y‰µ hA-rO-meµ-Wet val-hA-'Aµ-rec, “and every living creature that creeps on the earth.’” See the similar construction above in 1:26, the difference here being the Qal active participle sg. fem. from the root Wmr (“creep”) to agree with its antecedent, the fem. noun hCƒyAx (“living creature”).

œ• 1:29

‘ ƒ‘ ™‘ ™ π‘

„ ‘ û ‘ ô ‘ ƒ‘„ û

‘ ƒ‘ ™ œ• —transliteration: way-yO'µ-mer 'È-lO-hÓµmü

hin-nEµ(h) nA-taT-TÓµ lA-keµm 'et-Kol-vEµ-Web zO-rEµ-av zeµ-rav, “and Elohim said, ‘Behold, I have given to you every plant yielding seed.’” On the first two words see 1:26. The demonstrative particle hC≈nih (“behold”) points to some truth either newly asserted or newly recognized. The verb yKitatƒn is Qal perfect 1st sg. from the root §tn (“give”), with indirect object £ekAl (“to you”), which has the 2nd pl. masc. pronominal suffix. The definite direct object ‘ ƒ‘ has two particles attached by



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maqqEp. The verbal form avErOz is the Qal active participle sg. masc. from the root vrz (“sow seed”). The masc. noun varez (“seed”) reiterates the same verbal root.

‘ ™ π‘ —transliteration: '·-Heµr val-P¸-n µ kol-hA-'Aµ-rec, “‘which is on the face of

all the earth.’” The particle of relation reH‹' (“which”) here introduces an extended prepositional phrase. The preposition ynp-lv (“on the face of”) carries the sense of surface, as it does in 1:2.

„ ‘ û ‘ ô ‘ ƒ‘ —transliteration: w¸-'et-Kol-hA-vEµc '·-Her-BÙµ p¸-rÓ-vEµc

zO-rEµ-av zAµ-rav, “‘and every tree that has fruit yielding seed.’” The definite direct object marker here indicates a further aspect of what Elohim has given the human. In the masc. noun ¶EvAh (“the tree”) the vowel under the definite article is lengthened to compensate for the fact that the following guttural cannot be lengthened. The fruit of the tree (¶Ev-yirÕp) in turn yields seed (var√z avErOz). Note the lengthening of the vowel in the segholate noun, which is pausal (caused by the presence of the accent 'atnAx).

„ û —transliteration: lA-keµm yih-yeµh l¸-'ok-l‰µ, “‘to you they shall be for eating.’”

The position of the preposition l (“to”), which has the 2nd pl. masc pronominal suffix, suggests emphasis. The verb is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root h√yAh (“be[come]”). The preposition l (“to, for”) is prefixed to the fem. noun hAlkA' (“eating, food”). The accent on the penult here is the short vowel o (qAmAc xAX˚p) in a closed unaccented syllable whereas the vowel under the ultima is the long vowel A (qAmAc).

•œ ‘ 1:30

‘ ‘‘ • „ û ‘ ƒ‘ œ ‘

•œ ‘ —transliteration: ˚-l¸-kol-xay-yaµt hA-'Aµ-rec, “‘and for every living creature of the

earth.’” Before shewa the vowel of the wau-conjunction becomes ˚. The first noun here is the construct form h√Cyax (“animal, living being”) with shortening of the vowel in the final syllable. Note the compensatory lengthening of the vowel under the definite article in the word ¶erA'Ah (“the earth”) because the ' cannot be doubled.

‘ ‘ —transliteration: ˚-l¸-kol-vÙµp haH-HA-maµ-yim

˚-l¸-kOµl rÙ-mEµW val-hA-'aµ-rec, “‘and for every bird of the sky and for all that crawls on the earth.’” On the meaning of the words here, compare 1:28. The Qal active participle sg. masc WEmÙr from the root Wmr (“creep, crawl”) should be compared with the fem. form teWemOr, which is written defectively in 1:28

‘ ™ π‘ —transliteration: '·-Heµr val-P¸-n µ kol-hA-'Aµ-rec, “‘which is on the face of the earth.’” See 1:29 above.



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œ ‘ —transliteration: '·-Her-BÙµ neµ-peH xay-y‰µ, “‘which has in it the breath of life.’”

The preposition b (“in”) has the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix affixed. On the phrase h√Cyax Hepen (“breath of life”) see 1:24 above.

‘ • „ û ‘ ƒ‘ —transliteration: 'et-kol-yeµ-req vEµ-Web l¸-'ok-l‰µ

wa-y¸-hÓ-KEµn, “‘every green plant for eating,’ and it was so.” The masc. noun qerey (“green thing”) is used in construct with the masc. noun beWEv (“herb[age]”). Both are segholates. On hAlkA'l (“for eating”) see 1:29 and the clause §Ek-yihÃyaw (“and it was so”) see 1:7, 11.

„ ‘ ™ ‘ ƒ‘ ‹•œ• 1:31

û „ ‘ • û ‘ •‘ ƒ‘ ‹•œ• —transliteration: way-yaµr' 'È-lO-hÓµmü 'et-Kol-'·-Heµr vA-WAµh, “And

Elohim saw all that he had made.” The verb is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root h'r (“see”) with Elohim as subject. The definite direct object is the verbal clause: “all that he had made.” The concluding verb in this clause is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root hWv (“make, do”).

„ ‘ ™ —transliteration: w¸-hin-nE(h)-XÙµb m¸-'Oµd, “and behold it was good exceedingly.” The climactic sixth day of creation is singled out for emphasis with the use of the demonstrative particle hC≈nih (“behold”) and the predicate noun dO'⁄m, which expresses the idea of “exceedingly, greatly, very” of degree. The verb “to be” is understood in this nominal sentence.

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • —transliteration: way-y¸-hÓ-veµ-reb way-y¸-hÓ-bOµ-qer yÙµm

haHHiHHÓµ, “and it was evening and it was morning, Day Six.” See discussion at 1:5b above.

Genesis 2:1–25

‘ „ û _ • 2:1

‘ „ û _ • —transliteration: way-kul-l˚µ haH-HA-maµ-yim w¸-hA-'Aµ-rec

w¸-kol-c¸-bA-'Aµm, “and the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their host.” The verb here is Pual (passive) imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hlk (“be complete, at an end”) with ¶erA'Ahw £iyamLAHah (“the heavens and the earth”) as subject, a phrase which is reminiscent of the opening verse of Genesis 1:1. The masc. noun 'AbAc (“host”), which normally has a military sense, is here used of the entire creation—including the sun, moon and stars. The noun has the 3rd pl. masc. pronominal suffix £Añ (‘their”).



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„ œ ‹ • 2:2

û „ ‘ ƒ œ œ•„ œ ‹ • —transliteration: way-kaµl 'È-lO-hÓµm Bay-yYYÙµm

haH-H¸-bÓ-vÓµ m¸-la'k-TÙµ '·-Heµr vA-WAµh, “and Elohim finished in the seventh day his work which he made.” The opening verb is Piel shortened imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hlk (“be complete, at an end”) with Elohim as subject. The masc. noun £Ùy (“day”) has the preposition b (“in”) as its prefix, in which the vowel takes that of the definite article it displaces. The seventh (yivyibLHah) day is different from the six “working days” of Genesis 1. The fem. noun hAk'Alm (“work”) refers to what G-d did or made (hAWAv). The fact that it is finished “in the seventh day” suggests an added dimension to G-d’s creation that moves beyond the sequence of events in Genesis 1. G-d’s purpose in creation is on-going.

A case can be made, however, to emend the text with the Samaritan Pentateuch, LXX and Syriac to read the “sixth” day here on the basis of the logoprosodic analysis. The three successive dyads here scan 23 || 27 || 25 morae in the MT. Emending haHH¸bÓvÓ (“seventh”) to read haHHiHÓ (“sixth”) improves the balance to scan 23 || 25 || 25 morae (see p. 58, n. 2:2h below).

In a symbolic sense, Jonah was invited to participate in G-d’s creation by letting go of his anger, which had become a “great evil” that would destroy him (see Reading Jonah in Hebrew). Potentially all time that follows the six “working days” constitutes G-d’s “seventh day” of Creation—the ideal “Shabbat.”

œ œ• —transliteration: way-yiH-BOµt Bay-yÙµm haH-H¸-bÓ-vÓµ, “and he ceased in the

seventh day.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root tbH (“cease, desist, rest”). The Hebrew word tA–baH (“Sabbath”), which does not appear here, is derived from this root.

û „ ‘ ƒ —transliteration: miK-Kol-m¸-la'k-TÙµ '·-Heµr vA-WAµh, “from all his work that he had done.” For the most part this is a repetition of words that appear earlier in this verse. The preposition §im (“from”) is prefixed to the lOk (“all”) and assimilation of the n˚n, which explains the doubling of the following letter. The vowel is shortened because of the maqqEp that connects the two words here.

„ • ‘ ‹ • 2:3

‘ ƒ ‹ ƒ„ û ‘

‘ ‹ • —transliteration: way-bAµ-rek 'È-lO-hÓµm 'et-yÙµm haH-H¸-bÓ-vÓµ, “and

Elohim blessed the seventh day.” The verb here is Piel imperfect 3rd sg. masc from the root ¢rb



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(“bless”) with wau-conversive and Elohim as subject. Note that the r cannot be doubled, which results in compensatory lengthening of the vowel in the preceding syllable. On the “seventh day” see 2:2.

„ • —transliteration: way-qa-DEµH 'O-tÙµ, “and he sanctified it.” The verb is Piel imperfect

3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root Hdq (“be holy”). The Piel as intensive or causative means “make holy, sanctify”). The definite direct object marker tE' has the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix Ùñ (“it”).

‘ ƒ ‹ ƒ—transliteration: KÓµ bÙµ HA-baµt miK-Kol-m¸-la'k-TÙµ, “for in it he ceased

from all his work.” The conjunction y–ik (“for”) is followed by the preposition Ùb (“in it”), which has the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix attached. The verb is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root the root tbH (“cease, desist, rest”). On the concluding prepositional phrase, see 2:2 above.

„ û ‘ —transliteration: '·-Her-BA-rAµ' 'È-lO-hÓµm la-v·-WÙµt, “that by creating Elohim had made.” Read literally it says: “that Elohim created by making.” The verbal form tÙW‹val is Qal infinitive construct from the root hWv (“make, do”). The attachment of the particle of relation reH‹' to the verb 'rb plus tÙW‹val conveys the sense of “(work) done in creating.”

„ _ ‡ 2:4

û „ û _„ _ ‡ —transliteration: 'Eµl-leh tÙ-l¸-dÙµt haH-HA-maµ-yim

w¸-hA-'Aµ-rec B¸-hiB-BA-r¸-'Aµm, “these are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.” The pronoun (“these”) functions as the subject with the verb “to be” understood. Cf. also the demonstrative pronouns for “this” — h∆z (masc.) and tO'z (fem.). The pl. fem. noun tÙdElÙ–t (“generations”) is normally used in the context of human beings and their descendants. Here it appears in the construct state and is used metaphorically to mean “begettings of heaven and earth,” i.e., the account of heaven and earth and that which proceeded from them. The verbal form £A'Ÿr–Abih–¯b is the Niphal (passive) infinitive with the 3rd pl. masc. pronominal suffix £ƒñ (“them”) and the prepositional prefix b (“in”).

û „ û _ —transliteration: B¸-yÙµm v·-WÙµt yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm 'eµ-rec

w¸-HA-maµ-yim, “on the day YHWH-Elohim created earth and heaven.” The vowel shewa under the preposition ñ–b here indicates that there is no definite article here, though it is difficult to translate the clause in English without introducing one. The verbal form tÙW‹v is Qal infinitive construct from the root hWv (“do, make”) followed by the compound divine name YHWH-Elohim. Note how the ordering of the two nouns “earth” and “sky” are reversed here from how they appear at the beginning of this verse (and in 1:1). According to the computer count of Andersen/Forbes (1989), the divine name h√Ùhy here is the first of 6828 occurrences in the Tanakh (Old Testament), which is pronounced Jehovah in some circles.



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This pronunciation, however, is due to an error dating as far back as the 14th century CE, which attempts to read this Hebrew word as written. Jewish reverence for the name, which may never have been pronounced in normal life in ancient Israel, led to the substitution of the word yƒnOd‹' (“Lord”) instead. In order to remind themselves of this tradition, later Jews regularly point hwhy not with its own vowels, but with those of yƒnOd‹' (“Lord”) as here.

‰ 2:5

„ û ‘‘ ‹ ƒ

‘ „‰ —transliteration: w¸-kOµl WÓµ-ax haW-WA-deµh Xeµ-rem

yih-yeµh bA-'Aµ-rec, “and every shrub of the field was not yet in the earth.” The noun axyiW (“shrub, bush, plant”) is in construct relation with the definite noun hedLAWah (“the field). The adverb of time £ereX (“not yet, before that”) appears here with h∆yhiy the Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. form of the verb hyh (“be[come]”). The sense of the verb here illustrates the difficulty in determining the tense of the imperfect in Hebrew as we are forced to translate the text periphrastically (with Fox and Korsak): “no shrub of the field was yet in the earth.” The vowel in the preposition ñb (“in”) represents the vowel of the definite article it displaces, which is lengthened in compensation for the fact that the following ' cannot be doubled.

„ û ‘ —transliteration: w¸-kol-vEµ-Web haW-WA-deµh Xeµ-rem yic-mAµx, “and every plant of the field had not yet sprouted.” Korsak renders it: “no plant of the field had yet sprouted.” The masc. noun beWEv (“herb[age]”) appears elsewhere as grass or food for cattle. Here it is in construct relation with the definite noun hedLAWah (“the field), like axyiW in the previous line. The adverb of time £ereX (“not yet”) here governs the Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. form of the root xmc (“sprout, spring up”).

‘ ‹ ƒ—transliteration: KÓµ lOµ' him-CXÓµr yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm

val-hA-'Aµ-rec, “for YHWH-Elohim had not sent rain upon the earth.” The verb ryiX⁄mih is the Hiphil perfect 3rd sg. masc from the root rXm (“rain”), which is preceded by the adverb of negation 'Ol (“not”).

‘ „ —transliteration: w¸-'A-dAµm 'aµ-yin la-v·-bOµd 'et-hA-'·-Da-MMm‰µ, “and there was no human to work the ground.” Taken literally, the first two words may be translated: “and a human (there was) not.” The word §iya' is much more common in the construct state as §yE' where it functions as a particle of negation. In the absolute form, the word is a substantive with the meaning “nothing, naught,” which is always used as a predicate; hence the phrase means “and a human was not,” or “there was no human.” The verbal form dOb‹val is a Qal infinitive



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absolute from the root dbv (“work, serve”), with the preposition l (“to”) as a prefix and the fem. noun hAmAd‹' (“ground”), which appears with the definite article, as direct object. The similarity in sound between £AdA' (“human”) and hAmAd‹' (“ground”) is difficult to convey in English translation. Korsak renders it: “and there was no groundling to serve the ground.”

û™ π‘ ƒ‘ „ ‘ • „ 2:6

‘ • „ —transliteration: w¸-'Eµd ya-v·-leµh min-hA-'Aµ-rec, “and a surge would well up

from the earth.” The masc. noun dE' (“mist, surge”) appears elsewhere only in Job 36:21. Though the English translation “mist” is common, it is better to interpret the watering of the ground in terms of a surge of water welling upward as water rises overflowing riverbanks from distant sources of water, which “rise up” (hel‹vay) from the earth (¶erA'Ah-§im). Anyone who has witnessed one of the sources of the Jordan River at Tel Dan in Israel, where water bursts forth from the ground as a roaring torrent, finds here a different image from that of “mists” of tropical rain forests or the fog of San Francisco. Another plausible image is that of the “surge” of waters in the annual inundation of the Nile River valley in times past, before the construction of the Aswan Dam. The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root hlv (“go up”) and this source of water ¶erA'Ah-§im, from the earth itself. The preposition §im (“from”) is attached by maqqEp to the definite noun ¶erA'Ah. Note the compensatory lengthening of the vowel under the definite article, because the ' cannot be doubled, and the pausal lengthening of the vowel of the penult in this word.

û™ π‘ ƒ‘ „ —transliteration: w¸-hiH-q‰µ 'et-Kol-P¸-n µ hA-'·-dA-m‰µ, “and it would water all the face of the ground.” The verb here is Hiphil (causative) perfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hqH (“drink”). The image reflects that of the normal experience of annual flooding of the soil in an alluvial plain by the rising “surge” of water that makes the agricultural cycle possible. Even if distant rain is the source of this massive supply of water, it remains relatively easy to separate the concept of massive amounts of rain coming in violent storms from the slow and steady rising of the waters to cover the soil bringing new life from the fresh deposit of waterborne silt as well as from the water itself.

‘ ‘ œ• 2:7

œ û „ û • œ „π ûπœ•‘ ‘ œ• —transliteration way-yÓµ-cer yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm

'et-hA-'A-dAµm vA-pAµr min-hA-'·-dA-m‰µ, “and YHWH-Elohim formed the human of dust from the earth.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root rcy (“form, fashion”) with YHWH-Elohim as subject and the definite masc. noun £AdA'Ah (“the human”) as direct object. The masc. noun rApAv (“dry loose earth, dust”) represents the material from which the human body was formed—from the “soil” of the ground. With the article it would be rApAveh. The preposition §im (“from”) is attached by maqqEp to the definite noun h”m”d‹'Ah, which is used in place of ¶er”'”h (‘the earth”) because of its assonance with the noun £”d”'”h (“the human”).



