Genesis

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:12c):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וְעֵץ עֹשֶׂה־פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ לְמִינֵהוּ

Transliteration:

wᵉ‘ēts ‘ōseh-pᵉrī ’ᵃshér zar‘ō-bō lᵉmīnēhū

Translation (JPS Torah):

and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it.

Comment:

See here, here, and here.

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wᵉ‘ēts/וְעֵץ : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + singular/collective noun ‏‘ēts/עֵץ : and trees.
‏‘ōseh/עֹשֶׂה : Qal participle of ‏‘āsāh/‏עָשָׂה : bearing.
‏pᵉrī/‏פְּרִי : fruit.
‏’ᵃshér/‏אֲשֶׁר : relative which.
‏zar‘ō/‏זַרְעוֹ : noun ‏zéra‘/זֶרַע + pronominal suffix ‏ō/‏וֹ : its seed.
‏bō/‏בוֹ : preposition ‏‏bᵉ/‏‏בְּ + pronominal suffix ‏ō/‏וֹ : in it.
‏lᵉmīnēhū/לְמִינֵהוּ : prep. ‏lᵉ/לְ + noun ‏mīn/‏מִין + pron. suffix ‏ū/וּ : according to its kind.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:12d):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי־טוֹב

Transliteration:

wayyar’ ’ᵉlōhīm kī-tōb

Translation (JPS Torah):

And God saw that this was good.

Comment:

See here, here, and here.

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wayyar’/וַיַּרְא : consecutive ‏wᵉ/‏וְ + Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of ‏rā’āh/‏רָאָה : and he [God] saw.
‏’ᵉlōhīm/אֱלֹהִים : God.
‏kī/כִּי : conjunction that.
‏tōb/טוֹב : (this was) good.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:13):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיְהִי־עֶרֶב וַיְהִי־בֹקֶר יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי

Transliteration:

wayᵉhî-‘ereb wayᵉhî-bōqer yôm šᵉlı̂šî

Translation (JPS Torah):

And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

Comment:

See here, here, and here.

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wayᵉhî/וַיְהִי : consecutive ‏wᵉ/‏וְ + Qal imperfect 3 m.s of ‏hāyāh/‏הָיָה : and there was.
‏‘ereb/‏עֶרֶב : evening.
‏bōqer/‏בֹקֶר : morning.
‏yôm/‏יוֹם : day.
‏šᵉlı̂šî/‏שְׁלִישִׁי : third.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:14a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם

Transliteration:

wayyō’mer ’ᵉlōhîm yᵉhî mᵉ’ōrōt birqîa‘ haššāmayim

Translation (JPS Torah):

And God said, "let there be lights in the expanse of the sky

Comment:

Let there be lights. The pronouncement corresponds to verse 3, "Let there be light." The emergence of vegetation prior to the existence of sun, the studied anonymity of these luminaries, and the unusually detailed description have the common purpose of emphasizing that sun, moon, and stars are not divinities, as they were universally thought to be; rather, they are simply the creation of God, who assigned them the function of regulating the life rhythms of the universe. — Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis (JPS Torah Commentary)

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

wayyō’mer ’ᵉlōhîm : and God said.
‏yᵉhî : Qal imperfect/jussive of hāyāh : let there be.
‏mᵉ’ōrōt : lights.
‏birqîa‘ : in the expanse of.
‏haššāmayim : the sky.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:14b):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה

Transliteration:

lᵉhabdîl bên hayyôm ûbên hallāyᵉlâ

Translation (JPS Torah):

to separate day from night

Comment (brackets added):

14-15 There is a progression here from light in general or unspecified (day 1) to specific sources of light (day 4). These sources of light, however, are described first of all by an all-inclusive term — luminaries [‏mᵉ’ōrōt]. Unlike the previous three days, where a statement about the raison d’être of the created item is either omitted or only briefly noted, here a threefold function is assigned to these celestial light bearers: to separate between day and night, to serve as signs of the passage of time, and to illuminate the earth. So important is the delineation of these functions that they are repeated in verses 17-18, in reverse order, perhaps as an attention-getting device. — Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis 1-17 (NICOT)

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏lᵉhabdîl/לְהַבְדִּיל : preposition ‏lᵉ/לְ + Hiphil infinitive construct of ‏bādal/‏בָּדַל : to separate.
bēn/‏‏בֵּין : construct of bayin/‏‏‏בַּיִן : between.
hayyôm/‏‏הַיּוֹם : definite article + yôm/‏‏‏יוֹם : the day.
ūbēn/‏‏וּבֵין : conjunction wᵉ/‏‏וְ + construct of bayin/‏‏‏בַּיִן : and between.
hallāyᵉlâ/‏‏‏הַלָּיְלָה : definite article + laylâ/‏‏‏‏לַיְלָה : the night.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:14c):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וְהָיוּ לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים וּלְיָמִים וְשָׁנִים

Transliteration:

wᵉhāyû lᵉ’ōtōt ûlᵉmô‘ᵃdîm ûlᵉyāmîm wᵉshānîm

Translation (JPS Torah):

they shall serve as signs for the set times — the days and the years.

