Gen. 28:18 [Samaritan Pentateuch]
וישכם יעקב בבקר ויקח את האבן אשר שם מראישתו וישם אתה מצבה ויצק שמן על ראשה
And Yaʿaqov rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had placed as his headrest and set it as a pillar, and he poured oil on its top.
Gen. 28:18 [Masoretic Text]
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָאֶ֨בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה וַיִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ׃
And Yaʿaqov rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had placed as his headrest and set it as a pillar, and he poured oil on its top.
Morphology
- וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם (vayyaškem) – Root: שׁכם (š-k-m); Form: Verb, Hiphil, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he rose early”; Notes: Indicates diligence or promptness in action.
- יַעֲקֹ֜ב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: The subject of the verb.
- בַּבֹּ֗קֶר (babboqer) – Root: בקר (b-q-r); Form: Noun, ms with preposition; Translation: “In the morning”; Notes: Specifies the time of action.
- וַיִּקַּ֤ח (vayyíqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he took”; Notes: Refers to physical action of acquisition.
- אֶת־הָאֶ֨בֶן֙ (ʾet-haʾeven) – Root: אבן (ʾ-v-n); Form: Direct object marker + noun, fs with definite article; Translation: “The stone”; Notes: Refers to the object of the action.
- אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם (ʾašer-sam) – Root: שם (š-m); Form: Relative pronoun + verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “That he had placed”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו (meraʾašotav) – Root: ראשה (r-ʾ-š); Form: Noun, mp with 3ms suffix; Translation: “As his headrest”; Notes: Indicates the position of the stone.
- וַיָּ֥שֶׂם (vayyásem) – Root: שם (š-m); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he set”; Notes: Describes the placement of the stone.
- אֹתָ֖הּ (ʾotah) – Root: N/A; Form: Direct object marker + 3fs suffix; Translation: “It”; Notes: Refers to the stone.
- מַצֵּבָ֑ה (maṣṣevah) – Root: נצב (n-ṣ-v); Form: Noun, fs; Translation: “As a pillar”; Notes: Denotes a commemorative or sacred structure.
- וַיִּצֹ֥ק (vayyíṣoq) – Root: יצק (y-ṣ-q); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he poured”; Notes: Action of pouring a liquid.
- שֶׁ֖מֶן (šemen) – Root: שמן (š-m-n); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “Oil”; Notes: Used for consecration.
- עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ (ʿal-rošah) – Root: ראש (r-ʾ-š); Form: Preposition + noun, ms with 3fs suffix; Translation: “On its top”; Notes: Indicates the location of the oil.
Textual Commentary on Genesis 28:18
Genesis 28:18 presents minor but meaningful differences between the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP). The variations primarily affect the description of Yaʿaqov’s headrest and minor orthographic differences that do not change the overall meaning.
Key Differences
| Feature | Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) | Masoretic Text (MT) | Effect on Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb “rose early” | וישכם יעקב בבקר (wayyaškem Yaʿaqov babbōqer) | וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר (wayyaškem Yaʿaqov babbōqer) | Identical phrasing. |
| “The stone that he had placed as his headrest” | את האבן אשר שם מראישתו (ʾet hāʾeven ʾašer sām mərāʾišātō) | אֶת־הָאֶ֨בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו (ʾet-hāʾeven ʾašer sām mərāʾašōtāw) | SP uses “his headrest” (singular), while MT uses “his head” (plural), implying a possible difference in how many stones were used. |
| “And set it as a pillar” | וישם אתה מצבה (wayyāśem ʾōtāh maṣṣēḇāh) | וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה (wayyāśem ʾōtāh maṣṣēḇāh) | Identical wording and meaning. |
| “And he poured oil on its top” | ויצק שמן על ראשה (wayyiṣoq šemen ʿal rōʾšāh) | וַיִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ (wayyiṣoq šemen ʿal-rōʾšāh) | Same wording with no change in meaning. |
Phonological and Morphological Differences
Use of “His Head” vs. “His Headrest”
- The MT uses מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו (mərāʾašōtāw), which is a plural form meaning “his head (place).” This could imply multiple stones or a general reference to a place of rest.
- The SP uses מראישתו (mərāʾišātō), a singular form meaning “his headrest” or “his pillow.”
- This difference suggests that in the MT, Yaʿaqov arranged multiple stones, while in the SP, he placed a single stone under his head.
Stylistic Differences in Expression
- Both texts maintain identical sentence structure, with the only variation being in “his head” vs. “his headrest.”
- The Samaritan textmtends to have simpler, more direct phrasing, which may reflect a scribal preference for clarity.
Textual and Linguistic Implications
- The plural form in the MT could imply that Yaʿaqov used multiple stones and possibly rearranged them into a resting place.
- The singular form in the SP could indicate that Yaʿaqov only took one stone, making the description more specific.
- Both texts preserve the same essential narrative, and the difference does not affect the overall meaning of the verse.
Conclusion
The primary variation between the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch in Genesis 28:18 is the difference between מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו (“his head”) in the MT and מראישתו (“his headrest”) in the SP. This singular vs. plural distinction slightly affects how Yaʿaqov’s action is visualized but does not change the meaning of the passage. The MT suggests multiple stones, while the SP implies a single stone as a headrest. Despite this, both texts convey the same core idea: Yaʿaqov stopped at a place for the night, took a stone (or stones), and lay down to sleep.