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œ „π ûπœ• —transliteration: way-yiP-Paµx B¸-'aP-PAµyw niH-maµt xay-yÓµm, “and he breathed in his nostrils the breath of life.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root xpn (“breathe, blow”) and assimilation of the letter n˚n. The word wyLƒpa'–Ÿb represents the combination of the preposition b (“in”), the dual masc. noun £iyKapa' (“nostrils”) and the 3rd sg. masc pronominal suffix wyAñ (“his”). The fem. noun hAmAHn (“breath”) appears here in the construct state with the pl. abstract emphatic masc. noun £yCiyax (“life”).

œ û „ û • —transliteration: wa-y¸-hÓµ hA-'A-dAµm l¸-neµ-peH xay-y‰µ, “and the human became a living being.” The verb is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hyh (“be[come]”) with £AdA'Ah (“the human”) as subject. The verb hyh followed by the l prefix on the fem. noun Hepen (“soul, living being”) carries the sense of “becoming.”

„ ‘ û• ô ‡ ›—œ• 2:8

û „ ‘ œ•„ ‘ û• ô ‡ ›—œ• —transliteration: way-yi-Xaµv yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm Gan-B¸-vEµ-den

miq-qeµ-dem, “and YHWH-Elohim planted a garden in Eden in the east.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg masc. with wau-conversive from the root vXn (“plant”) with YHWH-Elohim as subject and assimilation of the letter n˚n. The masc. noun §C¬g (“garden”) is connected to §edEv–b (“in Eden”) by maqqEp. Note that there is no definite article here. It is “a garden in Eden” not the Garden of Eden. The expression £edJeqim (“eastward, in the East”) is a combination of the preposition §im (“from”) and the noun £edeq (“front, east, aforetime”) and assimilation of the letter n˚n..

û „ ‘ œ• —transliteration: way-yAµ-Wem HAµm 'et-hA-'A-dAµm '·-Heµr yA-cAµr,

“and he placed there the human that he had formed.” The verb œ• is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root £wW (“put, place”). The adverb £AH (“there”) indicates the place where G-d put the human (£AdA'Ah). The particle of relation reH‹' (“that”) introduces the concluding subordinate clause. The final verb is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root rcy (“form”).

‘ ‹ › •œ• 2:9

„ û _ ‘ ƒû „ œ ‹

‘ ‹ › •œ• —transliteration: way-yac-maµx yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm min-hA-'·-dA-m‰µ, “and YHWH-Elohim caused to spring up from the ground …” The verb is Hiphil (causative) imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root xmc (“sprout, spring up”) with YHWH-Elohim as subject. On the phrase ‘ (“from the ground”) see 2:7 above.



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„ û _ ‘ ƒ—transliteration: Kol-vEµc nex-mAµd l¸-mar-'eµh w¸-XÙµb

l¸-ma-'·-kAµl, “every tree desirable in appearance and good for eating.” When l–ƒk is used with a singular noun the expression is understood collectively, whether with or without the article. Literally the expression reads “the whole of trees”—i.e., every kind of tree. The verbal form dAmx∆n is the Niphal sg. masc. participle from the root dmx (“desire, take pleasure in”). Note that the shewa here is silent even though it is under a guttural. With the l prefixed to the masc. noun he'⁄ram (“appearance”) means “(desirable) in appearance” or (desirable) for sight.” In like manner the l prefixed to the masc. noun lAk‹'am (“food, eating”) means “good for eating.”

œ ‹ —transliteration: w¸-vEµc ha-xay-yÓµm B¸-tÙµk haG-GAµn, “and the Tree of Life in the middle of the garden.” The juxtaposition of two nouns here, in what is called the construct chain, conveys a modifying relationship. In this instance the bound form of the masc. noun ¶Ev (“tree”) is the same as its normal free form (absolute) used elsewhere. Only the final noun in a construct chain may have the definite article. Note the fact the consonant x, which follows immediately after the article is treated here as though it were doubled (virtual doubling). The preposition (“in the middle of”) is a combination of the preposition b (“in”) and the substantive ™∆wKAt (“midst”), which is in the construct state, together with the definite noun §Cƒgah (“the garden”).

û „ —transliteration: w¸-vEµc haD-Daµ-vat XÙµb wA-rAµv, “and the Tree of the

Knowing of Good and Evil.” The noun ¶Ev (“tree”) is in the construct state together with the fem. noun tav–ad (“knowledge”). The word tav–ad carries the verbal sense of “knowing” together with a direct object in the two nouns bÙX (“good”) and vAr (“evil”). Note that wau-conjunction immediately before a stressed syllable here takes the form ñ√w.

‘ „ 2:10

û „ π‘ „ —transliteration: w¸-nA-hAµr yO-cEµ' mE-vEµ-den l¸-haH-qÙµt

'et-haG-GAµn, “and a river goes out from Eden to water the garden.” The verbal form 'Ec»y is the Qal active participle sg. masc. from the root 'cy (“go forth”), used as the present tense, with the masc. noun rAh√n (“river”) as subject. The preposition §im (“from”) is attached to the proper noun §edEv (“Eden”) with assimilation of the n˚n. The verbal form tÙqHahl is Hiphil (causative) infinitive construct, with the preposition l (“to”) prefixed, from the root hqH (“drink”). The marker of the definite direct object appears before the noun §C√gah (“the garden”).



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û „ π —transliteration: ˚-miH-HAµm yiP-PA-rEµd w¸-hA-yAµh

l¸-'ar-BA-vAµh rA'-HÓµm, “and from there it divides, it becomes four (river-)heads.” The wau-conjunction is pointed ˚ before the labial consonants b m p (the so-called B˚mep letters). The preposition §im (“from”) is prefixed to the adverb £AH (“there”) with assimilation of the n˚n. The verbal form dErLApiy is Niphal (passive) perfect 3rd sg. masc from the root drp (“divide”). The verbal form h√yAhw is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hyh (“become”). The preposition l (“to, for”) is attached to hAv–Abra' (“four”), which is used as an adjective to modify the irregular pl. masc. form of the noun H'»r (“head,” used in the sense of the source of four different rivers).

π „ û 2:11

‘ ƒ ‰“ „ ‘

π „ û —transliteration: HEµm hA-'e-xAµd PüÓ-HÙµn, “the name of the one is Pishon

(Spreader).” The masc. noun £EH (“name”) is in construct relation with dAxe'Ah (“the one”). This construct chain constitutes the subject of the verb “to be,” which is understood, with the predicate noun §ÙHyKip (“Pishon”). The name of the river here, together with the three following river names, may prove to be symbolic in nature suggesting caution in terms of attempts to locate these four rivers from a geographical point of view.

‘ ƒ ‰ —transliteration: h˚µ' has-sO-bEµb 'Eµt Kol-'eµ-rec ha-x·-wÓ-l‰µ, “it

encircles all the land of Havilah.” The verbal form bEb–»sah is Qal active participle 3rd sg. masc. from the root bbs (“encircle”), with the definite article and the 3rd sg. masc. pronoun '˚h (“it, he”) as subject and the construct chain hAlyiw‹xah ¶ere'-l–Ak (“all the land of Havilah”) as definite direct object. Though the land of Havilah is often identified with South Arabia on the basis of the primary resources named in 2:12, it is best to remember the conclusion reached in BDB: “The question (of its location) is still undecided.”

“ „ ‘ —transliteration: '·-Her-HAµm haz-zA-hAµb, “where there is gold.” The particle of

relation reH‹', which is rendered here as “where,” is attached to the adverb £AH (“there”) by maqqEp. There is some difference of opinion on the meaning of the noun bAh√z (“gold”) in this context, since Old South Arabic dhB does not only mean gold but also a type of incense.

„ û ô 2:12

û „ û„ û ô —transliteration: ˚-z·-haµb hA-'Aµ-rec ha-hÓµ' XÙµb, “and the gold of that land

is good.” The wau-conjunction here becomes ˚ before the shewa under z, which is composite



29

because of the guttural h that follows. The noun bAh√z (“gold”) here is in construct relation with ¶erA'Ah (“the earth”) and so its vowels are shortened. The feminine form of the pronoun 'yih, which is used here as a demonstrative, agrees in gender with the fem. noun ¶ere' (“earth”). It follows its noun and has the definite article. Note the peculiar pointing of 'wih for 'yih. This is the first occurrence of the perpetual kethiv-qere’ involving this word, where we are to read the word as pointed rather than as written in the consonantal text. If the word bAh√z here is interpreted with some as “incense,” then the “good gold” here would be fragrant resin. For a very different interpretation, see discussion below (pp. 64–69).

û „ û —transliteration: HAµm haB-B¸-dO-laµx w¸-'eµ-ben haH-HOµ-ham, “there (is

found) bdellium and onyx stone.” Though the noun xalOd–b is commonly translated as “bdellium” (a fragrant gum resin), the precise meaning of the word here remains uncertain. The noun §ebe' (“stone”) is in construct relation with the definite noun £ah»H (“onyx, carnelian”). Once again, the exact translation of the gem-stone in question remains somewhat uncertain. We may be dealing with symbolic language here that makes precision in matters of identification difficult and perhaps even misleading.

„ û ‘ 2:13

ƒ û ‘ ƒ „„ û ‘ —transliteration: w¸-HEm-han-nA-hAµr haH-HE-nÓµ GÓ-xÙµn, “and the name of

the second river is Gihon (Gusher).” The masc. noun £EH (“name”) is in construct relation with the noun phrase yinLEHah rAhCƒnAh (“the second river”). This construct chain constitutes the subject of the verb “to be,” which is understood, with the predicate noun §ÙxyC«g (“Gihon”). Once again, the specific identity and geographical location of this river remains uncertain. The language here may be metaphorical and symbolic in nature.

ƒ û ‘ ƒ „ —transliteration: h˚µ' has-sÙ-bEµb 'Eµt Kol-'eµ-rec K˚µH, “it encircles all

the land of Cush.” The verbal form bEb–»sah is Qal active participle 3rd sg. masc. from the root bbs (“encircle”), with the definite article and the 3rd sg. masc. pronoun '˚h (“it, he”) as subject and the construct chain H –k ¶ere'-l–Ak (“all the land of Cush”) as definite direct object. Once again, the specific identity and geographical location of the land of Cush is uncertain. Though Cush in other texts is often identified with Ethiopia, this does not fit well with the Mesopotamian setting for the geographical setting of Eden. Numerous scholars argue that the Cush of Gen 10:6–8 refers to the Kassites.

‹ 2:14

„ û

û „ û



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‹ —transliteration: w¸-HEµm han-nA-hAµr haH-H¸-lÓ-HÓµ hiD-Deµ-qel, “and the name of the third river is Hiddekel (Tigris).” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root rm' (“say”). The masc. noun £EH (“name”) is in construct relation with the noun phrase that follows: yiHyilLEHah rAhCƒnAh (“the third river”). This construct chain constitutes the subject of the verb “to be,” which is understood, with the predicate noun leq–edix (“Hiddekel”). This word appears in the Bible only here and in Daniel 10:4. The identification with the Tigris is based on arguments from etymology and the fact that the LXX made this identification in antiquity.

„ û —transliteration: h˚µ' hah-hO-lEµk qid-maµt 'aH-H˚µr, “it goes to the east of

Assyria.” The verbal form ™El»hah is Qal active participle 3rd sg. masc. from the root ™lh (“go, walk”), with the definite article and the 3rd sg. masc. pronoun '˚h (“it, he”) as subject. The preposition tamdiq (“east”) is the construct form of the fem. noun hAmdiq (“front, east”). On geographical grounds, however, the Tigris flows, for the most part, to the west of Assyria.

û „ û —transliteration: w¸-han-nA-hAµr hA-r¸-bÓ-vÓµ h˚µ' p¸-rAµt, “and (as for) the

fourth river, it is Perath (Euphrates).” The noun phrase yivyibrAh rAhCƒnah (“the fourth river”) is the subject in a sentence, in which the 3rd sg. masc. pronoun '˚h (“it, he”) functions as though it were the verb “to be.” There is no question on the identification of the noun tAr⁄p with the river “Euphrates.”

‘ „ û ô œ• 2:15

√ √„ ‘ • •œ•‘ „ û ô œ• —transliteration: way-yiq-qAµx yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm 'et-hA-'A-dAµm, “and

YHWH-Elohim took the human.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root xql (“take”) with YHWH-Elohim as subject and £AdA'Ah (“the human”) as definite direct object.

‘ • •œ• —transliteration: way-yan-ni-xEµ-h˚ b¸-gan-'Eµden, “and he set him in the Garden of Eden.” The verb here is Hiphil (causative) imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root xwn (“rest, settle down”) and the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix ˚hñ (“him”). The preposition b (“in”) is prefixed to the noun phrase §edEv-§ag (“garden of Eden”).

√ √„ —transliteration: l¸-vab-dAµh ˚-l¸-HA-m¸-rAµh, “to work it and to watch (over) it.”

The two verbs here are Qal infinitive constructs from the root dbv (“work, serve”) and the root (“keep, watch over”), both with the preposition l (“to”) prefixed and the 3rd sg. fem. suffix –hAñ (“it, her”).



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„ ‘ • 2:16

û „ ‘ ûƒ„ ‘ • —transliteration: way-caµw yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm val-hA-'A-dAµm

lE'-mOµr, “and YHWH-Elohim laid charge upon the human, saying: ...” The verb wac¯yaw is Piel shortened imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root hwc (“command”) with YHWH-Elohim as subject and the preposition lav (“upon”) attached to the object of the verb by maqqEp. On the word r»m'‘l (“saying”), see 1:22 above.

û „ ‘ ûƒ —transliteration: miK-KOµl vEc-haG-GAµn 'A-kOµl TO'-kEµl, “from every tree of

the garden you may eat freely.” The preposition §im (“from”) is attached to l»k (“all, the whole”) with assimilation of the n˚n. On the use of l»k with a singular noun, see 2:9 above. The noun ¶Ev (“tree”) is in construct with the definite noun §Cƒgah (“the garden”). The verbal form l»kA' is Qal infinitive absolute from the root lk' (“eat”). The verbal form lEk'L»t is Qal imperfect 2nd sg. masc. from the same root. The infinitive absolute is placed before a finite verbal form to emphasize the verbal idea in ways that often require the use of adverbs in English like “surely, certainly, indeed” or the like.

Œ „ û 2:17

û „Œ ûŠ ô ƒ

—transliteration: ˚-mE-vEµc haD-Daµ-vat XÙµb wA-rAµv, “but from the Tree of

Knowing Good and Evil ...” The wau-conjunction becomes ˚ before the labial consonants b m p. The preposition §im (“from”) is attached to the noun ¶Ev (“tree”) with assimilation of the n˚n and compensatory lengthening of the vowel because the guttural v that follows cannot be lengthened. On the phrase vArƒw bÙX tavadah ¶Ev see 2:9 above.

Œ „ û —transliteration: lOµ' tO'-kaµl mim-meµn-n˚, “you shall not eat from it.” The verb

here is Qal imperfect 2nd sg. masc. from the root lk' (“eat”) preceded by '»l (“not”), the particle of negation. The word ˚CnGemim is the preposition §im (“from”) with the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix from *˚hnGimim, in which the h is assimilated backwards and iñ is changed to eñ.

û „Œ ûŠ ô ƒ—transliteration: KÓµ B¸-yÙµm '·-kA-l¸-kAµ mim-meµn-n˚ mÙµt

TA-m µt, “for in the day of your eating from it you shall surely die.” The accent r¸bÓav over the conjunction y–ik (“for”) is a relatively strong disjunctive. The preposition b (“in”) before the indefinite noun £Ùy (“day”) has the meaning of a temporal conjunction “when (you eat).” The verb ß⁄lAk‹' is the Qal infinitive construct with 2nd sg. masc. pronominal suffix from the root lk' (“eat”). The verbal form tÙm is Qal infinitive absolute from the root twm (“die”). The verb t˚mK“t is



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Qal imperfect 2nd sg. masc from the same root. The infinitive absolute is placed before a finite verbal form to emphasize the verbal idea in ways that often require the use of adverbs like “surely, certainly, indeed” or the like.

Pronouns, Personal Terminations, Pronominal Suffixes

˚nAätO' ramAH '˚h He kept or has kept us. ™AtO' hAr⁄mΩ“H 'yih She has kept you (f.). ÙtO' KAt⁄raämAH hKAta' You (m.) have kept him. –hAtO¿' ⁄Lt⁄ramAH K⁄ta' You (f.) have kept her. ß⁄tO' yLit⁄raämAH yikOnΩ”' I have kept you (m.). yitO' ˚r⁄mΩ“H §Eh They (m.) have kept me. §ek⁄te' ˚r⁄mΩ“H §Eh They (f.) have kept you (f.) £AtO' £Let⁄ram⁄H £Keta' You (m. pl.) have kept them (m.). §AtO' §et⁄ram⁄H §KEta' You (f. pl.) have kept them (f.). £ek⁄te' ˚n⁄raämAH ˚n⁄x+¬n‹' We have kept you (m.)

