The posts in this series are intended to follow the post: ‘Learn To Read The Hebrew Old Testament In A Single Lesson’ as convenient supplemental reading practice.  Basic instructions for how to read Hebrew can be found in the above mentioned post.

We will use the format of Letter Meaning Chart – followed by the Reading Portion with prefixes and suffixes indicated with enlarged letters – and then the Related Glossary so that all the words in the portion may be easily looked up.

The original lesson post had covered Genesis 1:1-2, so here we will continue with Genesis 1:3-5.

 

What’s New

In this segment you will encounter the prefix י (Yod) being used for two different meanings.

You will also discover an interesting concept in the story that didn’t make it into the common English translations.  But I’ll let you discover it for yourself.

Hint: You may find it helpful to write down your translations so that you won’t have to keep as much information in mind at once.   Also, if you need a reminder, a chart of letter names and sounds can be found after the Glossary section.

 

 

 

Genesis 1 : 3 – 5

 

Genesis 1 : 3 – 5 Glossary

 

Word entries are of the form: 

Hebrew Word – Equivalent English Letters – Meanings –

Word Construction / Notes and Explanations –

Derived Words (if any)

 

אור    AWR      light / Ur (a city)

‘first… add to… body’

אורים   AWRYM    lights / Urim (of priestly lots)             

מארת   MARTh    luminary

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אחד   AChD      one

‘first… separate… connection’

– first occurs in Genesis 1:5 as the ‘first’ day when God created light and separated it from darkness.

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אלהים     ALHYM      God as Creator         

אל = God+ ה = be + י = bring forth + ם = physical

also: ‘first… far reaching… be… bring forth… physical’

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אמר   AMR      speak

‘source… physical… body’

– reflects the belief that everything is spoken into existence.  This word was used in the Creation Story.

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את     ATh      et   (this word connects a following detail to a previous verb)

‘source… together’

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בדל    BDL     piece / separate

בד = separate + ל = far reaching

– describes a piece removed from something.

also: ‘tent… door… extending’

– referring to a closed door’s function ‘to separate’

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בין     BYN     space between / an interval / understand

‘tent… bring forth … ahead’

– perhaps the difference between now and then.

תבונה  ThBWNH    understanding

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בקר      BQR      dawn / morning / cattle / seek   

בקע  = split + ר  = body

– perhaps a reference to the sun appearing as half on the horizon.

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היה      HYH     be / exist

‘the… bring forth… be’

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חשך   ChShK     darkness / spare / refrain

‘separate… fill… vessel’

If you separate the (once common) stone or clay jar (vessel) from what fills it, what remains in it is ‘darkness’.

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טוב    TWB     pleasing / good

– derived from יטב  (‘bring… surround… tent’)

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יום     YWM     day

‘bring forth… add to… physical’

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כי    KY     that

‘carry… bring’

– for example: ‘he saw that (it was) good’  means ‘he saw carry bring good’.

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לילה     LYLH       night

‘extending… make… far reaching… be’

– perhaps describing the cause of days.

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ערב     ORB      evening / pledge / exchange / raven

‘seen… man… tent’

– the time when men return to their tents.

מערב  MORB    west

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קרא   QRA     proclaim

‘venerated… body… source’

or:  ק = enduring + ראה  = see

– this word is used in the scriptures meaning ‘said’ when someone or something is being named.

מקרא  MQRA    convocation

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ראה     RAH     see                                     

‘body… source… be’

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