Comment (brackets added):

Few commentators deny that this whole chapter has a strong anti-mythical thrust. Perhaps in no other section — except the sixth day — does this polemic appear so bluntly as it does here. It is sufficient to recall the proliferation of astral deities in most Mediterranean religions: the sun, the moon, and the stars are divine. As such they are autonomous bodies. Around each of them focus various kinds of religious cults and devotees. In the light of this emphasis Gen. 1:14ff. is saying that these luminaries are not eternal; they are created, not to be served but to serve. That is the mandate under which they function. — Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis 1-17 (NICOT)

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wᵉhāyû/וְהָיוּ : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + Qal perfect 3 c.p. of ‏hāyāh/‏הָיָה : let them be.
‏lᵉ’ōtōt/‏לְאֹתֹת : preposition ‏lᵉ/‏לְ + plural of ‏’ōt/‏‏אוֹת : for signs.
‏ûlᵉmô‘ᵃdîm/‏וּלְמוֹעֲדִים : conj. ‏‏wᵉ/‏‏וְ + prep. ‏lᵉ/‏לְ + plural of ‏mô‘ēd/‏‏מוֹעֵד : and for set times.
‏ûlᵉyāmîm/‏‏וּלְיָמִים : conj. ‏‏wᵉ/‏‏וְ + prep. ‏lᵉ/‏לְ + plural of ‏yôm/‏‏‏יוֹם : and for days.
‏wᵉshānîm/‏‏וְשָׁנִים : conj. ‏‏wᵉ/‏‏וְ + plural of ‏shānāh/‏‏‏שָׁנָה : and years.

From The JPS Torah Commentary, by Nahum M. Sarna:

signs for the set times. Hebrew ’ōtōt and mô‘ᵃdîm are here treated as a hendiadys, a single thought expressed by two words. The "set times" are then specified as "the days and the years." It is also possible to take ’ōtōt as the general term meaning "time determinate," a gauge by which "fixed times" (mô‘ᵃdîm) such as new moons, festivals, and the like are determined, as well as the days and the years.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:15a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל־הָאָרֶץ

Transliteration:

wᵉhāyû lim’ôrōt birqîa‘ haššāmayim lᵉhā’îr ‘al-hā’āreṣ

Translation (Wenham):

Let them be for lights in in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth.

Comment (brackets added):

"Let them be for lights." A similar tautology appears in Numbers 15:39: "It (the tassel) shall be for a tassel." The tautology serves to emphasize the function of the luminaries "to give light" and to discount any notion of their divinity. Its awkward avoidance of the terms "sun and moon" also highlights the anti-mythical thrust of the passage. — Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15 (WBC)

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wᵉhāyû/וְהָיוּ : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + Qal perfect 3 c.p. of ‏hāyâ/‏הָיָה : and let them be.
‏lim’ôrōt/‏לִמְאוֹרֹת : preposition ‏lᵉ/‏‏לְ + plural of ‏mā’ôr/‏‏מָאוֹר : for lights.
‏birqîa‘/‏‏בִּרְקִיעַ : preposition ‏bᵉ/‏‏‏בְּ + construct of rāqîa‘/‏‏‏רָקִיעַ : in the expanse of.
‏haššāmayim/‏‏הַשָּׁמַיִם : definite article + ‏šāmayim/‏‏‏שָׁמַיִם : the sky.
‏lᵉhā’îr/‏‏‏לְהָאִיר : preposition ‏lᵉ/‏‏‏לְ + Hiphil infinitive construct of ‏’ōr/‏‏‏‏אוֹר : to shine.
‏‘al/‏‏‏עַל : upon.
‏hā’āreṣ/‏‏‏הָאָרֶץ : definite article + ‏’ereṣ/‏‏‏אֶרֶץ : the earth.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:15b):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיְהִי־כֵן

Transliteration:

wayᵉhî-kēn

Translation (JPS Torah):

And it was so.

Comment:

"And it was so" [...] in this chapter precedes the detailed description of the fulfillment of the divine word (verses 11-12, 15-16, 24-25). "The formula lets the narrator bring out and underline for his reader or listener the inner connection between word and event" (Steck, Schöpfungsbericht, 36). — Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15 (WBC).

