This is the fourth installment in a series providing practice and insights into reading the Hebrew Scriptures. To learn the fundamentals start with the post: ‘Learn To Read The Hebrew Old Testament In A Single Lesson’.
We are using 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.
What’s New
Today, in addition to the word forms we’ve become familiar with in previous reading sessions, you will also come across important variations in spellings.
There are a few plurals in this section.
And there is a very clever use of a common word.
Hint: If a word doesn’t seem to be making sense in the context, try looking for different ways to read the word.
Genesis 1 : 14 – 19
Genesis 1 : 14 – 19 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
אות AWTh sign
‘source… add to… together’
– since a sign is representative of something else, it is thought of as added to it.
אלהים ALHYM God as Creator
אל = God+ ה = be + י = bring forth + ם = physical
also: ‘first… far reaching… be… bring forth… physical’
אמר AMR speak
‘source… physical… body’
– reflects the belief that everything is spoken into existence. This word was used in the Creation Story.
ארץ ARTs earth
‘source…body… formation’
also: ‘first… body… formation’
– refers to the first physical ‘body’ that God created, being earth, from which all living bodies were made. See Genesis 1 and 2.
את ATh et (this word connects a following detail to a previous verb)
‘source… together’
אתה AThH you
‘source… together… be’
– this word is relative to the source (the speaker) of what is being said.
את ATh you
אתם AThM you
אתן AThN you
בדל BDL piece / separate
בד = separate + ל = far reaching
בין BYN space between / an interval / understand
‘tent… bring forth … ahead’
– perhaps the difference between now and then.
תבונה ThBWNH understanding
בקר BQR dawn / morning / cattle / seek
בקע = split + ר = body
– perhaps a reference to the sun appearing as half on the horizon.
גדל GDL great
‘gather… path through… far reaching’
– either indicating a large size or considers an expanse invaded and conquered.
מגדל MGDL tower
היה HYH be / exist
‘the… bring forth… be’
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’.
טוב TWB pleasing / good
– derived from יטב (‘bring… surround… tent’).
יום YWM day
‘bring forth… add to… physical
כוכב KWKB star
‘as like… add to… vessel… tent’
– may be an analogy referring to the specks of light that shine through the tent covering.
כי KY that
‘carry… bring’
– for example: ‘he saw that (it was) good’ means ‘he saw carry bring good’.
כן KN thus / so / base
‘as like… ahead’
– ‘as like’ is a comparison meaning ‘similar’. Therefore, for example: ‘it should be thus’ means ‘it should be as like ahead’ or ‘it should be similar ahead’.
לילה LYLH night
‘extending… make… far reaching… be’
– perhaps describing the cause of days.
משל MShL to be like / rule / use a proverb
‘physical… doubles… far reaching’
– ‘doubles’ represents two or more similar things. ‘Far reaching’ refers to distance.
also: ‘physical… fill… extending’.
-perhaps referring to extent of one’s presence or influence.
נתן NThN give
‘begin… together… ahead’
אתנן AThNN wages
מתנה MThNH gifts
עד OD up to / perpetually
‘perceived… path through’
מועד MWOD appointment / set time / season
בעדת BODTh congregation / assembly
על OL above / yoke
‘seen… far reaching’
– the furthest man could see (back then) was by looking up.
עליון OLYWN most high
ערב ORB evening / pledge / exchange / raven
‘seen… man… tent’
– the time when men return to their tents.
מערב MORB west
עשה OShH make
‘seen… fill… be’
or: ‘seen… doubles… be’
– referring to fashioning rather than inventing.
קטן QTN small
‘enduring… hidden… ahead’
or: ‘enduring… surround… ahead’.
ראה RAH see
‘body… source… be’
רביעי RBYOY fourth
‘body… devotion… make… seen… bring forth’
or: רבה = many + י = make + ע = seen + י = bring forth
– first occurs in Genesis 1:19 as the ‘fourth’ day when God created the stars and the lights in the sky (the sun and moon) to rule over day and night.
רקע RQO spread / hammer / stamp
רק = thin + ע = seen
רקיע RQYO expanse
שמים ShMYM heaven
ש = fill + מים = water
– may refer to day two of the Creation Story when God created the heaven in the midst of the waters.
שנה ShNH year / two / change / sleep
‘fill… emerging… shall be’
– possibly referring to an annual harvest.
or: ‘doubles… ahead… be’
– referring to a repeated cycle of seasons.
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