Genesis 1-11: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text

Genesis 11

‫ּבּול‬ ַ ‫ּמ‬ ַ ‫ה‬ ‫ר‬ ַ ‫ח‬ ַ ‫א‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ָ ‫א‬ ָ ‫ּב‬ ‫ּגֹויִם‬ ַ ‫ה‬ ‫דּו‬ ְ ‫ר‬ ְ ‫פ‬ִ‫נ‬ ‫ה‬ ֶ ‫ּל‬ ֵ ‫א‬ ֵ ‫ּומ‬ Constituents after the flood in the earth the nations they were dispersed and from these Translation Theme Textuality Subject Finite Mood Circumstance Circumstance Goal Process Circumstance Transitivity ‫ה‬ ֶ ‫ּל‬ ֵ ‫א‬ ֵ ‫ּומ‬. Theme: textual > clause conj + Theme: experiential / Circumstance : location, place > prep phrase: prep + pronoun demonstrative 3cp, antecedent is ַ ‫ֹח‬‫נ‬‫י־‬ֵ‫נ‬ ְ ‫ּב‬ ‫ֹת‬‫ח‬ ְ ‫ּפ‬ ְ ‫ׁש‬ ִ ‫מ‬ the families of the sons of Noach in the preceding clause. ‫דּו‬ ְ ‫ר‬ ְ ‫פ‬ִ‫נ‬. Finite > qatal 3cp / Process > nifal ‫ּפרד‬. ‫ּגֹויִם‬ ַ ‫ה‬. Subject > mp / Goal > nominal group: def art + noun common mp. ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ָ ‫א‬ ָ ‫ּב‬. Circumstance: location, place > prep phrase: prep + def art + noun common fs. ‫ּבּול‬ ַ ‫ּמ‬ ַ ‫ה‬ ‫ר‬ ַ ‫ח‬ ַ ‫א‬. Circumstance: location, time > prep phrase: prep ‫׀‬ def art + noun common ms. Genesis 11:1-2 1 And all the earth was one language and the same words. 2 And it was when they traveled from east, and they found a valley in the land of Shinar . And they settled there. ‫ים׃‬ ִֽ ‫ד‬ ָ ‫ח‬ ֲ ‫א‬ ‫ים‬ ִ֖ ‫ר‬ ָ ‫ב‬ ְ ‫ּוד‬ ‫ת‬ ֑ ָ ‫ח‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ‫ה‬֣ ָ ‫פ‬ ָ ‫ׂש‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ֖ ָ ‫א‬ ָ ‫ל־ה‬ ָ ‫כ‬ ‫י‬ ִ֥ ‫ה‬ְ‫֣י‬ֽ ַ ‫ו‬ /// ‫ים‬ ִ ‫ד‬ ָ ‫ח‬ ֲ ‫א‬ ‫ים‬ ִ ‫ר‬ ָ ‫ב‬ ְ ‫ּוד‬ ‫ת‬ ָ ‫ח‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ‫ה‬ ָ ‫פ‬ ָ ‫ׂש‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ָ ‫א‬ ָ ‫ל־ה‬ ָ ‫כ‬ ‫י‬ ִ ‫יְה‬ ַ‫ו‬. (a) Textuality > conj paratactic expansion / Mood > declarative: past / Transitivity > relational: attribution. This clause is in effect the Theme of the clause complex. The form ‫י‬ ִ ‫יְה‬ ַ‫ו‬ is often used to posit a setting for following 11:1 Genesis 10:32–11:1 555 action, either with a relational process as here, or with a ְ ‫ּב‬ or ְ ‫ּכ‬ embedded prep clause as in the next clause. ‫ים‬ ִ ‫ד‬ ָ ‫ח‬ ֲ ‫א‬ ‫ים‬ ִ ‫ר‬ ָ ‫ב‬ ְ ‫ּוד‬ ‫ת‬ ָ ‫ח‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ‫ה‬ ָ ‫פ‬ ָ ‫ׂש‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ָ ‫א‬ ָ ‫ל־ה‬ ָ ‫כ‬ ‫י‬ ִ ‫יְה‬ ַ‫ו‬ Constituents one lip and one words all the earth and he was Translation Theme Textuality Subject Finite Mood Attribute Carrier Process Transitivity ‫י‬ ִ ‫יְה‬ ַ‫ו‬. Theme: textual / clause conj + Theme: experiential / Finite > wayyiqtol 3ms / Process > qal ‫היה‬. ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ָ ‫א‬ ָ ‫ל־ה‬ ָ ‫כ‬. Subject > ms (‫ל‬ ָ ‫כ‬) / Carrier > nominal group: noun common collective ms const - def art + noun common fs. ‫ים‬ ִ ‫ד‬ ָ ‫ח‬ ֲ ‫א‬ ‫ים‬ ִ ‫ר‬ ָ ‫ב‬ ְ ‫ּוד‬ ‫ת‬ ָ ‫ח‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ‫ה‬ ָ ‫פ‬ ָ ‫ׂש‬. Attribute > nominal group complex : noun common fs ‫׀‬ numeral cardinal fs ‫׀‬ group conj + noun common mp ‫׀‬ numeral cardinal mp. It is a bit strange for the numeral one to be found in the plural modifying a plural noun. Perhaps it has the sense here of same, as in the same lip and same words. ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ֥ ֶ ‫א‬ ְ ‫ּב‬ ‫ה‬֛ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ק‬ ִ ‫ב‬ ‫ּו‬ ֥ ‫א‬ ְ ‫צ‬ ְ ‫מ‬ִ‫ּ֣י‬ֽ ַ ‫ו‬ // ‫ם‬ ֶ ‫ד‬ ֑ ֶ ‫ּק‬ ִ ‫מ‬ ‫֣ם‬ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ס‬ָ‫נ‬ ְ ‫ּב‬ ‫י‬ ִ֖ ‫ה‬ְ‫֣י‬ֽ ַ ‫ו‬ // ‫ם׃‬ ֽ ָ ‫ׁש‬ ‫בּו‬ ְ ‫ׁ֥ש‬ ֵ ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬ // ‫ר‬֖ ָ ‫ע‬ְ‫נ‬ ִ ‫ׁש‬ ]] ‫ם‬ ֶ ‫ד‬ ֶ ‫ּק‬ ִ ‫מ‬ ‫ם‬ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ס‬ָ‫נ‬ ְ ‫ּב‬ [[ ‫י‬ ִ ‫יְה‬ ַ‫ו‬. (a) Textuality > conj hypotactic expansion / Mood > declarative: past / Transitivity > existential. ‫י‬ ִ ‫יְה‬ ַ‫ו‬ plus a ְ ‫ּב‬ prep phrase is a specialized thematic structure that creates a hypotactic temporal clause which conditions the following clause. ]] ‫ם‬ ֶ ‫ד‬ ֶ ‫ּק‬ ִ ‫מ‬ ‫ם‬ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ס‬ָ‫נ‬ ְ ‫ּב‬ [[ ‫י‬ ִ ‫יְה‬ ַ‫ו‬ Constituents in their traveling from east and he was Translation Theme Textuality Finite Mood Circumstance Process Transitivity 11:2 556 Genesis 11:1-2 ‫י‬ ִ ‫יְה‬ ַ‫ו‬. Theme: textual / clause conj + Theme: experiential / Finite > wayyiqtol 3ms / Process > qal ‫היה‬. The Subject is not expressed and may be equivalent to the English it, used in similar English thematic structures. ‫ם‬ ֶ ‫ד‬ ֶ ‫ּק‬ ִ ‫מ‬ ‫ם‬ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ס‬ָ‫נ‬ ְ ‫ּב‬. (i) Circumstance >> Textuality > embedded expansion: prep clause / Transitivity > material: action. Rendered as an independent clause before the embedding procedure it would have been they traveled from east. ‫ם‬ ֶ ‫ד‬ ֶ ‫ּק‬ ִ ‫מ‬ ‫ם‬ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ס‬ָ‫נ‬ ְ ‫ּב‬ Constituents from east in their traveling Translation Theme Textuality Complement + Subject Mood Circumstance Process + Actor Transitivity ‫ם‬ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ס‬ָ‫נ‬ ְ ‫ּב‬. Theme: textual > prep + Theme: experiential / Complement > inf const / Process > qal ‫נסע‬ + Subject > mp / Actor > pronoun suffix 3mp, the antecedent of the pronoun suffix is presumably the collective noun ‫ל‬ ָ ‫כ‬ all from 11:1(a); however, in that clause, it is treated as 3ms by the verb ‫י‬ ִ ‫יְה‬ ַ‫ו‬. ‫ם‬ ֶ ‫ד‬ ֶ ‫ּק‬ ִ ‫מ‬. Circumstance: location, place > prep phrase: prep + noun common ms. ‫ר‬ ָ ‫ע‬ְ‫נ‬ ִ ‫ׁש‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ְ ‫ּב‬ ‫ה‬ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ק‬ ִ ‫ב‬ ‫אּו‬ ְ ‫צ‬ ְ ‫מ‬ִ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬. (b) Textuality > conj paratactic expansion / Mood > declarative: past / Transitivity > material: action. ‫ר‬ ָ ‫ע‬ְ‫נ‬ ִ ‫ׁש‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ְ ‫ּב‬ ‫ה‬ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ק‬ ִ ‫ב‬ ‫אּו‬ ְ ‫צ‬ ְ ‫מ‬ִ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬ Constituents in the land of Shinar a