This is the final post in a series intended to provide reading practice and insights via the Creation Story. To quickly learn the reading fundamentals see ‘Learn To Read The Hebrew Old Testament In A Single Lesson’.
For this post, we will be using a slightly different format. After the Letter Meaning Chart, the Reading Portion will be given without the prefixes and suffixes indicated – and then the Related Glossary will follow. If you get stumped with identifying a root word, a version of the text with prefixes and suffixes indicated with enlarged letters can be found at the end of this post.
What’s New
In this lesson you will encounter the word שבת for which there are two possible root words: שוב and ישב. This word has been a major source of debate among scholars. You will have to reason for yourself what the word was originally intended to mean.
Genesis 2 : 1 – 4
Genesis 2 : 1 – 4 Glossary
Word entries are of the form:
Hebrew Word – Equivalent English Letters – Meanings –
Word Construction / Notes and Explanations –
Derived Words (if any)
אלה ALH oath / these / to be
אלהים = Elohim (God, the Creator) + ה = be (exist)
– This corresponds to the common phrase found in the scriptures, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’.
also: אל = for + ה = be
אלהים ALHYM God as Creator
אל = God+ ה = be + י = bring forth + ם = physical
also: ‘first… far reaching… be… bring forth… physical’
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.
אשר AShR which
‘first… doubles… body’
את ATh et (this word connects a following detail to a previous verb)
‘source… together’
ברא BRA create
ב = devotion + ראה = see
or: ב = with + ראה = see
ברך BRK bless
‘devotion… body… carry’
ברך BRK reservoir (where camels kneel)
ב = with + דרך = road
ברכה BRKH pool
השביעי HShBYOY the seventh
ה = be + שוב = return + י = make + ע = seen + י = bring
-first occurs in Genesis 2:2 as ‘the seventh’ day when God finished his work and שבת Shabbat (Sabbath) from all he created.
יום YWM day
‘bring forth… add to… physical
ילד YLD bring forth / birth
‘bring… extending… connection’
or: ‘bring… extending… path through’
מולדת MWLDTh native land
תולדות ThWLDWTh generations
ישב YShB dwell / sit down
‘bring … fill… tent’
מושב MWShB dwelling / seat
תושב ThWShB sojourner
שבות ShBWTh captivity
כל KL end / complete / finish / all
‘vessel (or carry)… extending’
– the furthest extremity of a vessel is it’s end.
מלאך MLAK work
‘physical… far reaching… source… hand’
עשה OShH make
‘seen… fill… be’
or: ‘seen… doubles… be’
– referring to fashioning rather than inventing.
צבא TsBA army / war / host / collection / serve
צ = formation + בוא = come in
קדש QDSh holy / set apart / cult prostitute
‘venerated (God)… connection… fill’
שבת ShBTh Sabbath / rest / cease
‘fill… devotion… together’
or: שוב = turn back + ת = together
שוב ShWB return / turn back
‘fill… add to… tent’
– the required action to add something to one’s tent, it must first be brought back to the tent.
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.
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