Gen. 28:9 [Samaritan Pentateuch]
וילך עשו ויקח את מחלת בת ישמעאל בן אברהם אחות נבאות על נשיו לו לאשה
And ʿEsav went and took Maḥalat, the daughter of Yishmaʿel, son of Avraham, sister of Nevayot, to be his wife, in addition to his wives.
Gen. 28:9 [Masoretic Text]
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל וַיִּקַּ֡ח אֶֽת־מָחֲלַ֣ת בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֲחֹ֧ות נְבָיֹ֛ות עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו לֹ֥ו לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ ס
And ʿEsav went to Yishmaʿel and took Maḥalat, the daughter of Yishmaʿel, son of Avraham, sister of Nevayot, to be his wife, in addition to his wives.
Morphology
- וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ (va-yelekh) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he went”; Notes: Describes ʿEsav’s action to approach Yishmaʿel.
- עֵשָׂ֖ו (ʿEsav) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “ʿEsav”; Notes: Refers to Esau, the son of Yitsḥaq.
- אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵ֑אל (el-Yishmaʿel) – Root: שמע (sh-m-ʿ); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “To Yishmaʿel”; Notes: Indicates the destination or person he went to.
- וַיִּקַּ֡ח (va-yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he took”; Notes: Denotes the act of taking Maḥalat as his wife.
- אֶֽת־מָחֲלַ֣ת (et-Maḥalat) – Root: N/A; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Maḥalat”; Notes: Refers to the daughter of Yishmaʿel.
- בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל (bat-Yishmaʿel) – Root: בת (b-t); Form: Noun, fs construct + proper noun; Translation: “Daughter of Yishmaʿel”; Notes: Identifies her lineage.
- בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם (ben-Avraham) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Noun, ms construct + proper noun; Translation: “Son of Avraham”; Notes: Further specifies her family origin.
- אֲחֹ֧ות נְבָיֹ֛ות (aḥot-Nevayot) – Root: אחות (ʾ-ḥ-w-t); Form: Noun, fs construct + proper noun; Translation: “Sister of Nevayot”; Notes: Adds detail about her sibling relationship.
- עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו (ʿal-nashav) – Root: אשה (ʾ-sh-h); Form: Preposition + noun, mp with 3ms suffix; Translation: “In addition to his wives”; Notes: Indicates she became an additional wife.
- לֹ֥ו (lo) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “To him”; Notes: Denotes possession or relationship.
- לְאִשָּֽׁה (le-ishah) – Root: אשה (ʾ-sh-h); Form: Noun, fs with preposition; Translation: “As a wife”; Notes: Finalizes her role in relation to ʿEsav.
Textual Commentary on Genesis 28:9
Genesis 28:9 presents minor but notable textual differences between the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP). The key variations involve the movement of ʿEsav, the reference to Yishmaʿel, and slight syntactical changes that reflect scribal transmission traditions.
Key Differences
| Feature | Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) | Masoretic Text (MT) | Effect on Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reference to Yishmaʿel | (Absent) | אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵאל (ʾel Yishmaʿel, “to Yishmaʿel”) | SP omits the explicit movement “to Yishmaʿel,” assuming the reader understands it from context. |
| “And took” | ויקח (wayyiqqaḥ) | וַיִּקַּ֡ח (wayyiqqaḥ) | No difference in wording or meaning. |
| Name of Wife | מחלת (Maḥalat) | מָחֲלַ֣ת (Maḥalat) | Identical name, slight vocalization difference. |
| Phrase “daughter of Yishmaʿel, son of Avraham” | בת ישמעאל בן אברהם (bat Yishmaʿel ben Avraham) | בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֨אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֜ם (bat Yishmaʿel ben Avraham) | Identical meaning |
| Reference to Nevayot | אחות נבאות (ʾaḥōt Nəvayot, “sister of Nevayot”) | אֲחֹ֧ות נְבָיֹ֛ות (ʾaḥōt Nəvayot) | Same wording, minor vocalization difference. |
| “To be his wife, in addition to his wives” | על נשיו לו לאשה (ʿal našāw lō ləʾiššāh) | עַל־נָשָׁ֖יו לֹ֥ו לְאִשָּֽׁה (ʿal našāw lō ləʾiššāh) | Identical phrasing and meaning. |
Phonological and Morphological Differences
Reference to Yishmaʿel
- The MT explicitly states that ʿEsav “went to Yishmaʿel” (אֶל־יִשְׁמָעֵאל), making his movement clear.
- The SP omits this phrase, assuming that the reader understands ʿEsav’s destination from context.
- This omission does not change the meaning but reflects a tendency in the SP to simplify or streamline certain narrative elements.
Slight Orthographic Variations
- The spelling of מחלת (Maḥalat) remains the same between both texts, though the MT includes minor vocalization marks.
- Both texts describe her as the “daughter of Yishmaʿel, son of Avraham,” and the phrasing remains identical.
Reference to Nevayot
- Both texts include “sister of Nevayot” as a key identification for Maḥalat.
- The spelling differences in נְבָיֹות vs. נבאות are minor and do not affect pronunciation.
Textual and Linguistic Implications
- The omission of “to Yishmaʿel” in the SP does not affect the meaning but suggests that the Samaritan tradition relied on contextual understanding rather than explicit clarification.
- The SP’s streamlined style may reflect an effort to make the text more readable or could indicate a slightly different scribal tradition.
- Both versions preserve the same core narrative: ʿEsav marries Maḥalat to align himself with Avraham’s lineage.
Conclusion
The differences between the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch in Genesis 28:9 are minor and primarily involve the explicit reference to Yishmaʿel in the MT. The SP assumes this information is understood and does not include it. Other variations, such as minor spelling adjustments, do not alter the meaning of the passage. Both texts emphasize ʿEsav’s attempt to align himself with Avraham’s lineage through marriage, reinforcing the theme of family and covenant continuity.