Note: If you master this exercise, it will prove to be a helpful acquisition.

„ û _ ‘ œ• 2:18

ƒ „ û ‘œ• —transliteration: wayyOµ'mer yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm, “and YHWH-Elohim said ...”

The verb is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root rm' (“say”) with YHWH-Elohim as subject.

„ û _ ‘ —transliteration: lO'-XÙµb hÈ-yÙµt hA-'A-dAµm l¸-baD-DÙµ, “it is not good

for the human to be alone.” The adverb '◊l (“not”) negates the predicate adjective bÙX (“good”) with the verb “to be” understood. The verb tÙy¤h is Qal infinitive construct from the root hƒyAh (“be[come]”) with £AdA'Ah (“the human”) as subject. The word Ù–dabŸl is a combination of the preposition l (“to”) plus the noun d–ab (“separation”) and the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix Ù (“him”)—i.e., “to be in his separation” = “alone.”



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ƒ „ û ‘ —transliteration: 'e-vÈ-Weh-lÙµ vEµ-zer K¸-neg-DÙµ, “I will make him a helper

corresponding to him.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 1st sg. from the root hWv (“make, do”). The preposition l (“to, for”) has the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix Ùñ (“him”) attached. The direct object of the verb is the masc. noun r∆zEv (“one who helps”). The substantive d∆g∆n (“what is conspicuous”) with the preposition k (“like”) attached has the meaning “corresponding to.” Here the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix Ùñ (“him”) is attached as well. The dot in the –d is daghesh lene (i.e., “weak” daghesh), which indicates the “stop” or “voiced” pronunciation of the letters b g d k p t (the so-called B¸gadK¸pat letters).

‘ œ• 2:19

‘ ƒ ‹•œ ‘ ƒ‘ œ‘ „ ‘ œ•

û „œ û ı ‡ ‘‘ œ• —transliteration: way-yiµ-cer yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm min-hA-'·-dA-m‰µ,

“and YHWH-Elohim formed from the ground …” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root rcy (“form”) written defectively for .recyCiyaw with YHWH-Elohim as subject (cf. 2:7 above).

‘ ƒ ‹•œ ‘ ƒ—transliteration: Kol-xay-yaµt haW-WA-deµh w¸'Eµt Kol-vÙµp

haH-HA-maµ-yim, “every living thing of the field and every bird of the sky.” The vowel of lOk is shortened to -lAk (“all”) with qAmAc xAX˚p (o) because of the maqqEp. The noun t¬Cyax is the construct of hCƒyax (“living thing, animal”), which is in construct relation with the definite noun hedLWah (“the field”). Cf. 1:30 above.

‘ œ‘ „ ‘ œ• —transliteration: way-yA-bEµ' 'el-hA-'A-dAµm lir-'Ùµt mah-

yiq-rA' lÙµ, “and he brought (each one) to the human to see what he would call it.” The verb is Hiphil imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root 'wb (“come [in], go [in]”). The object of the verb is understood to be the animals of the field and the birds of the air mentioned earlier in this verse that G-d brought “to the human” (£AdA'Ah-le'). The verbal form tÙ'ril is the Qal infinitive construct from the root h'r (“see”) with the preposition l (“to”) prefixed, which takes iñ before a letter with shewa. The interrogative ham (“what?”), which is pointed like the definite article, is used after the verb h'r to present an indefinite question—“to see what he would call it.” The verb 'Ar⁄qiCy is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root 'rq (“call”). Followed by the preposition l, which has the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix attached, the sense is “to give a name to” something.

û „œ û ı ‡ ‘ —transliteration: w¸-kOµl '·-Heµr yiq-rA-lÙµ



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hA-'A-dAµm neµ-peH xay-y‰µ h˚µ' H¸-mÙµ, “and whatever the human called it, as a living being, that (was) its name.” The noun lk (“all”) introduces a relative sentence with reH‹' (particle of relation). The combination of these two words means “whatever.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root 'rq (“call”) followed by the preposition l, with the 3rd sg. masc. suffix Ù (“it, him”) attached. The l functions as a marker for the direct object. The noun phrase hCƒyax Hepen (“a living being”) is in apposition to the pronoun '˚h (“he”), which carries the force of the demonstrative pronoun “that” with the verb “to be” understood. The noun £EH (“name”) has the 3rd sg. masc. prominal suffix Ùñ (“its, his”) affixed, which causes the vowel to be reduced to Õñ. Before the fem. plural affix tÙñ, however, the Eñ is retained.

œ• 2:20

‘ƒ „ û ‘ •œ „

œ• —transliteration: way-yiq-rAµ' hA-'A-dAµm HE-mÙµt, “and the human called out

names …” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root 'rq (“call”) with £AdA'Ah (“the human”) as subject. tÙmEH is the plural of the masc. noun £EH (“name”). The accent r¸bÓav on the word is a relatively strong disjunctive.

‘ —transliteration: l¸-kol-haB-B¸-hE-m‰µ ˚-l¸-vÙµp haH-HA-maµ-yim, “for

every animal and for every bird of the sky.” In some ways, the two occurrences of l here mark the direct object of the verb “call” at the beginning of this verse. The vowel of the word lOk (“all, every”) is shortened to qAmAc xAX˚p (o) before maqqEp. The noun hAmEh–b here refers to all animals. The wau-conjunction before shewa becomes ˚. On the phrase £ymHh •Ùv (“birds of the sky”) see 1:21.

•œ „ —transliteration: ˚-l¸-kOµl xay-yaµt haH-HA-deµh, “and for every animal of the field.” See 1:19.

ƒ „ û ‘ — transliteration: ˚-l¸-'A-dAµm lO'-mA-cAµ' vEµ-zer K¸-neg-DÙµ, “and for

Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.” The noun £AdA' (“human”) appears here without the definite article, which suggests that it is used as a proper name here. The verb is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. with the particle of negation prefixed from the root 'cm (“find”). On the phrase Ùdg∆n–k rezEn (“a helper fit for him”) see 2:18.

œ• „ ‘ ô ‡ π•œ• 2:21

„ û œ• œ•



35

œ• „ ‘ ô ‡ π•œ• —transliteration: way-yaP-PEµl yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm

Tar-DE-m‰µ val-hA-'A-dAµm way-yÓ-HAµn, “and YHWH-Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall on the man and he slept.” The verbal form lEpCƒyaw is Hiphil (causative) imperfect 3rd sg. masc. (shortened from lyLipay) with wau-conjunction from the root lpn (“fall) with YHWH-Elohim as subject. The direct object of the verb is the fem. noun hAmEdrKat (“deep sleep”), which came £AdA'Ah-lav (“upon the human”). The concluding verb is Qal imperfect 3rd sg masc. with wau-conversive from the root §Hy (“sleep”).

œ• —transliteration: way-yiq-qaµx 'a-xaµt mic-cal-vO-tAµyw, “and he took one of

his ribs.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root xql (“take”). The object of the verb is the construct chain wyAtOvlCacim taxa' (“one of his ribs”). The noun taxa' (“one”) is the feminine form of dAxe'. The preposition §im (“from”) is prefixed (with assimilation of the n˚n) to the noun vAlEc (“rib”), which appears in the plural with the 3rd sg. masc. suffix wyAñ (“his”) affixed.

„ û œ• —transliteration: way-yis-GOµr BA-W@Aµr Tax-Teµn-n‰, “and he closed up the flesh

in its place.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root rgs (“close, shut”) with the masc. noun rAW–Ab (“flesh”) as direct object. The preposition taxKat (“underneath, below”) has the 3rd sg. fem. pronominal suffix hAñ (“its, her”) along with a connecting syllable neñ. The h is assimilated backwards so that AhnKetxKat becomes CƒnKetxKat; then the vowel letter h is added.

_ ‘ ‡ œ• 2:22

„ ‘ û ‘‘ „ •

_ ‘ ‡ œ• —transliteration: wayyiµben yhwh 'È-lO-hÓµm 'et-haccElAµv, “and

YHWH-Elohim built the rib …” The verb is Qal shortened imperfect 3rd sg. masc. (from h∆nbiy) with wau-conversive from the root hnb (“build”) with YHWH-Elohim as subject. and vAlCEcah (“the rib”) as direct object.

„ ‘ û ‘ —transliteration: '·-Her-lA-qaµx min-=hA-'A-dAµm l¸-'iH-H‰µ, “which he had taken from the human into a woman.” The verb here is Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root xql (“take”). The preposition §im (“from”) is attached to the definite noun £AdA'Ah (“the human”) by maqqEp. The l prefixed to the fem. noun hLAHi' (“woman”) marks the accusative of the verb hnb (“build”) with the meaning “he fashioned the rib into a woman.”

‘ „ • —transliteration: way-bÏ-'eµ-hA 'el-hA-'A-dAµm, “and he brought her to the human.” The verb here is Hiphil (causative) imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from



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the root (“go, come”) with the 3rd sg. fem. pronominal suffix Ahñ (“her”). The preposition -le' (“to”) indicates direction—G-d brought the woman to the human.

π ˜ œ• 2:23

„ ‰“‘ › „ ûƒ

„ ‰ π ˜ œ• —transliteration: way-yOµ'-mer hA-'A-dAµm

zOµ't haP-Paµ-vAm vEµ-cem mE-v·-cA-maµy ˚-bA-WAµr miB-B¸-WA-rÓµ, “and the human said, ‘This one this time is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh.” The verb here is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root rm' (“say”) with £AdA'Ah (“the human”) as subject. The fem. sg. demonstrative pronoun tO'z (“this”) stands in apposition to the substantive £avLapah (“the occurrence”) with the meaning “now at length.” The definite article here carries demonstrative force. As J. G. Herder put it long ago, the man reacts with a “jubilant welcome” to the creation of woman. Note that the ' here in the word tO'z is silent and that this word is repeated three times in this verse, referring to the woman in each instance. The verb “to be” is understood. The phrase yamAc‹vEm £ecev (“bone from my bones”) parallels that of yirAW–¯bim rAWAb˚ (“flesh from my flesh”). Note the different vowels in the two occurrences of the preposition §im (“from”), both of which have assimilation of the n˚n; for there is compensatory lengthening of the vowel when the following guttural cannot be doubled. Note also the different vowels in the affixed personal pronouns with yañ in the first instance and yiñ in the second. In the first instance the pronominal suffix is affixed to the construct form of the plural £yimAc‹v (“bones”).

—transliteration: l¸-zOµ't yiq-qA-rEµ' 'iH-H‰µ, “indeed, (as for) this one, it will be

called Woman ...” The l attached to the feminine demonstrative pronoun t'z (“this”) appears to be emphatic. It is not clear why the verb that follows is masculine. The verb is Niphal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root 'rq (“call”). The fem. noun hLAHi' (“woman”) is a sound play on the word Hyi' (“man”), though the two words are apparently not related etymologically. The word hLAHi' is derived from the root Hn' (“be delicate, soft”) whereas the word Hyi' is derived from the root Hy' or Hw' (with apparent meaning “be strong”).

“‘ › „ ûƒ—transliteration: KÓµ mE'ÓµüH luqAxAh-zOµ't, “for from man this one has been

taken.” The verb › [for ›– ] is Pual (passive) perfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root xql (“take”) with “this one” (i.e., Woman”). The preposition §im (“from”) is prefixed to the noun Hyi' (“man”) with assimilation of the n˚n and compensatory lengthening of the vowel because the following consonant cannot be doubled. The dot in the z here is the conjunctive daghesh. When a word ending in an unstressed ñA(h) or ñeh is followed by one beginning with a stressed syllable, a daghesh may be placed in the first consonant of the second word. Though there is etiological concern in Genesis 2, this does not make the narrative itself a name etiology. The narrative is not concerned with the origin of mutual attraction of the sexes as such but with the complementary relationship between man and woman. It concerns the great importance of the



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role of woman in the very existence of humankind. It should be noted that this is the first time in the narrative that the human calls himself Hyi' (“man”). It is as though the author is saying that the human discovers his own manhood only when he faces the woman, his human partner in life.

Œ ‘ „ ‘ ‘ • ƒ‘ 2:24

û „Œ ‘ „ ‘ ‘ • ƒ‘ —transliteration: val-KEµn ya-v·-zAb-'ÓµH 'et-'A-bÓµw w¸-'et-

'im-mÙµ, “therefore a man leaves his father and his mother.” The adverb §–‘k (“so, thus”) when combined with the preposition lav (“on, upon”) means “therefore, on the grounds of such conditions,” which in this instance introduces an etiological observation. The verb is Qal imperfect 3rd sg. masc. from the root bzv (“forsake”) with Hy' (“a man”) as subject and “his father and his mother” as direct object. Both bA' (“father”) and £E' (“mother”) have the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix Ùñ (“his”) affixed. Note that yiñ appears in the construct form of bA' (“father”) and before suffixes.

—transliteration: w¸-dA-baµq B¸-'iH-TÙµ, “and he clings to his wife.” The verb here is

Qal perfect 3rd sg. masc. with wau-conversive from the root qbd (“cling, cleave to”), which is followed by b prefixed to the object of the verb. The noun hLAHi' (“woman”) appears here in the construct state with the 3rd sg. masc. pronominal suffix Ùñ (“his”) attached.

û „ —transliteration: w¸-hA-y˚µ l¸-bA-WAµr 'e-xAµd, “and they become one flesh.” The

verb here is Qal perfect 3rd pl. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hyh (“be[come]”). The l prefix on the noun rAW–Ab (“flesh”) marks the accusative. There is paradox in the language used here. The verb qbd (“cling”) expresses the idea of two distinct entities attached to one another but preserving their respective identities. To become “one flesh” refers to physical union within marriage, as though the separated elements seek one another for reunification. The verb qbd is often used to describe human yearning for and devotion to G-d.

„ „ Œ ™ ‹ œ• 2:25

„ Œ ™ ‹ œ• —transliteration: way-yih-y˚µ H¸-n -heµm v·-r˚-mÓµm

hA-'A-dAµm w¸-'iH-TÙµ, “and the two of them were naked, the human and his wife.” The verb ˚y⁄hCiyaw is Qal imperfect 3rd pl. masc. with wau-conversive from the root hyh (“be[come]”) with £ehyEnH (“the two of them”) as subject. The plural noun £yim˚r‹v (“naked”), with the sg. £ÙrAv, anticipates the sound of the word used to describe the serpent in 3:1 who is described as £˚rAv (“shrewd, clever”). The relation between “the man” (£AdA'Ah), “his wife” (ÙtÕWi') and the serpent (HAxCƒnah) is the focus of attention in the next episode in the Genesis narrative.



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„ —transliteration: w¸-lOµ' yit-BO-HAµ-H˚, “and they were not ashamed.” The verb here

is Hithpolel 3rd pl. masc. from the hollow root Hwb (“be ashamed”), which is preceded by the particle of negation '»l (“not”).

Explanatory Remarks on the Text and Translation of Genesis 1–2

The large Hebrew letter p (after 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; and 2:3) represents the traditional PeT˚xAh (open) layout markers, which are used to mark spaces in the Hebrew text of hand-written manuscripts in Jewish masoretic tradition. Such spaces must occupy the width of at least three letters. The PeT˚xAh (open) layout markers indicate where a new “paragraph” must be written at the beginning of the line. If enough space cannot be left on the last line of the old “paragraph,” a whole line must be left blank (as is the case after Gen 1:13 in Codex L). Maimonides describes this method of marking “paragraphs;” but there is difference of opinion on the exact meaning in the usage of the two basic layout markers: PeT˚xAh (open) and seT˚mAh (closed) layout markers. The Masorah mentions a third type of division (pisqa sedurah), but it is not known what it was or how it was marked.

The Torah is divided for the Sabbath readings in two different ways—in 154 sections (sedarim) for a three-year [Palestinian] cycle and 54 sections (parashot) for a one-year [Babylonian] cycle. The beginning of the second sedarim at Gen 2:4 is marked by the marginal notation ynH in the printed version of the Hebrew text below. The beginning of each seder in Hebrew manuscripts is shown by the sign s in the margin, often with some form of ornamentation (as in Codex L). According to Aron Dotan (in BHL), a third seder begins at the beginning of Gen 3:20, which is marked with the notation [yHylH] in the text presented here. There is no such mark, however, in Codex L. In the Babylonian system of 54 parashot, the first parashah ends at the end of Gen 6:8.

The use of different colors in the highlighting of the Hebrew text, the transliteration, and the English translation is an attempt to call the reader’s attention to repetition of words, phrases, and the concluding clause for each of the six working days of Creation (Gen 1:5b, 8b, 13, 19, 23 and 31b).

Logoprosodic Analysis The five columns of numbers in the right margin of the English translation below constitute the substance of the logoprosodic analysis of the Hebrew text. The first column of numbers represents the mora-count of that particular line (a mora is a subdivision of the syllable, since the Hebrew language distinguishes between short and long syllables). A short syllable is counted as one mora and a long syllable as two morae. The second column of numbers indicates the syntactic accentual-stress (SAS) units (i.e., the number of disjunctive accent signs in that particular line). The last three columns indicate the word-count: with the total count in the first column, the number of words before atnach in the second column, and the number of words after atnach in the third column. The word-count falls into discernible patterns that highlight four primary compositional numbers: 17, 23, 26 and 32. For detailed study of this method of analysis, see the web-site www.bibal.net.