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wayᵉhî/וַיְהִי : consecutive ‏wᵉ/‏וְ + Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of ‏hāyâ/‏הָיָה : and it was.
‏kēn/כֵן : so.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:16a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־שְׁנֵי הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדֹלִים

Transliteration:

wayya‘aś ’ᵉlōhîm ’et-šᵉnê hammᵉ’ōrōt haggᵉdōlîm

Translation (NRSV):

God made the two great lights

Comment (brackets added):

16-18 The author's polemical concerns continue in these verses as indicated, first of all, by his choice of terminology. He uses the unusual expression the greater luminary instead of the normal word for sun — šemeš — of which he was undoubtedly aware. In the same way he opts for the lesser luminary instead of the familiar yārēaḥ, "moon." The reason for the choice of terms may be due to the fact that these words — which are very similar in other Semitic languages — are the names of divinities. Thus this text is a deliberate attempt to reject out of hand any apotheosizing of the luminaries, by ignoring the concrete terms and using a word that speaks of their function. — Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis 1-17 (NICOT)

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wayya‘aś/וַיַּעַשׂ : consecutive ‏‏wᵉ/‏וְ + Qal imperfect of ‏‘āśâ/‏עָשָׂה : and ... made.
‏’ᵉlōhîm/אֱלֹהִים : God.
‏’et/אֶת : mark of the accusative, indicates direct object.
‏šᵉnê/שְׁנֵי : construct of ‏šᵉnayim/‏שְׁנַיִם : two.
‏hammᵉ’ōrōt/הַמְּאֹרֹת : definite article + plural of ‏mā’ôr/‏מָאוֹר : the lights.
‏haggᵉdōlîm/‏הַגְּדֹלִים : definite article + plural of ‏g̱ādōl/‏‏גָּדוֹל : the great.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:16b):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏אֶת־הַמָּאוֹר הַגָּדֹל לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַיּוֹם

Transliteration:

’et-hammā’ôr haggādōl lᵉmemšelet hayyôm

Translation (NRSV):

the greater light to rule the day

Comment by Hamilton (continued from this post):

16-18 Second, the antimythical thrust of this section is indicated by the order in which the luminaries are listed: sun, moon, stars. This order contrasts with the order of Enuma elish, in which priority is given to the stars, following which Marduk organizes the calender and fixes the polestar. Only then do the moon and sun (in that order) come into play:

He bade the moon come forth;
entrusted night (to him);
assigned to him adornment of the night
to measure time.

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏’et/אֶת : mark of the accusative; indicates direct object.
‏hammā’ôr/הַמָּאוֹר : definite article + ‏mā’ôr/‏מָאוֹר : the luminary.
‏haggādōl/הַגָּדֹל : definite article + ‏g̱ādōl/‏גָּדֹל : the great.
‏lᵉmemšelet/לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת : preposition ‏lᵉ/לְ + construct of noun ‏memšālâ/‏מֶמְשָׁלָה : for rule of.
‏hayyôm/הַיּוֹם : definite article + ‏yôm/‏יוֹם : the day.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:16c):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וְאֶת־הַמָּאוֹר הַקָּטֹן לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַלַּיְלָה

Transliteration:

wᵉ’et-hammā’ôr haqqāṭōn lᵉmemšelet hallaylâ

Translation (NRSV):

and the lesser light to rule the night

Comment by Hamilton (continued from this post):

16-18 In fact, Enuma elish does not record the creation of these lights, for they are "great gods." They are simply placed in their cosmic positions as constellations (stars) or instructed by Marduk (moon and sun). Footnote: It should be noted that Tablet V of Enuma elish provides fairly advanced information about these luminaries, and such details are not found in the biblical account. Thus the epic says that 3 constellations of stars were established for each month to fix the days of the year. The moon exists not only to "adorn the night" but to fix the monthly cycle and maintain a relationship with the sun. C. H. Gordon remarks that "details of this sort reflect the sophistication and scientific superiority of the Babylonians as against the Hebrews who were satisfied with less astronomical data" [...].

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wᵉ’et/וְאֶת : conjunction ‏‏wᵉ/‏וְ + direct object indicator ‏’et/אֶת : and
‏hammā’ôr/הַמָּאוֹ : definite article + ‏mā’ôr/‏מָאוֹר : the luminary.
‏haqqāṭōn/הַקָּטֹן : definite article + ‏qāṭān/‏קָטָן : the small.
‏lᵉmemšelet/לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת : preposition ‏lᵉ/לְ + construct of ‏memšālâ/‏מֶמְשָׁלָה : for rule of.
‏hallaylâ/הַלַּיְלָה : definite article + ‏laylâ/‏לַיְלָה : the night.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:16d):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וְאֵת הַכּוֹכָבִים

Transliteration:

wᵉ’ēt hakkôkābîm

Translation (NRSV):

and the stars.