valley and they found Translation Theme Textuality Finite Mood Circumstance Goal Process Transitivity Genesis 11:2 557 ‫אּו‬ ְ ‫צ‬ ְ ‫מ‬ִ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬. Theme: textual / clause conj + Theme: experiential / Finite > wayyiqtol 3mp / Process > qal ‫מצא‬. ‫ה‬ ָ ‫ע‬ ְ ‫ק‬ ִ ‫ב‬. Goal > nominal group: noun common fs. ‫ר‬ ָ ‫ע‬ְ‫נ‬ ִ ‫ׁש‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ְ ‫ּב‬. Circumstance > prep phrase: prep + noun common fs const ‫׀‬ noun proper. ‫ם‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬ ‫בּו‬ ְ ‫ׁש‬ֵ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬. (c) Textuality > conj paratactic expansion / Mood > declarative: past / Transitivity > material: action. A material process of happening does not take a Goal. Again, the Subject / Actor is ‫ל‬ ָ ‫כ‬ all from 11:1(a), absent by ellipsis. ‫ם‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬ ‫בּו‬ ְ ‫ׁש‬ֵ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬ Constituents there and they settled Translation Theme Textuality Finite Mood Circumstance Process Transitivity ‫בּו‬ ְ ‫ׁש‬ֵ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬. Theme: textual / clause conj + Theme: experiential / Finite > wayyiqtol 3mp / Process > qal ‫יׁשב‬. ‫ם‬ ָ ‫ׁש‬. Circumstance: location, place > pronoun textual. The antecedent is ‫ר‬ ָ ‫ע‬ְ‫נ‬ ִ ‫ׁש‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ ‫ר‬ ֶ ‫א‬ land of Shinar in the prior clause. Genesis 11:3-4 3 And a man said to his neighbor, “Come. Let us brick bricks. And let us burn (them) for a burning.” And the brick for them became stone. And the tar became for them clay. 4 And they said, “Come. Let us build for ourselves a city and a tower and its head in the heavens. And let us make for ourselves a name, so that we not scatter on the face of all the earth.” ‫֣ה‬ ָ ‫נ‬ ְ ‫ּב‬ ְ ‫ל‬ִ‫נ‬ // ‫ה‬ ָ ‫ב‬ ָ֚ ‫ה‬ // ‫הּו‬ ֵ֗ ‫ע‬ ֵ ‫ל־ר‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ‫יׁש‬ ֣ ִ ‫א‬ ‫ּו‬ ֞ ‫ר‬ ְ ‫אמ‬ ֹ ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬ /// ֙ ‫ה‬ ָ‫נ‬ ֵ ‫ב‬ ְ ‫ּל‬ ַ ‫ה‬ ‫ם‬֤ ֶ ‫ה‬ ָ ‫ל‬ ‫י‬ ִ֨ ‫ה‬ ְ ‫ּת‬ ַ‫ו‬ // ‫ה‬֑ ָ ‫פ‬ ֵ ‫ר‬ ְ ‫ׂש‬ ִ ‫ל‬ ‫ה‬֖ ָ ‫פ‬ ְ ‫ר‬ ְ ‫ׂש‬ִ‫נ‬ ְ‫ו‬ // ‫ים‬ִ֔‫נ‬ ֵ ‫ב‬ ְ ‫ל‬ ‫ר׃‬ ֶ ‫מ‬ ֽ ֹ‫ח‬ ַ ‫ל‬ ‫ם‬ ֖ ֶ ‫ה‬ ָ ‫ל‬ ‫֥ה‬ ָ ‫י‬ ָ ‫ה‬ ‫ר‬ ָ֔ ‫מ‬ ֵ ‫ח‬֣ ַ ‫ה‬ ְ‫ו‬ // ‫ן‬ ֶ ‫ב‬ ָ֔ ‫א‬ ְ ‫ל‬ 11:3 558 Genesis 11:2-3 ‫הּו‬ ֵ ‫ע‬ ֵ ‫ל־ר‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ‫יׁש‬ ִ ‫א‬ ‫רּו‬ ְ ‫אמ‬ ֹ ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬. (a) Textuality > conj paratactic expansion / Mood > declarative: past / Transitivity > verbal. ‫הּו‬ ֵ ‫ע‬ ֵ ‫ל־ר‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ‫יׁש‬ ִ ‫א‬ ‫רּו‬ ְ ‫אמ‬ ֹ ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬ Constituents to his neighbor a man and they said Translation Theme Textuality Subject Finite Mood Receiver Sayer Process Transitivity ‫רּו‬ ְ ‫אמ‬ ֹ ‫ּי‬ ַ‫ו‬. Theme: textual / clause conj + Theme: experiential / Finite > wayyiqtol 3mp / Process > qal ‫אמר‬. ‫יׁש‬ ִ ‫א‬. Subject > ms / Sayer...