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Hebrew Text of Genesis 1–2 I. Days One, Two and Three: Creation of Planet Earth Gen 1:1–13

A) Creation of the Heavens and the Earth (1:1–2) û „ û „ 1

™ π‘ „ û 2

Œ û™ π‘ „

B) Creation of Light—End of Day One (1:3–5) ‘ • ‘ „ ûœ• 3

‘ ƒ „ ‘ _ ‡•œ• 4

û „ û •œ•

„ ‹ œ• 5

û „ ‘ • û ‘ •

C) Creation of the Firmament to Separate the Waters (1:6–7a) Œ „ û œ• 6

˜ ‘ •œ• 7 „ û

X) Separating the Waters to Form Sky—End of Day Two (1:7b–8) Œ ‹ •œ•

‘ • „ Œ

„ ô ‡ œ• 8

û „ ‘ • û ‘ •



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C′) Creation of the Dry Land beneath the Firmament (1:9) ‘ ‹ Œ œ• 9

‘ • •œ „

B′) Naming the Earth and Seas, Decision to Create Vegetation (1:10–11) •œ ‹ œ• 10

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• Œ• „Œ û™

‹ œ• 11

π ‹ › π ‰‘ • ‘ „ ‘ • û

A′) Creation of Vegetation on Earth—End of Day Three (1:12–13) ™ ‹ • 12

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• ™ „ ‘ • û _ π‘ ‡

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • 13

II. Days 4, 5 and 6: Luminaries and Living Creatures Gen 1:14–31

A) Creation of the Luminaries in the Firmament (1:14–15) ‹ œ• 14

„œ û

„ ‹‹ 15

‘ • ‘ „



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B) Creation of the Sun, Moon and Stars—End of Day Four (1:16–19) „ Œ û™ ‘ •œ• 16

œ ‹ Œ ‘ƒ „ Å O ‹ Œ ‘

‘ „ „ ô û œ• 17

„ û œ 18

û „ ‘ • û ‘ • 19 ‘ ƒ „ û•œ•C) Creation of Fish and Birds—End of Day Five (1:20–21) œ „ Œ œ• 20

û „™ π‘ ‘„ ‘ œ• 21

™ Œ † œ ‘ ƒ‘ ƒ „ û•œ• ™ ƒ ‹ ‘ ƒ

X) Creation of Land Animals after Their Kind (1:22–25) π „ ô ‡ • 22

û „ Œ•œ Œ ‘ ‹û „ ‘ • û ‘ • 23

√ œ ‹ œ• 24

‘ • √ „ ‘ ô û

√ ‘ √ •œ ‘ •œ• 25

‘ ƒ „ û•œ• ™ „ û ‘ ƒ ô



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C′) Creation of Human Beings (1:26–27)

ƒ „ ı û • œ• 26

œ •‘ û „ ‘ ‘

‘ ‹ œ• 27

û „ û „ û

B′) G-d’s Blessing: Be Fruitful, Fill the Earth and Subdue It (1:28–29)

œ• ˜ • 28

„ ‘ û _ û π‘ û „œ ‘ œ ‹• ›

‘ ƒ‘ ™ œ• 29

ô ‘ ƒ‘ ‘ ™ π‘„ û „ ‘ û ‘

A′) Green Plants are Food for Animals—End of Day Six (1:30–31)

‘ ‘ •œ ‘ 30

‘ • „ û ‘ ƒ‘ œ ‘

„ ‘ ™ ‘ ƒ‘ ‹•œ• 31

û „ ‘ • û ‘ •



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III. Creation of Humans and the Garden of Eden Gen 2:1–25

A) After Completing His Work G-d Rested on the Seventh Day (2:1–2) ‘ „ û _ • 1

„ yiHyLiHah œ ‹ • 2

û „ ‘ ƒ œ œ•B) G-d Blessed the Seventh Day (2:3)

„ • ‘ ‹ • 3

„ û ‘ ‘ ƒ ‹ ƒ

C) Before the First Rain a Surge Welled Up to Water the Land (2:4–6) „ _ ‡ 4

û „ û ô

‰ 5

„ û ‘‘ ‹ ƒ

‘ „û™ π‘ ƒ‘ „ ‘ • „ 6

D) G-d Formed the Human from the Ground as a Living Being (2:7) ‘ ‘ œ• 7

œ û „ û • œ „π ûπœ•E) G-d Planted a Garden in Eden in Which He Placed the Human (2:8–9b)

„ ‘ û• ô ‡ ›—œ• 8

û „ ‘ œ•



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‘ ‹ › •œ• 9

„ û ô ‘ ƒF) G-d Made Two Trees and a River to Water the Garden (2:9c–10)

û „ œ ‹‘ „ 10

û „ πX) The River from Eden Becomes Four “River-Heads” (2:11–14)

‘ ƒ ‰ π „ û 11

„ û ô 12 “ „ ‘û „ û

ƒ û ‘ ƒ „ „ û ‘ 13

„ û ‹ 14

û „ ûF′) G-d Put the Human in the Garden to Take Care of It (2:15–16)

‘ „ û ô œ• 15

√ √„ ‘ • •œ•„ ‘ • 16

û „ ‘ ûƒ

E′) G-d Prohibits Eating the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge (2:17–18)

Œ „ û 17

û „Œ ûŠ ı ƒ



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ô ‘ œ• 18

ƒ „ û ‘ „ ûD′) Animals Formed from the Ground are Named by the Human (2:19)

‘ œ• 19

‘ ƒ ‹•œ ‘ ƒ‘ œ‘ „ ‘ œ•

û „œ û ô ‡ ‘

C′) G-d “Built” Woman from the Human’s Rib as He Slept (2:20–22) ‘ œ• 20

ƒ „ û ‘ •œ „œ• „ ‘ ô ‡ π•œ• 21

„ û œ• œ•„ ‘ û ‘ ô ‘ ‡ œ• 22

‘ „ •B′) The Human Names the Help-Mate “Woman” (2:23)

„ ‰ π ˜ œ• 23

“‘ „ ûƒA′) Man and Woman are One Flesh—Naked but Not Ashamed (2:24–25)

Œ ‘ „ ‘ ‘ • ƒ‘ 24

û „„ „ Œ ™ ‹ œ• 25



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Transliteration of Genesis 1–2 I. Days One, Two and Three: The Creation of Planet Earth Genesis 1:1–13

1 A 1 B¸rE'HÓµt BArAµ' 'ÈlOhÓµm ^ 'Eµt haHHAmaµyim w¸'Eµt hA'Aµrec :

2 w¸hA'Aµrec ♦ hay¸tAµh tOµh˚ wAbOµh˚ ‡ w¸xOµHek val-P¸n µ t¸hÙµm ^ w¸r˚µax 'ÈlOhÓµm ‡ m¸raxeµpet val-P¢ n µ hammAµyim :

B 3 w¸yOµ'mer 'ÈlOhÓµm y¸hÓµ 'Ùµr ^ way¢¸hÓ-'Ùµr :

4 waYYyyaµr' 'ÈlOhÓµm τ 'et-hA'Ùµr KÓ-XÙµb ^ wayabDEµl 'ÈlOhÓµm ‡ B µn ha'Ùµr ˚b µn haxOµHek :

5 wayyiqrAµ' 'ÈlOhÓµm lA'Ùµr yÙµm ‡ w¸laxOµHek qArAµ' lAµylAh ^ way¸hÓ-veµreb way¸hÓ-bOµqer † yÙµm 'exAµd :

2 C 6 wayyOµ'mer 'ÈlOhÓµm ‡ y¸hÓµ rAqÓµav B¸tÙµk hammAµyim ^ wÓhÓµ mabDÓµl ‡ B µn mAµyim lAmAµyim : 7 wayyaµvaW 'ÈlOhÓµm 'et-hArAqÓµav

X wayyabDEµl ♦ B µn hammaµyim '·Heµr miTTaµxat lArAqÓµav ‡

˚b µn hammaµyim ‡ '·Heµr mEvaµl lArAqÓµav ^ way¸hÓ -kEn : 8 wayyiqrAµ' 'ÈlOhÓµm τ lArAqÓµav HAmAµyim ^ way¸hÓ-veµreb way¸hÓ-bOµqer † yÙµm HEnÓµ :

C′ 9 w¸yOµ'mer 'ÈlOhÓµm ♦ yiqqAw µ hammaµyim miTTaµxat haHHAmaµyim 'el-mAqÙµm 'exAµd ‡

w¸tErA'eµh hayyaBBAHAµh ^ way¸hÓ-kEµn :

3 B′ 10 wayyiqrAµ' 'ÈlOhÓµm † layyaBBAHAµh 'eµrec ‡

˚l¸miqwEµh hammaµyim qArAµ' yammÓµm ^ wayyaµr' 'ÈlOhÓµm KÓ-XÙµb :

11 w¸yOµ'mer 'ÈlOhÓµm ♦ TadHEµ' hA'Aµrec DeµHe' ♦ vEµWeb mazrÓµav zeµrav ‡ vEµc P¸r¢Óµ vOµWeh P¸rÓµ l¸mÓnÙµ ‡

'·Heµr zarvÙ-bÙµ val-hA'Aµrec ^ way¸hÓ-kEµn :

A′ 12 waTTÙcEµ' hA'Aµrec DeµHe' † vEµWeb mazrÓµav zeµrav l¸mÓnEµh˚ ‡

w¸vEµc vOµWeh P¸rÓµ τ '·Heµr zarvÙ-bÙµ l¸mÓnEµh˚ ^ wayyaµr' 'ÈlOhÓµm KÓ-XÙµb :

13 way¸hÓ-veµreb way¸hÓ-bOµqer † yÙµm H¸lÓHÓµ :

II. Days Four, Five & Six: Creation of Luminaries and Living Creatures 1:14–31 1 A 14 wayyOµ'mer 'ÈlOhÓµm ♦ y¸hÓµ m¸'OrOµt BirqÓav haHHAmayim ‡ l¸habDÓµl †` B µn hayyÙµm ˚b µn hallAµylAh ^



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w¸hAy˚µ l¸'OtOµt ˚l¸mÙv·dÓµm ‡ ˚l¸yAmÓµm w¸HAnÓµm : 15 w¸hAy˚µ lim'ÙrOµt † BirqÓµav haHHAmaµyim ‡

l¸hA'Óµr val-hA'Aµrec ^ way¸hÓ-kEµn :

B 16 wayyaµvaW 'ÈlOhÓµm ‡ 'et-H¸n µ hamm¸'OrOµt † haGG¸dOlÓµm ^ 'et-hammA'Ùµr haGGAdOµl l¸memHeµlet hayyÙµm ‡

w¸'et-hammA'Ùµr haQQqAXOµn l¸memHeµlet hallaµylAh ‡ w¸'Eµt haKKÙkAbÓµm :

17 wayyiTTEµn 'OtAµm 'ÈlOhÓµm BirqÓµav haHHAmaµyim ^ l¸hA'Óµr val-hA'Aµrec : 18 w¸limHOµl BayyÙµm ˚ballaµylAh ‡ ˚l·habDÓµl ‡ B µn hA'Ùµr ˚b µn haxOµHek ^ wayyaµr' 'ÈlOhÓµm KÓ-XÙµb : 19way¸hÓ-veµreb way¸hÓ-bOµqer yÙµm r¸bÓvÓµ :

2 C 20 wayyOµ'mer 'ÈlOhÓµm ‡ yiHr¸c µ hammaµyim Heµrec neµpeH xayyAµh ^ w¸vÙµp y¸vÙpEµp val-hA'Arec ‡ val-P¸n µ r¸qÓµav haHHAmAµyim :

21 wayyibrAµ' 'ÈlOhÓµm ‡ 'et-haTTannÓnÏµm haGG¸dOlÓµm ^ w¸'Eµt Kol-neµpeH haxayyAµh hArOmeµWet †

'·Heµr HAr¸c µ hammaµyim l¸mÓnEheµm ♦

w¸'Et Kol-vÙµp KAnAµp l¸mÓnEµh˚ ‡ wayyaµr' 'ÈlOhÓµm KÓ-XÙµb :

X 22 way¸bAµrek 'OtAµm 'ÈlOhÓµm lE'mOµr ^ P¸r˚µ ˚r¸b˚µ ♦

˚mil' µ 'et-hammaµyim BayyammÓµm ‡ w¸hAvÙµp yiµreb BA'Aµrec :

23 way¸hÓ-veµreb way¸hÓ-bOµqer yÙµm x‰mÓHÓµ : 24 wayOµ'mer 'ÈlOhÓµm ♦ TÙcEµ' hA'Aµrec neµpeH xayyAµh l¸mÓnAµh ‡

B¸hEmAµh wAreµmeW w¸xay¢tÙ-'eµrec l¸mÓnAµh ^ way¸hÓ-kEµn :

25 wayyaµvaW 'ÈlOhÓµm 'et-xayyaµt hA'Aµrec † l¸mÓnAµh ♦

w¸'et-haBB¸hEmAµh l¸mÓnAµh ‡ w¸'Eµt Kol-reµmeW hA'·dAmAµh l¸mÓnAµh ^ wayyar' 'ÈlOhÓm KÓ XÙb :

C′ 26 wayOµ'mer 'ÈlOhÓµm ‡ nav·Weµh 'AdAµm B¸calmEµn˚ Kidm˚tEµn˚ ^ w¸yirD˚µ bidgaµt xayyAµm † ˚b¸vÙµp haHHAmaµyim ♦

˚baBB¸hEmAµh ˚b¸kol-hA'Aµrec ‡ ˚b¸kol-hAreµmeW hArOmEµW val-hA'Aµrec :

27 wayyibrAµ' 'ÈlOhÓµm † 'et-hA'AdAµm B¸calmÙµ ‡

B¸ceµlem 'ÈlOhÓµm BArAµ' 'OtÙµ ^ zAkAµr ˚n¸qEbAµh BArAµ' 'OtAµm :

3 B′ 28 way¸bAµrek 'OtAµm 'ÈlOhÓµm † wayyOµ'mer lAheµm 'ÈlOhÓµm ♦ P¸r˚µ ˚r¸b˚µ † ˚mil' µ 'et-hA'Aµrec w¸kibH˘µhA ^ ˚r¸d µ Bidgaµt hayyAµm ˚b¸vÙµp hAHAmaµyim ‡

˚b¸kol-xAyyAµh hArOmeµWet val-hA'Aµrec :



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29 wayyOµ'mer 'ÈlOhÓµm ♦ hinnEµh nAtaTTÓµ lAkeµm 'et-Kol-vEµWeb zOrEµav zeµrav ♦ '·Heµr val-P¸n µ kol-hA'RAµrec ‡ w¸'et-Kol-hAvEµc †

'·Her-BÙµ P¸rÓ-vEµc zOrEµav zAµrav ^ lAkeµm yihyeµh l¸'oklAµh :

A′ 30 ˚l¸kol-xayyaµt hA'Aµrec † ˚kol-vÙµp haHHAmaµyim † ˚l¸kOµl rÙmEµW val-hA'Aµrec ♦ '·Her-BÙµ neµpeH xayyAµh ‡

'et-Kol-yeµreq vEµWeb l¸'oklAµh ^ way¸hÓ-KEµn :

31 wayyaµr' 'ÈlOhÓµm 'et-Kol-'·Heµr vAWAµh ‡ w¸hinnEh-XÙµb m¸'Oµd ^

way¸hÓ-veµreb way¸hÓ-bOµqer † yÙµm haHHiHHÓµ :

III. Creation of Humans and the Garden of Eden Genesis 2:1–25

1 A 1 way¸kull µ T haHHAmaµyim w¸hA'Aµrec † w¸kol-c¸bA'Aµm :

2 way¸kaµl 'ÈlOhÓµm BayyÙµm haHH¸bÓvÓµ ‡ m¸la'kTÙµ '·Heµr vAWAµh ^ wayyiHBOµt BayyÙµm haHH¸bÓvÓµ ‡ miKKol-m¸la'kTÙµ vAWAµh :

B 3 way¸bAµrek 'ÈlOhÓµm 'et-yÙµm haHH¸bÓvÓµ ‡ way¸qaDDEµH 'OtÙµ ^ KÓµ bÙµ HAbaµt † miKKol-m¢ la'kTÙµ ‡ ·Her-BArAµ' 'ÈlOhÓµm lav·WÙµt :

2 C 4 'Eµlleh tÙl¸dÙµt haHHAmaµyim T w¸hA'Aµrec B¸hiBBAr¸'Aµm ^ B¸yÙµm ♦ v·WÙµt yhwh V'ÈlOhÓµm † 'eµrec w¸HAmAµyim : 5 w¸kOµl WÓµax haWWAdeµh ♦ Xeµrem yihyeµh bA'Aµrec ‡

w¸kol-vEµWeb haWWAdeµh Xeµrem yicmAµx ^ KÓµ lOµ' himXÓµr yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm val-hA'Aµrfec ‡

w¸'AdAµm 'aµyin ‡ lav·bOµd 'et-hA'·dAmAµh : 6 w¸'Eµd yav·leµh min-hA'Aµrec ^ w¸hiHqAµh 'et-Kol-P¸n -hA'·DAmAµh :

