Gen. 26:35 [Samaritan Pentateuch]
ותהיינה מֹרת רוח ליצחק ולרבקה
Gen. 26:35 [Masoretic Text]
וַתִּהְיֶ֖יןָ מֹ֣רַת ר֑וּחַ לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּלְרִבְקָֽה׃ ס
And they became a source of bitterness of spirit to Yitsḥaq and to Rivqa.
Morphology
- וַתִּהְיֶ֖יןָ (vattihyenah) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3fp with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And they became”; Notes: Refers to the wives of Esav.
- מֹ֣רַת (morat) – Root: מרר (m-r-r); Form: Noun, construct, fs; Translation: “bitterness”; Notes: Indicates emotional distress or grief.
- רוּחַ (ruaḥ) – Root: רוח (r-w-ḥ); Form: Noun, fs; Translation: “spirit”; Notes: Often denotes one’s inner being or emotional state.
- לְיִצְחָ֖ק (leYitsḥaq) – Root: צחק (ṣ-ḥ-q); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Yitsḥaq”; Notes: Marks the recipient of the bitterness.
- וּלְרִבְקָֽה (u-leRivqa) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction + preposition + proper noun; Translation: “and to Rivqa”; Notes: Indicates Rivqa as an additional recipient of the bitterness.
Textual Commentary on Genesis 26:35
The word וַתִּהְיֶ֖יןָ appears in the Masoretic Text (MT), while the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) reads ותהיינה. The difference between these forms is both morphological and phonological, reflecting distinct traditions of Hebrew pronunciation and textual transmission.
Comparison of Variants
| Text | Variant | Transliteration | Parsing | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masoretic Text (MT) | וַתִּהְיֶ֖יןָ | watihyen | Qal imperfect 3rd feminine plural with vav-consecutive | Pausal form | The final -ה (heh) drops, a common phenomenon in pausal positions. |
| Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) | ותהיינה | watehiyenah | Qal imperfect 3rd feminine plural with vav-consecutive | Standard form | Retains the full final -ה (heh), following a different scribal tradition. |
Phonological and Morphological Considerations
- Masoretic Text (MT) – וַתִּהְיֶ֖יןָ
- This form appears at the end of the clause, where Hebrew words often shorten in pronunciation.
- The final –ה (heh) drops, resulting in a form ending in -ן (-n) instead.
- This follows a common pausal shift in Biblical Hebrew, similar to:
- יָשְׁבוּ → יָשָֽׁבוּ (yashəvū → yāshāvu, “they dwelled”)
- אָדָם → אָדֹם (ʾādām → ʾādōm, “man”)
- Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) – ותהיינה
- Retains the full –ה (heh) ending, showing a non-pausal pronunciation.
- Represents the standard form of the verb, without phonetic contraction.
- The SP often preserves alternative scribal traditions that may reflect older readings or dialectal variations.
Textual and Theological Implications
- The MT reading וַתִּהְיֶ֖יןָ follows the Masoretic scribal tradition, incorporating pausal forms where necessary.
- The SP reading ותהיינה reflects a scribal preference for preserving the full, uncontracted form of the verb.
- These differences are phonetic and orthographic, without affecting the meaning or syntax of the verse.
Conclusion
The difference between וַתִּהְיֶ֖יןָ (MT) and ותהיינה (SP) is morphological and phonetic rather than semantic. The Masoretic text employs a pausal form, while the Samaritan text retains the full form. This distinction reflects variations in scribal transmission rather than a fundamental change in meaning.