Comment by Hamilton (continued from this post):

16-18 It is significant that in Genesis 1 the reference to the stars, which is so prominent in pagan cosmogonies, is touched on so briefly and quite anticlimactically. Given the Masoretic Text's word order in verse 16, one may safely describe the creation of the stars as almost an afterthought or a parenthetical addition.

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wᵉ’et/וְאֶת : conjunction ‏‏wᵉ/‏וְ + direct object indicator ‏’et/אֶת : and.
‏hakkôkābîm/הַכּוֹכָבִים : definite article + plural of ‏kōkāb/‏כּוֹכָב : the stars.

From The JPS Torah Commentary, by Nahum M. Sarna:

Significantly, no particular role is assigned to the stars, which are not further discussed. This silence constitutes a tacit repudiation of astrology. Jeremiah 10:2 reads: "Thus said the LORD: / Do not learn to go the way of the nations, / And do not be dismayed by portents in the sky, / Let the nations be dismayed by them!"

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:17):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם לְהָאִיר עַל־הָאָרֶץ

Transliteration:

wayyittēn ’ōtām ’ᵉlōhîm birqîa‘ haššāmāyim lᵉhā’îr ‘al-hā’āreṣ

Translation (NRSV):

God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth,

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wayyittēn/וַיִּתֵּן : consecutive ‏‏wᵉ/‏וְ + Qal imperfect 3 m.s. of ‏‏nātan/‏נָתַן : and he set.
‏’ōtām/אֹתָם : direct object marker ‏’ēt/‏אֵת + pronominal suffix : them.
‏’ᵉlōhîm/אֱלֹהִים : God.
‏‏birqîa‘/‏בִּרְקִיעַ : preposition ‏‏bᵉ/‏‏בְּ + construct ‏rāqı̂a‘/‏‏רָקִיעַ : in the dome of.
‏‏haššāmāyim/‏הַשָּׁמָיִם : definite article + ‏‏šāmayim/‏‏שָׁמַיִם : the sky.
‏‏lᵉhā’îr/‏‏לְהָאִיר : preposition ‏‏lᵉ/‏‏לְ + Hiphil infinitive construct of ‏‏’ōr/‏‏‏אוֹר : to give light.
‏‏‘al/‏‏עַל : upon
‏‏hā’āreṣ/‏‏הָאָרֶץ : definite article + pausal vocalization of ‏‏’ereṣ/‏‏‏אֶרֶץ : the earth.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:18a):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וְלִמְשֹׁל בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה

Transliteration:

wᵉlimšōl bayyôm ûballaylâ

Translation (NRSV):

to rule over the day and over the night

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏wᵉlimšōl/וְלִמְשֹׁל : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + preposition ‏lᵉ/‏לְ + Qal infinitive construct of ‏māšal/‏מָשַׁל : to rule.
‏bayyôm/‏בַּיּוֹם : preposition ‏‏bᵉ/‏‏בְּ + definite article + ‏yôm/‏יּוֹם : over the day.
‏ûballaylâ/‏וּבַלַּיְלָה : conjunction ‏wᵉ/וְ + preposition ‏‏bᵉ/‏‏בְּ + definite article + ‏laylâ/‏לַּיְלָה : and over the night.

[John Reece]

BHS Text (Genesis 1:18b):

‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏וּלֲהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ

Transliteration:

‏ûlᵃhabdîl bên hā’ôr ûbên haḥōšek

Translation (NRSV):

and to separate the light from the darkness.

Glossary (meanings in this contest):

‏‏ûlᵃhabdîl/וּלֲהַבְדִּיל : conj. ‏‏wᵉ/‏וְ‎: + prep. ‏‏‏lᵉ/‏לְ + Hiphil inf. cstr. of ‏‏bādal/‏בָּדַל : and to separate.
‏‏bên/‏בֵּין : construct of ‏‏bayin/‏‏בַּיִן : between.
‏‏hā’ôr/‏הָאוֹר : definite article + ‏‏’ôr/‏אוֹר : the light.
‏‏ûbên/‏וּבֵין : conjunction ‏‏wᵉ/‏וְ‎: + construct of ‏‏bayin/‏‏בַּיִן : and between.
‏‏haḥōšek/‏‏הַחֹשֶׁךְ : definite article + ‏‏ḥōšek/‏‏‏חֹשֶׁךְ : the darkness.