3 D 7 wayyiµcer yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm 'et-hA'AdAµm ♦ vApAµr min-hA'·dAmAµh ‡ wayyiPPaµx B¸'aPPAµyw † niHmaµt xayyÓµm ^ way¸hÓµ hA'AdAµm † l¸neµpeH xayyAµh :

E 8 wayyiXaµv yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm T Gan-B¸vEµden miqqeµdem ^ wayyAµWem HAµm ‡ 'et-hA'AdAµm '·Heµr yAcAµr :

9 wayyacmaµx yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm † min-hA'·dAmAµh ‡ kol-vEµc nexmAµd l¸mar'eµh † w¸XÙµb l¸ma'·kAµl ^

4 F w¸vEµc haxayyÓµm B¸tÙµk haGGAµn ‡ w¸vEµc haDDaµvat XÙµb wAraµVVVv :

10 w¸nAhAµr yOcEµ' mEvEµden ‡ l¸haHqÙµt 'et-haGGAµn ^ ˚miHHAµm yiPPArEµd ‡ w¸hAyAµh l¸'arBAvAµh rA'HÓµm :



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X 11 HEµm hA'exAµd PÓHÙµn ^ h˚µ' hassObEµb ♦ 'Eµt Kol-'eµrec hax·wÓlAµh ‡

'·Her-HAµm hazzAhAµb : 12 ˚z·haµb hA'Aµrec hahÓµ' XÙµb ^ HAµm haBB¸dOµlax w¸'eµben haHHJJOµham : 13 w¸HEm-hannAhAµr haHHEnÓµ GÓxÙµn ^ h˚µ' hassÙbEµb ‡ 'Eµt Kol-'eµrec K µH : 14 w¸HEµm hannAhAµr haHH¸lÓHÓµ xiDDeµqel ‡ h˚µ' hahOlEµk qidmaµt 'aSS˚µr ^

w¢ hannAhAµr hAr¸bÓvÓµ h µ' p¸rAµt :

F′ 15 wayyiqaµx yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm 'et-ha'AdAµm ^ wayyannixEµh˚ b¢ gan-vEµden ‡

l¸vobdAµh ˚l¸HomrAµh :

16 wayecaµw yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm ‡ val-hA'AdAµm lE'mOµr ^ miKKOµl vEc-haGGAµn 'AkOµl TO'KEµl :

5 E′ 17 ˚mEvEµc ♦ haDDaµvat XÙµb wArAµv ‡

lOµ' tO'kaµl mimmeµnn˚ ^ KÓµ ♦ B¢¸yÙµm '·kolkAµ mimmeµnn˚ mÙµt TAm˚µt :

18 w¸yOµ'mer yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm ‡ lO'-XÙµb T

hÈyÙµt hA'AdAµm l¸baDDÙµ ^ 'evÈWeh-lÙµ vEµzer K¢ negDÙµ :

D′ 19 wayyiµcer yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm min-hA'·dAmAµh ♦ Kol-xayyaµt haWWAdeµh w¸'EµT Kol-vÙµp haHHAmaµyim †

wayyAbEµ' 'el-hA'AdAµm ‡ lir'Ùµt mah-yiqrA'-lÙµ ^ w¢ kOµl '·Heµr yiqrA'-lÙµ hA'AdAµm T neµpeH xayyAh h µ' H¸mÙµ :

6 C′ 20 wayyiqrAµ' hA'AdAµm HEmÙµt ♦ l¸kol-habb¸hEmAµh ˚l¸vÙµp haHHAmaµyim ‡

˚l¸kOµl xaYYyyaµt haWWAdeµh ^ ˚l¸'AdAµm lO'-mAcAµ' vEµzer K¢¸negDÙµ : 21 wayyaPPEµl yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm TarDEmAµh val-hA'AdAµm

wayyÓHAµn ^ wayyiqaµx ♦ 'axaµt miccalvOtAµyw ‡ wayyisGOµr BAWAµr TaxTennAµh : 22 wayyiµben yhwh 'ÈlOhÓµm 'et-haccElAµv T

'·Her-lAqaµx min-ha'AdAµm l¸'iHHAµh ^ way¢¸bÏ'eµhA 'el-hA'AdAµm :

7 B′ 23 wayyOµ'mer hA'AdAµm zOµ't haPPaµvam ♦ veµcem mEv·cAmaµy ‡

˚bAWAµr miBB¸WArÓµ ^ l¢ zOµ't yiqqArEµ' 'iHHAµh ‡ KÓµ mE'ÓµH luqqÛxAh-zOµ't :

A′ 24val-KEµn yav·zAb-'ÓµH ‡ 'et-'AbRÓµw w¸'et-immÙµ ^ w¢ dAbaµq w¸'iHTÙµ ‡ w¸hAy µ l¸bAWAµr 'exAµd :

25 wayyihy˚µ H¸n heµm v·r˚mmÓµm ‡ hA'AdAµm w¸'iHTÙµ ^ w¢¸lOµ' yitBOHAµH˚ :



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Translation of Genesis 1–2 and Logoprosodic Analysis I. Days One, Two and Three: Creation of Planet Earth Genesis 1:1–13

Strophe 1: Creation of the Heavens and the Earth (1:1–2) [4.9] 1:1 In the beginning / G-d created // 14 2 3 3 0 the heavens / and the earth // _15 2_ 4 0 4 1:2 And the earth / was formless (TÙh˚) / and void (bOh˚) / _21 3_ 4 4 0

And darkness / was on the face of the Deep (T¸hÙm) // _11 2_ 4 4 0

And the spirit of G-d / was hovering / 13 2 3 0 3 on the surface / of the waters // __8 2_ _3 0 3

Strophe 2: Creation of Light—End of Day One (1:3–5) [9.7] 1:3 And G-d said / “Let there be light” // 14 2 4 4 0 and there was light // __6 1_ 2 0 2 1:4 And G-d saw / the light / that it was good // _16 3_ _6 6 0 1:2–4a 26 18 8

And G-d separated / 9 1 2 0 2 between the light / and between the darkness // _14 2_ _4 0 4 1:2–4 32 18 14 1:5 And G-d called / the light day / _15 2_ 4 4 0 And the darkness / he called night // _12 2_ _3 3 0 1:1–5b 46 28 18

And it was evening /a and it was morning / Day One // p _16 3_ _6 0 6 1:3–5 31 17 14

Strophe 3: Creation of the Firmament to Separate the Waters (1:6–7a) [3.4] 1:6 And G-d said / 9 1 2 2 0 “Let there be a firmament / in the midst of the waters // _15 2_ _4 4 0 1:3–6b 37 23 14

And let it divide / __7 1_ _2 0 2 1:5–6c 28 17 11

Between the waters b and the waters” // _11 1_ _3 0 3 1:1–6 63 34 29 1:7 And G-d made / the firmament / _16 2_ _4 4 0 31 17 14



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Strophe 4: Separating the Waters to Form the Sky—End of Day Two (1:7b–8) [6.6]

And he separated / the waters / that were under the firmament / 21 3 6 6 0 from the waters / that were / over the firmament // _19 2_ _5 5 0 1:6–7c 26 21 5

And it was so // __5 1_ _2 0 2 1:7 17 15 2 1:8 And G-d called / the firmament / sky // 21 3 4 4 0 and it was evening / and it was morning / Day Two // p _19 3_ _6 0 6 1:5–8 51 32 19

Strophe 5: Creation of the Dry Land beneath the Firmament (1:9) [4.3] 1:9 And G-d said / “Let the waters be gathered / 17 2 4 4 0 from below the sky / to one place / 16 2 5 5 0 47 34 13 and let the dry land / appear” // and it was so // _17 3_ _4 2 2 1:8–9 23 15 8

Strophe 6: Naming the Earth and the Seas—Decision to Create Vegetation (1:10–13) [7.9] 1:10 And G-d called / the dry land / earth / 17 2 4 4 0 and the gathering of waters / he called seas // 16 2 4 4 0 and G-d saw / that it was good // _11 2_ _4 0 4 1:9–10 25 17 8 1:11 And G-d said / __9 1_ _2 2 0 1:6–11a 65 46 19

Let the earth sprout / vegetation / plants yielding seed / 19 3 6 6 0 fruit trees / producing fruit / after their kind / 16 3 5 5 0 with seed in them c on the earth // and it was so // _19 3_ _7 5 2 1:10–11 32 26 6

Strophe 7: Creation of Vegetation on Earth—End of Day Three (1:12–13) [9.4] 1:12 And the earth brought forth / vegetation / 12 2 3 3 0 plants yielding seed / after their kind / _16 2_ _4 4 0 1:9–12b 52 42 10

And trees bearing fruit / __9 1_ _3 3 0 1:6–12c 93 70 23

With seed in them / after their kind // 14 2 4 4 0 and G-d saw / that it was good // _12 2_ _4 0 4 1:1–12 153 104 49



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1:13 And it was evening / 6 1 2 2 0 and it was morning / 7 1 2 2 0 Day /d Three // p __7 2_ _2 2 0 1:10–13 56 46 10

II. Days Four, Five and Six: Luminaries and Living Creatures Gen 1:14–31

Strophe 1: G-d Creates Lights in the Dome of the Sky (1:14–15) [10.6] 1:14 And G-d said / “Let there be lights / 19 2 4 4 0 in the dome of the sky / to divide / _11 2_ _3 3 0 1:11–14b 51 45 6

Between the day / and between the night // _13 2_ _4 4 0 1:13–14c 17 17 0

And let them be for signs / and set-times / 18 2 3 0 3 and for days / and years // _12 2_ _2 0 2 1:13–14 22 17 5 1:15 And let them be for lights / in the dome /e of the sky / 19 3 4 4 0 to give light / upon the earth” // and it was so // _17 3_ _5 3 2 1:10–15c 81 64 17

Strophe 2: Creation of the Sun, Moon and Stars—End of Day Four (1:16–19) [12.11] 1:16 And G-d made / the two great lights // 24 2 6 6 0 the greater light / to rule the day / _18 2_ _5 0 5 1:10–16b 92 70 22

And the lesser light / to rule the night / _20 2_ _5 0 5 1:14–16c 41 24 17

And f the stars // _10 1_ _2 0 2 1:12–16 67 44 23 1:17 And G-d / placed them / in the dome of the sky // 23 3 5 5 0 to give light / upon the earth // _11 2_ _3 0 3 1:16–17 26 11 15 1:18 And to rule / in the day /g and in the night / 13 3 3 3 0 and to divide / the light / from the darkness // _20 3_ _5 5 0 1:15–18b 43 26 17

And G-d saw / that it was good // _12 2_ _4 0 4 1:14–18 63 37 26

1:19 And it was evening / and it was morning / Day Four // p _20 3_ _6 6 0



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1:17–19 26 19 7

Strophe 3: Creation of Fish and Birds—End of Day Five (1:20–21) [7.11] 1:20 And G-d said / 9 1 2 2 0 “Let the waters swarm / with a swarm of living creatures // _14 2_ _5 5 0 1:17–20b 33 26 7

And as for the birds / __3 1_ _1 0 1 1:17–20c 34 26 8

Let them fly above the earth / 11 1 3 0 3 and across the open / dome of the sky” // _14 2_ _4 0 4 1:15–20 68 39 29 1:21 And G-d created / the great / sea monsters // 22 3 5 5 0 and every living creature / that crawls about / _16 2_ _5 0 5 1:18–21b 43 26 17

With which the waters swarmed / after their kind / 16 2 4 0 4 and every winged bird / after its kind / and G-d saw / _24 4_ _7 0 7 1:18–21e 54 26 28

That it was good // __4 2_ _4 0 4 1:21 23 5 18

Strophe 4: Creation of Land Animals after Their Kind (1:22–25) [10.(4.4).10] 1:22 And G-d / blessed them / saying // 18 3 4 4 0 “Be fruitful and multiply / and fill the waters / in the seas / _21 3_ _6 0 6 1:20–22b 48 16 32

And the birds / let them multiply on the earth” // _19 2_ _3 0 3 1:20–22 51 16 35 1:23 And it was morning / and it was evening / Day Five // _19 3_ _6 6 0 1:17–23 85 41 44 1:24 And G-d said / 9 1 2 2 0 “Let the earth bring forth / living creatures / after their kind / _19 3_ _5 5 0 1:22–24b 26 17 9

Herd-animals and crawling things / 9 1 2 2 0 and wildlife of the earth / after their kind” // and it was so // _18 3_ _5 3 2 1:20–24 67 34 33 1:25 And G-d made / the wildlife of the earth / after their kind / 21 3 6 6 0 and the herd-animals / after their kind / _13 2_ _3 3 0 1:24–25b 23 21 2



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And everything / that creeps on the ground / after its kind / 20 3 5 5 0 and G-d saw / that it was good // _11 2_ _4 0 4 1:24–25 32 26 6

Strophe 5: Creation of Human Beings (1:26–27) [11.7] 1:26 And G-d said / “Let us make a human / in our own image / 22 3 5 5 0 according to our likeness // 7 1 1 1 0 and let them rule over / the fish of the sea / __9 1_ _3 0 3 1:24–26c 41 32 9

And birds of the sky / _10 1_ _2 0 2 1:21–26d 85 53 32

And the herd-animals / and all the earth / 17 2 3 0 3 and crawling things / that crawl / on the earth” // _20 3_ _5 0 5 1:25–26 37 20 17 1:27 And G-d created / the human / in his own image / _20 3_ _5 5 0 1:25–27a 42 26 17

In the image of G-d / he created him // _16 2_ _4 4 0 1:25–27b 46 29 17

Male and female / he created them // _19 2_ _4 0 4 1:26–27 32 15 17 Strophe 6: G-d’s Blessing: Be Fruitful, Fill the Earth and Subdue It (1:28–29) [11.12] 1:28 And G-d / blessed them / and G-d h said to them / 26 3 6 6 0 “Be fruitful and multiply / and fill the earth / and subdue it // _25 3_ _6 6 0 1:24–28c 76 53 23

And rule over / the fish of the sea / and the birds of the sky // 20 3 5 0 5 and every living creature / that creeps on the earth” // _19 2_ __5 0 5 1:21–28 128 68 60 1:29 And G-d said / “Behold / I have given to you / 20 3 5 5 0 every plant / yielding seed / _12 2_ _5 5 0 1:28–29b 32 22 10

That / is on the face of all the earth / _12 3_ _5 5 0 1:26–29c 69 42 27

And every tree / that has fruit / yielding seed // 24 3 9 9 0 to you they shall be / for eating // __9 2_ _3 0 3 1:26–29 81 51 30



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Strophe 7: Green Plants are Food for Animals—End of Day Six (1:30–31) [6.10] 1:30 And for every living creature of the earth / 11 1 3 3 0 and for every bird of the sky / _11 1_ _3 3 0 1:28–30b 55 32 23

And for all / that crawls on the earth / 15 2 4 4 0 which has in it / the breath of life / __9 2_ _4 4 0 1:28–30d 63 40 23

All green plants are / for eating” // 11 2 5 5 0 and it was so // _17 1_ _2 0 2 1:26–30 102 70 32 1:31 And G-d saw / all that he had made / _15 2_ _6 6 0 1:28–31a 76 51 25

And behold it was good / exceedingly // 9 2 3 3 0 and it was evening / and it was morning / Day Six // p _19 3 _6 0 6 1:14–31 275 170 105

1:1–31 434 280 154

III. Creation of Human Beings and the Garden of Eden Gen 2:1–25

Strophe 1: After Completing His Work G-d Rested on the Seventh Day (2:1–2) [4.8] 2:1 And the heavens / i and the earth / were finished / 16 3 3 3 0 and all their host // __7 1_ _2 2 0 1:29–2:1 68 47 21 2:2 And G-d finished / on the <sixth>j day / 15 2 4 4 0 his work / which he had made // _10 2_ __3 3 0 1:25–2:2b 147 95 52

And he rested / on the seventh day / 13 2 3 0 3 from all his work / that he had made // _12 2_ _4 0 4 1:31–2:2 34 21 13

Strophe 2: G-d Blessed the Seventh Day (2:3) [4.4] 2:3 And G-d blessed / the seventh day / 19 2 5 5 0 and he sanctified / it // __9 2_ _2 2 0 2:1–2:3b 26 19 7

Because on it he rested / from all his work / 14 2 5 0 5 that by creating / G-d had made // p _15 2_ _4 0 4 1:27–2:3 133 92 41



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Strophe 3: Before the First Rain a Surge Welled up to Water the Land (2:4–6) [11.10] 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens / and the earth / 19 2 4 4 0 when they were created // 7 1 1 1 0 on the day / YHWH-God / created / earth / and the heavens // _23 5_ _6 0 6 2:1–4 46 24 22 2:5 And no / shrub of the field / was yet on the earth / _19 3_ _6 6 0 2:4–5a 17 11 6

