Gen. 29:34 [Samaritan Pentateuch]
ותהר עוד ותלד בן ותאמר עתה הפעם ילוה אישי אלי כי ילדתי לו שלושה בנים על כן קראה שמו לוי
And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore, she called his name Levi.
Gen. 29:34 [Masoretic Text]
וַתַּ֣הַר עֹוד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר עַתָּ֤ה הַפַּ֨עַם֙ יִלָּוֶ֤ה אִישִׁי֙ אֵלַ֔י כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי לֹ֖ו שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמֹ֖ו לֵוִֽי׃
And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore, his name was called Levi.
Morphology
- וַתַּ֣הַר (va-tahar) – Root: הרה (harah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And she conceived”; Notes: Refers to Leʾah becoming pregnant again.
- עֹוד֮ (ʿod) – Root: עוד (ʿod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “again”; Notes: Indicates repetition of pregnancy.
- וַתֵּ֣לֶד (va-teled) – Root: ילד (yalad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And she bore”; Notes: Refers to giving birth.
- בֵּן֒ (ben) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a son”; Notes: Direct object of the verb.
- וַתֹּ֗אמֶר (va-tomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And she said”; Notes: Refers to Leʾah speaking.
- עַתָּ֤ה (ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿattah); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Now”; Notes: Indicates expectation of change.
- הַפַּ֨עַם֙ (ha-paʿam) – Root: פעם (paʿam); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “this time”; Notes: Refers to a moment of significance.
- יִלָּוֶ֤ה (yillaveh) – Root: לוה (lava); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will be joined”; Notes: Expresses Leʾah’s hope for connection with her husband.
- אִישִׁי֙ (ishi) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Noun, masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my husband”; Notes: Refers to Yaʿaqov.
- אֵלַ֔י (elay) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates expectation of affection.
- כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי (ki-yaladti) – Root: ילד (yalad); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “because I have borne”; Notes: Expresses causation.
- לֹ֖ו (lo) – Root: לו (lo); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Yaʿaqov.
- שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה (sheloshah) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Cardinal number, masculine singular; Translation: “three”; Notes: Quantifies the sons.
- בָנִ֑ים (banim) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Direct object of the verb.
- עַל־כֵּ֥ן (ʿal-ken) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Preposition + adverb; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Indicates a reason for the naming.
- קָרָֽא־שְׁמֹ֖ו (qara-shemo) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + noun construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his name was called”; Notes: Refers to the naming process.
- לֵוִֽי (Levi) – Root: לוי (Levi); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Levi”; Notes: Derived from the root meaning “to join.”
Textual Commentary on Genesis 29:34
Genesis 29:34 presents a minor but notable difference between the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP). The MT leaves the subject of the naming ambiguous, whereas the SP explicitly states that Leah named Levi.
Key Differences
| Feature | Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) | Masoretic Text (MT) | Effect on Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| “And she conceived again and bore a son” | ותהר עוד ותלד בן (vatahar ʿod vateled ben) | ותהר עוד ותלד בן (vatahar ʿod vateled ben) | Identical wording. |
| “Now this time my husband will be joined to me” | ותאמר עתה הפעם ילוה אישי אלי (vatomer ʿattah hapaʿam yillaveh ishi elai) | ותאמר עתה הפעם ילוה אישי אלי (vatomer ʿattah hapaʿam yillaveh ishi elai) | No difference in meaning. |
| “Because I have borne him three sons” | כי ילדתי לו שלושה בנים (ki yaladti lo shloshah banim) | כי ילדתי לו שלושה בנים (ki yaladti lo shloshah banim) | Identical meaning. |
| “Therefore, she called his name Levi” vs. “Therefore, his name was called Levi” | על כן קראה שמו לוי (ʿal ken qarʾah shemo Levi) | על כן קרא שמו לוי (ʿal ken qaraʾ shemo Levi) | The SP explicitly states “she called his name Levi”, while the MT leaves the subject ambiguous, potentially implying divine involvement. |
Phonological and Morphological Differences
Explicit Naming of Levi in the SP
- The MT states “his name was called Levi” (קרא שמו לוי), using a third-person singular verb without a clear subject.
- The SP explicitly states that “she called his name Levi” (קראה שמו לוי), identifying Leah as the one who named him.
- This change reflects a Samaritan scribal tendency to clarify ambiguous subjects rather than leave them implied.
Potential Theological Implications
- The MT’s passive structure allows for an interpretation where God, Jacob, or someone else might have named Levi.
- The SP removes any ambiguity by directly attributing the naming to Leah.
- Both versions agree on the reason for the name Levi—because Leah had now given birth to three sons and hoped her husband would be attached to her.
Textual and Linguistic Implications
- The MT’s ambiguous verb form is common in biblical narratives, where passive constructions sometimes imply divine involvement.
- The SP’s explicit mention of Leah follows a pattern observed in other Samaritan readings, where clarifications are made for readability.
- Despite this difference, the core meaning remains unchanged in both texts.
Conclusion
The main difference between the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch in Genesis 29:34 is the explicit identification of Leah as the one who named Levi in the SP, whereas the MT leaves the subject ambiguous. This difference does not alter the overall message but reflects a Samaritan tendency to remove potential ambiguities in the text. Both texts confirm that Leah named Levi based on her belief that her husband would now be attached to her because of her three sons.