And no plant of the field / had yet sprung up // _14 2_ _5 5 0 2:3–5b 38 23 15

For YHWH-God / had not sent rain upon the earth / 22 2 7 0 7 and there was no human (adam) / to work the ground (adama) // _19 2_ _5 0 5 2:5 23 11 12 2:6 And a surge / would well up from the earth // 12 2 4 4 0 and it would water / all the face of the ground (adama) // _16 2_ _5 0 5 2:5–6 32 15 17

Strophe 4: The Human is Formed from the Ground as a Living Being (2:7) [4.5] 2:7 And YHWH-God formed / the human (ha-adam) / 19 2 5 5 0 of dust / from the earth / _12 2_ _3 3 0 2:6–7b 17 12 5

And he breathed in his nostrils / the breath of life // 13 2 4 4 0 and the human (ha-adam) / became / a living being // _16 3_ _4 0 4 2:4–7 59 32 27

Strophe 5: G-d Planted a Garden in Eden in Which He Placed the Human (2:8–9b) [7.6] 2:8 And YHWH-God / planted / a garden in Eden / in the east // 20 4 6 6 0 and there he placed / the human / whom he had formed // _19 3_ __6 0 6 2:2–8 101 52 49 2:9 And YHWH-God / caused to spring up / from the ground (adama) / 20 3 5 5 0 every tree / desirable to look at / and good to eat // _17 3_ _6 6 0 2:8–9b 23 17 6

Strophe 6: G-d Creates Two Trees and a River to Water the Garden (2:9c–10) [5.6]

And the Tree of Life / in the middle of the garden / 13 2 4 0 4 and the Tree / of the Knowing / of Good and Evil // _12 3_ _4 0 4 2:6–9 56 33 23



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2:10 And a river k goes out from Eden / to water l the garden // _22 2_ _6 6 0 2:9–10a 25 17 8

And from there / it divides / 10 2 2 0 2 it becomes / four river-heads // _15 2_ _3 0 3 2:9–10 30 17 13

Strophe 7: The River from Eden Becomes Four “River-Heads” (2:11–14) [(6.4).(4.6)] 2:11 The name of the one / is Pishon (Spreader) // 11 2 3 3 0 it encircles / the land of Havilah / _18 2_ _6 0 6 2:8–11b 51 26 25

Where there is / gold // __9 2_ _3 0 3 2:10–11 23 9 14 2:12 And the gold / of that land \m is good // 14 2 4 4 0 there (too) are bdellium / and the precious-stone carnelian // _14 2_ _4 0 4 2:9–12 50 24 26 2:13 And the name of the second river / is Gihon (Gusher) // 17 2 4 4 0 it encircles / all the land of Cush // _14 2_ _6 0 6 2:10–13 41 17 24 2:14 And the name of the third river / is Hiddekel (Tigris) / _17 2_ _4 4 0 2:9–14a 64 32 32

It goes / to the east of Assyria // 12 2 4 4 0 and the fourth river / is Perat (Euphrates) // _18 2_ _4 0 4 2:11–14 42 19 23

Strophe 8: G-d Put the Human in the Garden of Eden to Take Care of It (2:15–16) [6.5] 2:15 And YHWH-God / took / the human (ha-adam) // 19 3 5 5 0 and put him in the Garden of Eden / to work it / and watch it // _21 3_ _5 0 5 2:13–15 32 17 15 2:16 And YHWH-God / commanded / the human (ha-adam) \n saying // 23 3 6 6 0 from every tree of the garden / you may freely eat // _16 2_ _5 0 5 2:12–16 51 27 24

Strophe 9: G-d Prohibits Eating the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge (2:17–18) [6.7] 2:17 But from the Tree of / the Knowing o of Good and Evil / 15 2 4 4 0 you shall not eat p from it // 9 1 3 3 0 for / on the day q that you eat from it / you shall surely die // _18 3_ _6 0 6 2:15–17 34 18 16



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2:18 And YHWH-God / said / 13 2 3 3 0 it is not good / for the human (ha-adam) / to be alone // 17 3 5 5 0 I will make him a helper / corresponding to him // _12 2_ _4 0 4 2:15–18 46 26 20

Strophe 10: Animals/Birds Formed from the Ground are Named by the Human (2:19) [5.4] 2:19 And YHWH-God formed / from the ground (adama) / 20 2 4 4 0 every beast of the field / and every winged bird of the sky / _18 2_ _8 8 0 2:14–19b 66 46 24

And he brought (each one) r to the human (ha-adam) / _12 1_ _3 3 0 2:18–19c 27 23 4

To see what he would call it // 9 1 4 4 0 and whatever the human (ha-adam) called it / 16 1 5 0 5 as a living being / that became its name // _10 2_ _4 0 4 2:17–19 53 34 19

Strophe 11: G-d “Builds” a Woman from the Human’s Rib while he Sleeps (2:20–22) [10.11] 2:20 And the human called out s names / for all the animals / 22 2 5 5 0 and for <all>t the birds of the sky / 10 1 2 2 0 and for all / the animals of the field // _11 2_ _3 3 0 2:11–20b 126 74 52

But for the human / there was not found a helper \u fit for him // _20 2_ _5 0 5 2:17–20 68 44 24 2:21 And YHWH-God caused a deep sleep / to fall / on the human / _25 3_ _6 6 0 2:16–21a 85 56 29

And he slept // and (G-d) took / one of his ribs / 16 3 4 1 3 and he closed up the flesh / in its place // _12 2_ _3 0 3 2:20–21 28 17 11 2:22 And YHWH-God built / the rib / _18 2_ _5 5 0 2:14–22a 119 75 44

That he had taken from the human (ha-adam) / into a woman // 16 2 5 5 0 and he brought her / to the human (ha-adam) // _14 2_ _3 0 3 2:21–22 26 17 9

Strophe 12: The Man Names the Help Mate “Woman” (2:23) [4.4] 2:23 And the human (ha-adam) / said / 10 2 2 2 0 “This time / she is it—bone v from my bones / _13 2_ _4 4 0 2:21–23a 32 23 9



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And (she is) flesh w from my flesh // _12 1_ _2 2 0 2:21–23b 34 25 9

Indeed, this one / will be called Woman (Ishah) / 11 1 3 0 3 for from Man (Ish) / she was taken // _13 2_ _4 0 4 2:18–23 96 62 34

Strophe 13: Man and Woman are One Flesh—Naked But Not Ashamed (2:24–25) [8.4] 2:24 Therefore / a man leaves / his father \x and his mother // 18 3 8 8 0 and he clings to his wife / __8 1_ _2 0 2 2:22–24b 38 26 12

And they become / one flesh // _13 2_ _3 0 3 2:22–24 41 26 15 2:25 And the two of them / were naked / _12 2_ 3 3 0 2:20–25a 72 46 26

The human / and his wife // 10 2 2 2 0 but they were not / ashamed // _10 2_ _2 0 2 2:22–25 48 31 17

2:1–25 328 186 142 1:1–2:25 762 466 296

Notes

1:5a Reading mEr¸k‰ preceded by Gavy‰ (= meteg) in BHS as disjunctive. 1:6b Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive. 1:10c Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive. 1:13d Reading mEr¸k‰ here in BHS as disjunctive. 1:15e Reading m˚nax here in BHS as disjunctive. 1:16f Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive. 1:18g Reading m˚nax here in BHS as disjunctive. 1:28h Reading GereH here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:1i Reading mEr¸k‰ here in BHS as disjunctive. 2:2j Emending the text to read haHHiHÓ (“the sixth” [4 morae]) in place of haHH¸bÓvÓ (“the seventh” [6 morae]) with Samaritan

Pentateuch, LXX and Syriac. 2:10k Reading PaHX‰ before zAqEp qAXOn in BHS as conjunctive. 2:10l Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:12m Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:16n Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:17o Reading PaHX‰ before zAqEp qAXOn in BHS as conjunctive. 2:17p Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:17q Reading T¸bÓr here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:19r Reading GereH here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:20s Reading GereH here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:20t Emending the text to read ˚l¸<kol->vÙp (“and for all the birds”) in place of ˚l¸vÙp (“and for the birds”) with some Hebrew

Mss, LXX, Syriac, Vulgate and Targum Jonathan. 2:20u Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:23v Reading y¸tÓb here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:23w Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive. 2:24x Reading Xifpx‰ here in BHS as conjunctive.



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The Three Cantos of Genesis 1–2 in Menorah Patterns

First 3-Day Panel: Creation of the Planet Earth Genesis 1:1–13

A Creation of the heavens and the earth [4.9] 1:1–2 B Creation of light—end of Day One [9.7] 1:3–5 C Creation of the firmament to separate the waters [3.4] 1:6–7a X Separating the waters to form the sky—end of Day Two [6.6] 1:7b–8 C′ Creation of the dry land—beneath the firmament (“sky dome”) [4.3] 1:9 B′ Naming the Earth and the Seas—decision to create vegetation [7.9] 1:10–11 A′ Creation of vegetation on the earth—end of Day Three [9.4] 1:12–13

Second 3-Day Panel: Creation of Luminaries and Living Creatures Genesis 1:14–31

A Creation of lights in the firmament of the sky—solar time begins [7.10] 1:14–15 B Creation of the sun, moon and stars—end of Day Four [12.11] 1:16–19 C Creation of fish and birds—end of Day Five [7.11] 1:20–21 X Creation of land animals after their kind [on Day Six] [10.4.4.10] 1:22–25 C′ Creation of human beings [11.7] 1:26–27 B′ G-d’s blessing: be fruitful, fill the earth and subdue it [11.12] 1:28–29 A′ Provision of green plants as food for animals—end of Day Six [10.7] 1:30–31

1st Level Menorah: Creation of Human Beings and the Garden of Eden Genesis 2:1–25

A Transition: after completing his work, G-d rests on the seventh day [4.8] 2:1–2 B G-d blesses the seventh day [4.4] 2:3 C Before the first rain a surge wells up to water the land [11.10] 2:4–6 X G-d creates the human (adam) and puts him in the Garden of Eden -- 2:7–19 C′ G-d “builds” a woman from the human’s rib while he is asleep [10.11] 2:20–22 B′ The man names the help-mate “woman” [4.4] 2:23 A′ Transition: the man and woman are “one flesh”—naked but not ashamed [8.4] 2:24–25

1st Level Menorah: G-d Creates the Human and Puts Him in the Garden of Eden Genesis 2:7–19

A The human (adam) is formed from the ground (adama) as a living being [4.5] 2:7 B G-d plants a garden in Eden in which he places the human (adam) [7.6] 2:8–9b C G-d creates two special trees and a river to water the garden [5.6] 2:9b–10 X The four river-heads—“riddle in the middle” [6.4.4.6] 2:11–14 C′ G-d puts the human (adam) in the Garden of Eden to take care of it [6.5] 2:15–16 B′ G-d prohibits eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge [6.7] 2:17–18 A′ Animals/birds formed from the ground (adama) are named by the human (adam) [5.4] 2:19



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Structure of Genesis 1–2 within Its Canonical Context

I. The Torah and the Former Prophets within the Canonical Process

The Torah and the Former Prophets in a Menorah Pattern Genesis–2 Kings

A Primeval History: From Adam and Eve to Abram and Sarai Genesis 1–11 B Land promise given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel Genesis 12–50 C Egypt judged—ten plagues and the institution of Passover Exodus 1:1–12:36 X Exodus and Eisodus remembered at Gilgal Exodus 12:37–Joshua 4 C′ Canaan conquered—observance of Passover Joshua 5–12 B′ Land promise fulfilled—allotment of the Promised Land Joshua 13–24 A′ “Special History”: Israel and then Judah as the people of the covenant Judges–2 Kings

2nd Level: Exodus and Eisodus Remembered at Gilgal Exodus 12:37–Joshua 4:24

A The Exodus from Egypt—crossing of the Sea (Yam Suph) Exodus 12:37–14:31 B Song of Moses at the crossing of the Sea Exodus 15:1–21 C Wilderness wandering (from Egypt to Mount Sinai) Exodus 15:22–18:27 X G-d establishes the covenant at Mount Sinai Exod 19:1–Num 10:10 C′ Wilderness wandering and transfer of leadership Num 10:11–Deut 31:30 B′ Song of Moses in Moab; blessing and death of Moses Deut 32–34 A′ The Eisodus (entry)—crossing the Jordan River Joshua 1–4

3rd Level Menorah: Covenant at Sinai Exodus 19:1–Num 10:10

A Covenant ratified and regulated Exodus 19:1–24:18 B Tabernacle planned Exodus 25:1–31:18 C Covenant broken—incident with the golden calf Exodus 32:1–35 X Theophany on Sinai: The promised presence Exodus 33:1–23 C′ Covenant renewed Exodus 34:1–35 B′ Tabernacle built Exodus 35:1–40:38 A′ Covenant regulations Leviticus 1:1–Numbers 10:10



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II. The Book of Genesis in a Nested Menorah Pattern

The Book of Genesis in a Menorah Pattern Genesis 1–50

A Primeval History: Creation, the Great Flood and dispersion 1:1–11:32 B Abram/Abraham narrative cycle 12:1–25:18 C Jacob and Esau—Isaac seeks refuge in Philistia (Gerar) 25:19–26:34 X Isaac blesses Jacob and Esau 27:1–28:4 C′ Jacob and Esau—Jacob seeks refuge in Paddan-aram 28:5–9 B′ Jacob/Israel and Esau/Edom narrative cycle 28:10–36:43 A′ “Special History” (foreshadowed): with focus on Joseph and Judah 37:1–50:26

2nd Level Menorah: Isaac Blesses Jacob and Esau Gen 27:1–28:4

A Isaac’s request—that Esau bring him “savory food” 27:1–4 B Rebekah instructs Jacob and assists him in deceiving Isaac 27:5–26 C Isaac blesses Jacob, thinking he is blessing Esau 27:27–29 X Esau brings “savory food” to receive Isaac’s blessing 27:30–38 C′ Isaac blesses Esau (inverting words of Jacob’s blessing) 27:39–40 B′ Rebekah instructs Jacob to flee Esau’s wrath 27:51–45 A′ Isaac’s request—that Jacob take a wife in Paddan-aram 27:46–28:4

III. The Primeval History in a Menorah Pattern

Parashot 1–2: Genesis 1–11 in a Menorah Pattern — # 1 Genesis 1–11

A Story of Creation (ending with Adam’s three sons) 1:1–4:26 B From Adam to Noah: Enoch (“walked with G-d”—5:22) 5:1–32 C Sons of G-d take daughters of ha’adam as wives 6:1–2 X YHWH speaks—a “riddle in the middle” 6:3 C′ Sons of G-d and daughters of ha’adam breed giants 6:4 B′ Story of Noah (who “walked with G-d”—6:8) 6:5–9:29 A′ Story of Dispersion (starting with Noah’s three sons) 10:1–11:32


A Adam and Eve—the story of creation 1:1–3:21 B Expulsion from the Garden of Eden 3:22–4:26 C Generations of Adam and sons 5:1–32 X Noah and the Flood—a new creation 6:1–9:29 C′ Generations of Noah and sons 10:1–26 B′ Dispersion—the story of the Tower of Babel 11:1–9 A′ Abram and Sarai—beginning of a new story 11:10–32



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A Creation in seven days 1:1–2:3 B The generations of heaven and earth: Adam and Eve + three sons 2:4–4:26 C Genealogy: list of descendants from Adam through Noah 5:1–32 X Noah and the Flood—a new creation 6:1–9:28 C′ Genealogy: the descendants of Noah’s three sons [70 nations] 10:1–31 B′ The generations of Noah’s three sons and the Tower of Babel 10:32–11:9 A′ Election in ten generations: from Shem to Terah (Abram’s father) 11:10–32

The Seven Toledoth Formulae in Genesis 1–11 Genesis 1–11

A These are the descendants of heaven and earth 2:4 B This is the account of the descendants of Adam 5:1 C These are the descendants of Noah 6:9 X The descendants of Noah’s sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth 10:1 C′ The families of Noah’s sons according to their descendants 10:32 B′ These are the descendants of Shem eponymous ancestor of the “Semites” 11:10 A′ These are the descendants of Terah father of Abram 11:27

IV. The Structure of Genesis 1–11 by Canto Divisions in a Nested Menorah Pattern

Parashot 1–2: Genesis 1–11 in a Menorah Pattern Genesis 1–11

A First three days: creation of planet Earth 1:1–13 B Second three days: luminaries and living creatures 1:14–31 C Creation of humans and the Garden of Eden 2:1–25 X The fall of humankind and the Flood 3:1–8:22 C′ Renewal of creation after the Flood 9:1–29 B′ Table of Nations: descendants of Noah’s three sons 10:1–32 A′ Tower of Babel and generations from Shem to Abram 11:1–32

2nd Level Menorah: The Fall of Humankind and the Flood Gen 3:1–8:22

A Eating forbidden fruit and the expulsion from Eden 3:1–24 B Story of Cain and Abel—birth of Seth and his descendants 4:1–26 C Generations from Adam to Noah 5:1–32 X Episode with Sons of G-d and daughters of ha’adam 6:1–8 C′ Noah selected to deliver humankind from the Flood 6:9–22 B′ All but those in the Ark were destroyed by the Flood 7:1–24 A′ The Flood ends and YHWH promises not to repeat it 8:1–22



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Special Note:

The following Addendum is not an essential part of this course on Reading Genesis 1–2 in Hebrew. It is included to call attention to the fact that the world view of authors of the literature included in the Bible is quite different from ours. Theirs was a world that took delight in the wonder of numbers. We explore one aspect of this phenomenon briefly in the “Addendum: Ancient Harmonics and the Book of Jonah,” in Reading Jonah in Hebrew (BIBAL Study Program, 2005), pp. 55–59.

The ancient science of acoustics (harmonics), which is closely associated with the world of mythology in the cultures of the Middle East, was familiar to educated scribes in ancient Israel who used it for other reasons. The science of harmonics, which is not at all familiar to modern readers of the Bible or other ancient literary texts, cannot be understood without minimal knowledge of the field of acoustics in musicology. This form of what might be called proto-science is based on a complex system of matrix arithmetic, which presupposes, at least in part, the phenomenon of gematria—where the letters of the Hebrew alphabet also represent numbers.

Here we explore another aspect of the wonderful world of numbers in relation to the Hebrew alphabet in the Bible. We are not interested in the curious phenomenon of Jewish mysticism, in which gematria has suffered abuse. By including this tour de force on the part of David Crookes, we are introducing students of the Hebrew language to the much neglected and often misused topic of gematria in the Tanakh. Our hope is that some will extend the effort to enter what appears to be a strange, but at the same time a richly rewarding, new field of inquiry.

Addendum: The Four Rivers and the Phenomenon of Gematria by David Z. Crookes with Duane L. Christensen

The river that goes out from Eden to water the garden (Gen 2:10) is without a name. That is remarkable because it divides into four specific river-heads, which are named: Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel and Perath, the latter = Euphrates (Gen 2:11–14). Of these four, the most information given concerns the river Pishon, which encircles the land of Havilah, where there is gold, bdellium and the precious-stone Carnelian. The second in importance is Gishon, which “encircles all the land of Cush.” The Hiddekel goes to the east of Assyria; but no information is given about the fourth river (the Euphrates).

David Crookes suggests that the river that flows out of Eden to water the garden is the Hebrew alphabet. Its division into four “river-heads” refers to four ways the Hebrew alphabet is used as part of a numerical system in the phenomenon of gematria (Hebrew numerology). The fact that the letters of the alphabet also have numerical value is obvious to anyone who stops to think about it. Thus we use the letters A, B, C, etc., and a, b, c, etc. to list successive items in any system of outlining, along with i, ii, iii, etc., and of course 1, 2, 3, etc. The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters and these letters are arranged in a sequence, which reflects the numerical value of those letters; for in Jewish thought, the letters of the alphabet are also numbers.

The four “river-heads” represent the four major systems of counting by using the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet:

Name Description of the Numerical System Sum of the 22 Letters

Pishon 400 gematria: normal system of “Jewish” counting; the 22nd letter = 400 1495

Gihon 22 gematria: place-value, where the 22 letters represent 1 through 22 253

Hiddekel 406 gematria: in which the letter names are spelled out in 400 gematria 4249

Perath 28 gematria: in which the letter names are spelled out in 22 gematria 712

In each system, the number given here to name that “river-head” represents the numerical value of the 22nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet in that system. The total numerical value of the four systems of



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gematria (i.e., the sum of the numerical value of the 22 letters) is given in the right column. For reference purposes, it is useful to list the respective numbers in the four systems of counting:

Letter/Number 400-Gematria 22-Gematria 406-Gematria 28-Gematria

' pl' 1 aleph 1 1 111 30

b tyb 2 beth 2 2 412 34

g lmyg 3 gimel 3 3 83 38

d tld 4 daleth 4 4 434 38

h 'h 5 he 5 5 6 6

w ww 6 wau 6 6 12 12

z nyz 7 zayin 7 7 67 31

x tyx 8 cheth 8 8 418 40

X tyX 9 teth 9 9 419 41

y dwy 10 yodh 10 10 20 20

k pk 11 kaph 20 11 100 28

l dml 12 lamedh 30 12 74 29

m mym 13 mem 40 13 90 36

n nwn 14 nun 50 14 106 34

s kms 15 samek 60 15 120 39

v nyv 16 ayin 70 16 130 40

p 'p 17 pe 80 17 81 18

c ydc 18 tsaddi 90 18 104 32

q pwq 19 qoph 100 19 186 42

r Syr 20 resh 200 20 510 51

S nyS 21 shin 300 21 360 45

t wt 22 tau 400 22 406 28

Sum of the 22 letters: 1495 253 4249 712

Hebrew words are written from right to left. In order to keep things as simple as possible, we have chosen not to use the final consonantal forms for the letters mem, nun and pe in the spelling of the Hebrew names of the 22 letters of the alphabet in this table.

PISHON (All in 400-Gematria)

The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good: here is bdellium and the onyx stone (Gen 2:11–12, KJV).

The 12 Hebrew words used in v. 11 have the gematric values respectively of 340, 18, 446, 12, 69, 401, 50, 291, 64, 501, 340, and 19. The 8 words used in v. 12 have the gematric values respectively of 20, 296, 17, 17, 340, 49, 59, and 350.

Pishon is the 400-alphabet; and the three minerals of Havilah (gold, bdellium, and onyx) stand for the three kinds of counters (units, tens, and hundreds), which the 400-alphabet contains.



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Hebrew Numbers: x1 x10 x100

1 ' y q

2 b k r

3 g l S

4 d m t = 400

5 h n ¢

6 w s £

7 z v §

8 x p •

9 X c ¶

“The gold of that land is good” means that the 400-alphabet is by far the most useful of the numerical alphabets. In 400-gematria “and the gold of that land” ['whh ¶r'h bhzw] = 333, an attractive display of a unit, a ten, and a hundred (the three congruent digits show authorial deliberateness). “Bdellium” [xldbh] = 49, and “the onyx stone” [£hSh §b'w] = 409. Here we see the capacity of the 400-alphabet to form both a two-digit and a three-digit number. The congruent first and last digits of the two numbers represent authorial deliberateness.

The text contains two try-it-out equations. Words 3 and 4 of v. 11 ['wh §wSyp, “Pishon, that is it”] = 458, and words 6, 7, and 8 of v. 12 [£hSh §b'w xldbh, “bdellium and the onyx stone”] = 458. Word 3 ['whh] of v. 12 and word 4 [bwX] of v. 12 = 17. The 400-alphabet has a total value of 1495.

Pishon [§wSyp] = 446 = 2 x 223

[2 + 2] x 2 – 3 = 5 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 – [2 x 2 x 2] + 3 = 13 22 – 2 + 3 = 23

Here we see the 3 prime factors of 1495 = 5 x 13 x 23 [total numerical value of the 400-alphabet].

GIHON (All in 22-Gematria

And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia (Gen 2:13, KJV).

The ten Hebrew words used here have gematric values respectively of 40, 44, 50, 41, 12, 30, 23, 23, 39, 38. Gihon is the 22-alphabet. Verse 13 contains a try-it-out equation. Word 4 [§wxyg, “Gihon”] plus word 5 ['wh, “the same it is”] = 53. Words 6 and 7 [t' bbwsh, “that compasseth …”] also add up to 53, and the authorial deliberateness is unmistakable, because the same word used in connection with Pishon is wauless. The 22-alphabet has the total numerical value of 253.

Gihon [§wxyg] = 41 = 11 + 23 + [1 + 1 + 2 +3]

Here we see the two factors of 253 plus their digital sum: 253 = 11 x 23 [total value of the 22-alphabet].



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HIDDEKEL (All in 406-Gematria

And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria (Gen 2:14 [first 8 words], KJV).

The eight words used here have gematric values respectively of 462, 628, 840, 1112, 129, 186, 1112, 129, 186, 1116, and 993. Hiddekel is the 406-alphabet in which the letter-names are spelled out in 400-gematria and then added up. Now of course over time the letter-names came to have variant spellings; but, if you are a mathematician, and if you expect people to use the alphabet in four different ways, variant spellings will make the third and fourth numerical alphabets completely useless. For mathematical purposes there must have been a standard spelling, and the spelling must have displayed the elegance that speaks of deliberateness. The spelling proposed here departs from the spellings of Gesenius in only a single particular (by adding a yodh to spell the word gimel as lmyg (see F. Kautzsch and A. E. Cowley (eds.), Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar [Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910], pp. 27–28). The result is an alphabet that is spelled in 62 letters, and arranged in two symmetrical groups of eleven: [31 + 31], or [15 + 16] + [15 + 16]:

15 letters for the first five (aleph to he) 16 letters for the next six (wau to kaph)

15 letters for the first five (lamedh to ayin) 16 letters for the next six (pe to tau)

Word 6 [¢lhh, “goeth”] = 186, and 186 “goeth” six times into 1116, the gematric value of word 7 [hmdq, “east of”].

We should expect a statement that the 406 alphabet needs 62 letters to spell it. Word 4 [lqdx, “Hiddekel”] plus word 5 ['wh, “it”] minus word 6 [¢lhh, “goeth”] minus word 8 [rwH', “Assyria”] = 62, the number of letters needed to spell the alphabet. Here is the equation that sets that out in numbers: 1112 + 129 – 186 – 993 = 62.

Hiddekel [lqdx] = 1112 = 4 x 278 or 278 x 4

4278 – [27 + 8/4] = 4249 = the total numerical value of the 406-alphabet.

EUPHRATES (All in 28-Gematria

… and the fourth river is Euphrates (Gen 2:14 [last four words], KJV).

Euphrates is the 28-alphabet in which the letter-names are spelled out in 22-gematria and then added up. There is a simple equation here. Strip word 1 [rhnhw, “and the river”] of its conjunction wau, and add it up. He plus nun plus he plus resh = 97. Now add up word 4 [trp, “Euphrates”]. Pe plus resh plus tau = 97. Word 1 [rhnhw (= 6 + 5 + 14 + 5 + 5 + 20 = 50) “and the river”] minus word 3 ['wh (= 5 + 6 + 1 = 12), “it”] = 62 (= 50 + 12), the number of letters needed to spell the 28-alphabet.

“Euphrates” [trp] = 97 = 8 + 89, and 8 x 89 = 712, the total numerical value of the 28-alphabet.

The total value of all four alphabets is 6709 [= 1495 + 253 + 4249 + 712] and the total number of letters needed to spell all four alphabets is 168.

6709 + 168 = 6877 = 13 x 23 x 23

* * * * * * * Forty-two words multiplied by four rivers = 168, the total number of letters needed to spell all four alphabets [= 22+22+62+62]. All four rivers add up to 1696 [= 446 + 41 + 1112 + 97] = 53 x 32 = 32 x 53.



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All four alphabets add up to 6709 [= 1495 + 253 + 4249 + 712]. The factors of the four rivers [1696 = 53 x 32 = 32 x 53] give the total of the four alphabets as follows:

5 x 3 – 32 = 6 3 + 2 + 5 – 3 = 7 [read backwards] 3 + 5 – 23 = 0 3 – 2 + 5 + 3 = 9

There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. The four-digit form of each number, like the digital sum of each number, indicates the four rivers, or the four forms of the alphabet.

1 + 6 + 9 + 6 = 22 digital sum of the four

6 + 7 + 0 + 9 = 22 digital sum of the four

The sum of the four alphabets, 6709 [= 1495 + 253 + 4249 + 712], plus the sum of the four rivers, 1696 [= 446 + 41 + 1112 + 97], equals 8405 [= 6709 + 1696], whose factors may be construed as referring to the four river-heads from the one river, or to the four numerical forms of the one alphabet.

8405 = [41] x [4 + 1] x [41]

Four rivers appear in Genesis 2:11–14. Rivers by nature flow downhill. What is the mountain from which the four rivers flow? It comprises the pangram of 153 letters, which are used to build verses 11–14; for there are exactly 153 [= 40 + 30 + 34 + 49] letters in these four verses. The number 153 is the triangular number of 17, and the Hebrew names of the four rivers involve a total of 17 [= 5 + 5 + 4 + 3] letters.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Whenever we find rivers, we should look for mountains. The Hebrew word for mountain, har, constitutes the second syllable of the Hebrew word for river, nahar. The “mountain” [rh] comes twice in v. 10: in letters 3 and 4, and letters 40 and 41.

3 + 4 + 40 + 41 = 88 = four alphabets of 22 letters

In 400-gematria nahar, like “Moriah,” adds up to 255. We have to do with an archetypal Mount Moriah, to which both singers and instrumentalists, who represent respectively language and music, will say, in the words of Psalm 87, “All my springs are in thee.” [The perimeter of the 153-counter mountain involves 48 counters, and in 22-gematria “Zion,” like “Moriah,” adds up to 48.] By coincidence, the alphabet is spelled in 62 letters, and the four alphabets provide us with a total resource of 62 different numbers.



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As with the divine-name YHWH (hwhy), there are a number of different ways to explore the meaning of the number 153 in the Tanakh. The number factors as follows: 153 = 3 x 3 x 17 = 17 x 3 x 3. The total numerical value of all four numerical alphabets may be expressed in terms of the factor-based numbers 3317 and its retrograde 7133.

1495 = [3 + 3 + 17] x [71 – 3 – 3]

253 = [3 + 3 + 17] x [– 3 – 3 + 17]

4249 = [3317 + [3 x 317] – [33 – 1 – 7]

712 = [3 x 31 x 7] + [71 + 3 + 3] – [33 – 17]

Moreover, there is the matter of music. The 864–432 scale comprises four pairs of notes, and the members of each pair are a whole tone apart. Each pair exhibits the lesser-to-greater ratio of 8:9. In order to express all eight notes of the scale, the number 153 generates four factor-based rivers: 3713 (retrograde of 3173), 7133 (retrograde of 3317), 1733 and 3371 (retrograde of 1733).

864 = 37 x [1 + 3] + 713 + 3

768 = [–3 + 7] x 13 + 713 + 3

729 = 713 – 3] – [(–3 x 3) + 71]

576 = 17 x 33 + [–1 + 7 + (3 x 3)]

512 = [173 x 3] – [1 x 7) + 3 – 3]

486 = [337 + 1] + 37 x [1 + 3]

432 = [337 + 1] + [3 + (7 x 13)]

The numbers 3713, 7133, 1733, and 3371 are the four musical “rivers” that flow from the mountain of 153. Each “river” is used four times. But if we want to see the 8:9 ratio displayed pictographically, we need all 198 letters of Genesis 2:10–14.

X X X X X X X X X X X X o X X X X o X X X X o X X o o X X o X X o o X X o X X o o X X o o o X X o o X X o o o X X o o X X o o o X o o o o o o X o o o X o o o o o o X o o o X o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

The 198 letters arrange themselves to form a two-dimensional Angkor Wat. We can see the five peaks of Mount Meru, and four valleys each having one side of eight and one side of nine (cf. the four pairs of equations for the values of pairs of notes a whole tone apart having the lesser-to-greater ratio 8:9).

A snow mantle of 3 + 3 + 3 rests on each peak, representing 333 (the 400-gematric value of the Hebrew word for “snow,” (glH = 300 + 30 + 3). Apart from their mantles, which are represented by Xs, the five peaks, which are represented by Os, employ a total of 153 letters.

This same 45 + 153 combination appears in 22-gematria in Esther’s request, “Let it be written to reverse the letters” (Esther 8:5). “Let it be written” [btky] adds up to 45 [= 10+11+22+2], and “to reverse the letters” [£yrpsh-t' byHhl] adds up to 153 [= 12+5+21+10+2+1+22+5+15+17+20+10+13]. There are 45 letters in Gen 2:10 and 153 letters in Gen 2:11–14, for a total of 198 letters in Gen 2:10–14 (the section on the river from Eden, which becomes four “river-heads”—Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel, and Perath).



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TABLE 1: THE CONSONANTS ' ' I'Alep slight glottal stop Jb B B t b as in bob

b b " v as in valve

Fg G GÓmel g as in gag

g g " g as in Ger. Tage, now [g] –d D DAµlet d as in dud

d d " th as in then, now [d] h h h ' h as in hay

w w wAw w as in wow or [v] z z za¥yin z as in zoo

x x x t ch as in Ger. ach! X X X t t as in tote, emphatic y y yÙd y as in yes

–k K KAp k as in kick

k k " ch as in Ger. ich

¢ k KAp sÙpÓt " " l l lAµmed l as in loll

m m m m m as in mum

£ m m m sÙpÓt " "

n n n˚n n as in noon

§ n n˚n sÙpÓt " " s s sAµmek s as in sister

v v va¥yin strong glottal stop

Kp P P p as in pep

p p " f as in fife

• p P sÙpÓt " " c c cAd s as in saw, emphatic, or [ts] as in hats

¶ c cAd sÙpÓt " " " "

q q qÙp c as in coop, further back in mouth



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r r r H r as in Span. pero, or Fr. rue

H H HÓn sh as in sheen

W W WÓn s as in seen

Kt T TAw t as in teach

t t " th as in thin, now [t]

TABLE 2: THE VOWELS

Name & Transliteration Pronunciation

—ñ a Pa¥tax à la mode

“ñ A qAmAc father

’ñ e s¸gÙl met

‘ñ E c r favorite, they

÷ñ i xÓrÓq iniquity, Pauline

◊ñ O xÙlAm obey

”ñ o qAmAc xAX˚p soft

uñ u quBBuc moon

‹ñ · xAXap Pa¥tax alone, anniversary

Èñ È xAXap s¸gÙl enemy

›ñ Û xAXap qAmAc colloquial

⁄ñ ¸ H¸wA mathematics

–ah a Pa¥tax furtivum glide vowel; under final vowel; pronounced before it

Ù Ù xÙlAm mAlE' open

Óñ Ó xÓrÓq GAdÙl machine

ñ Í c r yÙd they, navy

˚ ˚ H˚r˚q pool, Ger. Buch



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TABLE 3: TRANSLITERATION OF VOWEL POINTS

The pronunciation of Hebrew was handed down orally, and as Jews left or were expelled from ancient Judea and formed new communities in Babylonia, Egypt, and eventually throughout the civilized world, traditional reading of biblical texts diverged gradually from whatever the norm was prior to these dispersions. The written consonantal text achieved an authoritative form around the end of the first century C.E. This text was successfully promulgated among various Jewish communities, such that texts postdating this time do not differ in any substantial way. Prior to the fixing of authoritative texts, however, the situation was quite different.

Modern printed versions of the Tanakh derive from similar sources, which reflect the grammatical activity of Jewish scholars (or Masoretes) in Tiberias, who between the 8th and 10th centuries C.E. perfected a system of vowel notation and cantillation marks, which they added to the received consonantal text and put in the form of a codex (rather than on scrolls). The standard Masoretic text is also known as the Ben Asher text, after the family name of the Tiberian scholars identified with the final editing. The modern critical edition of Biblia Hebraica, published by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart (BHK—3rd ed., 1937; BHS—4th ed., 1984; and now BHQ—5th edition [in progress]), is based on the copy of a Ben Asher manuscript (Codex L), located in St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) and dating from 1008/9 C.E. Most other printed Hebrew Bibles are based ultimately on the Second Rabbinic Bible (Venice, 1524–25). The manuscript sources of this work have not been fully identified, but it does not differ substantially from the text of Biblia Hebraica—except in regards the te’amim (cantillation marks, especially in the Psalms). A new and comprehensive edition of the Hebrew Bible is in progress in Israel, which is based on the partially destroyed Codex A (Aleppo), an older version of the Ben Asher family of texts to that of Codex L.

Some variant readings are indicated in the margin of the Masoretic text, which are commonly referred to as K¸tÓb-q¸rE', i.e., one word is written (K¸tÓb) in the consonantal text itself but another, as identified in the margin, is to be read (q¸rE').

When the Masoretes added vowel points to the Hebrew text, these points were superimposed on a text that already had a crude system for indicating vocalization (i.e., the matres lectionis (vowel letters), and a large number of combinations were created (and hence the apparent complexity of our transliteration). The following table shows the form of the vowel signs and their position in relation to the consonants (here –b B and x x):

Name of Sign Plain With mater y y With mater w y With mater h h (final only)

Patax –b Ba —— —— ——

_ _ Q Q QqAµmec –b BA y–Ab B‰ —— h–b BAh

hÓreq –b Bi yi–b BÓ —— ——

cEr –b BE yE–b B —— h–b BAh

s¸gOl –b Be ye–b BÍ —— h–b BAh

xOµlem –b BO —— Ù–b BÙ h–b BAh

qibb˚c –b Bu —— ˚–b B˚ ——

And reduced vowels: ¯–b B¸ ‹x x· ¤x xÈ ›x xÛ



73

TABLE 4: WRITING THE LETTERS OF THE HEBREW ALPHABET

Taken from William Sanford LaSor, Handbook of Biblical Hebrew: An Inductive Approach Based on the

Hebrew Text of Esther, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1978), p. 222.



74

Verbs in Genesis 1–2 This list includes all the verbs in Genesis 1–2, arranged alphabetically. Meanings are taken from BDB (Brown-Driver-Briggs) with page numbers for reference. The first column of numbers follows Strong’s Concordance.

215 rÙ' be[come] light; (H) cause to shine [BDB 956]

398 lakA' eat [BDB 37–38]

559 r—mA' say [BDB 55–56]

914 lad–aaAb divide, separate (H) [BDB 95]

935 'Ù–b come (in), go (in); bring (H) [BDB 97–98]

954 HÙb be ashamed Hithpolel = be ashamed before one another [BDB 102]

1129 hƒn–Ab build [BDB 124–25]

1254 'Ar–Ab create, shape [BDB 135]

1288 ™ar–Ab bless

1692 qabA–d cleave to, cling, keep close [BDB 179–80]

1876 'AHA–d sprout, shoot, grow green [BDB 205–06]

1961 hƒyAh be, become, happen [BDB 224–28]

1980 ¢—lAh walk, go, come [BDB 229–37]

2232 varAz sow, scatter seed [BDB 281–82]

2530 damAx desire, take pleasure in BDB 326

3318 '¬cƒy come, go forth [BDB 422–25]

3335 racAy form, fashion [BDB 427–28]

3462 §EHAy sleep [BDB 445]

3533 Hbk subdue [BDB 461]

3615 hAl–Ak be complete, finished, accomplished [BDB 477–78]

3947 xaqAl take [BDB 542a]

4191 t˚m die [BDB 559–60]

4305 raXAm send rain (H) [BDB 565]

4390 'AlAm be full, fill [BDB 569–70]

4672 'AcAm find, attain to [BDB 592–93]

4910 laHAm rule, have dominion reign [BDB 605]

5117 ax˚n rest; place, put (H) [BDB 628]

5193 vaXAn plant [BDB 642]

5301 xpn blow, breathe [BDB 655]

5307 l—pƒn fall [BDB 656–58]

5414 §—tƒn give [for many meanings see BDB 678–81]

5437 babAs turn about, go around, surround [BDB 685–86]

5462 r¬gAs shut, close [BDB 688–89]



75

5648 dabAv serve, work [BDB 712–13]

5774 •˚v fly; fly about, to and fro (Polal) [BDB 733]

5800 b¬zAv leave, forsake [BDB 736–37]

5927 h”lAv go up, ascend [BDB 748–50]

6213 hAWAv do, make [BDB 793–94]

6504 darLAp divide, break through [BDB 825]

6509 hArLAp bear fruit, be fruitful [BDB 826]

6680 hƒwAc command, give charge (lav over) (P) [BDB 845–46]

6779 xamAc sprout, spring up [BDB 855]

6942 HadAq set apart as sacred, consecrate, devote [BDB 872–73]

6960 hƒwAq collect, gather; (N) be collected [BDB 876]

7121 'ArAq call, proclaim, read aloud [BDB 894–96]

7200 hA'Ar see; appear (N); show (H) [BDB 906–09]

7235 hAbAr be(come) much, many great [BDB 915–16]

7287 hAdAr have dominion, rule [BDB 921–22]

7363 •axAr hover, move gently; brood, flutter [BDB 934]

7430 HAmAr creep, crawl, move lightly, move about [BDB 942–43]

7760 £˚W put, place, set [BDB 962–63]

7673 tabAH cease, desist, rest [BDB 991–92]

8104 r—mAH keep, watch, preserve [BDB 1036–37]

8248 hAqAH cause to drink (H) [BDB 1052]

8317 ¶arAH swarm, team [BDB 1056]

8354 hAtAH drink [BDB 1059]



76

Nouns and Other Words in Genesis 1–2 This list includes all the nouns and adjectives in Genesis 1–2, arranged alphabetically. Meanings are taken from BDB (Brown-Driver-Briggs) with page numbers for reference. The first column of numbers follows Strong’s Concordance.

2 bA' father [BDB 3 from root hb']

68 §ebe' stone (f.) [6]

108 dE' surge, mist (from root dwv) [BDB 15; 1119]

120 £“d”' human, mankind, humankind (m.) [BDB 9]

127 h“m“d‹' ground, land, territory, country (f.) [BDB 9]

216 rÙ' light (f.) [BDB 21]

226 tÙ' sign (m.) [BDB 16]

259 d”x’' one [BDB 25–26]

-- taxa' one (f.) [BDB 25]

369 §iya' nothing, non-entity, nought (substantive) [BDB 34–35]

376 Hyi' man (as an individual), male person [BDB 35]

802 hALHi' woman [BDB 61 from root Hn'] 402 hAl⁄kA' food, eating [BDB 38]

413 -l’', l‘' to, towards, into [see BDB 39–41]

428 h–elE' these (demonstrative pronoun) [BDB 41]

430 £y«h◊lÈ' god or goddess; G–d [BDB 43–44]

517 £E' mother [BDB 51 from root £m']

639 •a' nostril, nose, face, anger (m.) [BDB 60 from root •n']

702 hAv–Ab⁄ra' four [BDB 916 from root vbr]

776 ¶’r’' land, earth [BDB 75–76]

802 hLAHi' woman [BDB 61a]

804 r CKHa' Assyria, Asshur [BDB 78]

834 r’H‹' particle of relation; which, where [see BDB 81–84]

853 t‘', -t’', –tO' sign of definite direct object, mark of accusative [BDB 84–85]

910 da–b separation; alone (with l prefixed); by itself [BDB 94 from root ddb]

916 xalOd–⁄b bdellium [BDB 95]

-- – –b in, with, by bound prep. [see BDB 88–91]

922 ˚h–»b emptiness [BDB 96]

929 h”m‘h–Ÿb animal, cattle, beast, livestock [BDB 96]

996 §yE–b between, the interval of [BDB 107]

1242 req–»b morning (m.) [BDB 133–34]

1320 rAW–Ab flesh (m.) [BDB 142]

1419 lÙdC√g great (mas.) [BDB 152–53]



77

1419 hƒlÙdC¯¯g great (fem.) [BDB 152–53]

1521 §ÙxÓCg Gihon [BDB 161–62]

1588 §aCg garden, enclosure [BDB 171 from root §ng] 1710 hƒg“–d fish [BDB 185]

1823 t˚m–⁄d likeness, similitude (f.) [BDB 198]

1847 tav–ad knowledge [BDB 395d]

1877 'eH–ed grass [BDB 206]

-- ·ah the (definite article) [BDB 206–09]

-- ˚hE– his, its (m. 3rd sg. pronominal suffix)

x '˚h he, it

x 'yih she, it

-- £ehñ them. their (m. 3rd pl. pronominal suffix)

2009 h≈Cnih lo! behold! (demonstrative particle) [BDB 243–44]

-- – ¬w, – Õw and, but [study BDB 251–55]

-- I– aw conversive wau [BDB 253–54]

-- Ù– his, him (pronominal suffix)

2063 t'◊z this (fem.) [BDB 260–62]

2088 h∆z this (masc.) [BDB 260–62]

2091 bAhAz gold (m.) [BDB 262]

2145 rAkAz male [BDB 271]

2233 varez seed, offspring (m.) [BDB 282]

2313 leq–edix Tigris [BDB 293]

2841 hAlyiw‹x Havilah [BDB 296] 2416 y—x alive, living [BDB 311–12]

-- hCƒyAx living thing [BDB 312c]

2417 £iyCyax life [BDB 313]

2549 yiHyim‹x fifth [BDB 332c] 2822 ™eHx darkness [BDB 365]

2896 bÙX good, pleasant [BDB 373–75]

2962 £ereX not yet, before (adverb of time) [BDB 382]

3004 hƒHJƒb¬y dry land, dry ground [BDB 387]

3068 hƒwhy divine name YHWH, pronounced '·dOnAy [BDB 217–19]

3117 £Ùy day [note usage in BDB 398–401]

3220 £ƒy sea; west, westward [BDB 410–11]

3418 qerey green (thing), greenness [BDB 438]

-- – –⁄k like, as [note carefully usage in BDB 453–55]



78

-- ß– your, you (m. sg. [pron. suf.])

3588 Ó–k that, for, when, because [study BDB 471–74]

3556 bAkÙ–k star (m.) [BDB 456–57]

3568 H –k Cush [Kassites?], Ethiopia [BDB 468–69]

3588 y–ik That, for, because [BDB 471]

3605 l–Ok all, every [BDB 481c] -- £ek– your, you (m. pl. [pron. suf.)

3651 §–‘k so, thus (adverb) [BDB 487]

-- d∆g∆n–k corresponding to [BDB 617]

3671 •An–Ak wing, extremity (f.) [BDB 489]

-- –l to, for, in regard to, etc. [see BDB 510–18]

3808 '»l not [BDB 518c]

-- t'»z⁄l this one [BDB 260]

3915 hƒly—¥l night [BDB 538–39]

-- £– (pron. suf.) them, their

3966 d»'⁄m muchness, abundance, exceedingly [BDB 547]

3974 rÙ'Am luminary (m.) [BDB 22]

3978 lAk‹'am food [BDB 38]

4100 ham what? whatever [BDB 552–54; note other forms, BDB 552]

4325 £«y—m water [BDB 565–66]

4327 §yim kind, species (m.) [BDB 568]

4399 hAk'Al⁄m occupation, work (f.) [BDB 521–22]

-- ˚neGmim from it (pronominal suffix, with n˚n energic)

4475 hAlAH⁄mem rule, dominion, realm (f.) [BDB 606]

4480 §im from [BDB 577–83]

4150 dEvÙm appoint time, place, meeting (m.) [BDB 417 from dvy] -- £’d’–q÷m from the front (i.e., east of); see £’d’q

4723 h≈wŸqim collection, collected mass [BDB 876]

4725 £ÙqAm place (m.) [BDB 879–80]

4758 he'Ÿram vision [BDB 909c]

5104 r”hƒn river, stream [BDB 625–26]

5048 d∆g∆n in front of, in sight of, opposite to [BDB 617]

5347 hAbEq⁄n female [BDB 666] 5315 H∆p∆n soul, living being, self, person [BDB 659–61]

5397 hAmAH⁄n breath [BDB 675]

5729 §edEv Eden [BDB 727]



79

5775 •Ùv bird(s), flying creatures (coll.) [BDB 733]

5828 r∆zEv helper, one who helps (m.) [BDB 740]

5921 lav upon [study usage in BDB 752–759]

3651 §–‘k l—v therefore, upon ground of such conditions [BDB 487]

6083 rApAv dust, dry earth [BDB 779–80]

6086 ¶Ev tree, wood [BDB 781–82]

6106 £ecev bone, substance, self [BDB 782]

6153 berev evening (m.) [BDB 78]

6174 £ÙrAv naked pl. £yim˚r‹v (adj.) [BDB 736]

6212 beWEv herb, herbage, grass [BDB 793]

6376 §ÙHÓLp Pishon [BDB 810]

6440 y≈nLŸp face; with preps. to form compound preps., esp. y≈nŸp–÷b y≈nŸp÷l [see BDB 816–19]

6471 £avLap occurrence; £avLapah = now (at length) [BDB 821–22] 6529 yirL⁄p fruit [BDB 826]

6578 tArK⁄p Euphrates [BDB 832]

6635 'AbAc host (military), soldiers; army, warfare [BDB 839]

6755 £elec image (m.) [BDB 853–54]

6763 vAlEc rib (of human), side (f.) [BDB 854]

6924 £’d’q front, east, aforetime, beginning [BDB 869]

6924 hAm⁄diq in front of, East [BDB 870]

6996 §”X”q small, young, little, unimportant [BDB 881–82]

6996 §OX”q small, insignificant [BDB 882]

7218 H'»r head (m.) [BDB 910–11]

7225 tyiH'Er beginning, chief [BDB 912]

7243 yivyib⁄r fourth [BDB 917d]

7307 —x˚r wind, breath, spirit [BDB 924–26]

7431 Wemer creeping thing(s), moving thing(s) (coll.) [BDB 943]

7451 var evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity [BDB 948–49]

7549 avyiqAr firmament, extended surface, (solid) expanse [BDB 956]

7704 hedAW field, land (m.) [BDB 961]

7880 axyiW shoot, plant, shrub [BDB 967]

7718 £ahOH onyx [BDB 995]

7992 yiHyil⁄H third [BDB 1026]

7992 £AH there [BDB 1027a]

8034 £EH name [BDB 1027d]

8064 £«y—mƒH heaven(s), sky [BDB 1029–30]



80

8141 hnAH year [BDB 1040]

8145 yinEH second [BDB 1041]

8147 £«y¬n⁄H two (m. dual) [BDB 1040–41]

8318 ¶ereH swarming things, moving creatures (coll.) [BDB 1056]

7637 yivyib⁄H seventh [BDB 988]

7718 £ahOH onyx, beryl [BDB 995–96]

8345 yiLHiH sixth [BDB 995d]

8033 £AH there [BDB 1027]

8034 £EH name (m.) [BDB 1027-28]

8121 H’m’H sun [BDB 1039]

8318 ¶ereH swarming things, swarm (coll.) [BDB 1056]

8414 ˚hK»t desolation, waste, formlessness, emptiness [BDB 1062]

8415 £ÙhŸt deep (subterranean waters), abyss [BDB 1062–63]

8432 ™eweKAt midst [BDB 1063]

8478 t—xK—t under, beneath, below, instead of [BDB 1065–66]

8435 tÙdElÙKt generations (= account of a person & his descendants) [BDB 410]

8577 §yinKAt sea monster, sea serpent, dragon [BDB 1072]

8639 hAm–Ed⁄rKat deep sleep [BDB 922]

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