Genesis 30:25

Gen. 30:25 [Samaritan Pentateuch]

ויהי כאשר ילדה רחל את יוסף ויאמר יעקב אל לבן שלחני ואלכה אל מקומי ואל ארצי

And it came to pass, when Raḥel had borne Yosef, that Yaʿaqov said to Lavan, “Send me away, that I may go to my place and to my land.

Gen. 30:25 [Masoretic Text]

וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יָלְדָ֥ה רָחֵ֖ל אֶת־יֹוסֵ֑ף וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־לָבָ֔ן שַׁלְּחֵ֨נִי֙ וְאֵ֣לְכָ֔ה אֶל־מְקֹומִ֖י וּלְאַרְצִֽי׃

And it came to pass, when Raḥel had borne Yosef, that Yaʿaqov said to Lavan, “Send me away, that I may go to my place and to my land.

Morphology

1. וַיְהִ֕י (vayehi) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Introduces a narrative event.
2. כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (kaʾasher) – Root: כאשר (kaʾasher); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “When”; Notes: Introduces a temporal clause.
3. יָלְדָ֥ה (yaledah) – Root: ילד (yalad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “She bore”; Notes: Refers to Raḥel giving birth.
4. רָחֵ֖ל (Raḥel) – Root: רחל (Raḥel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Raḥel”; Notes: Subject of the verb “she bore.”
5. אֶת־יֹוסֵ֑ף (ʾet-Yosef) – Root: יסף (yasaf); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yosef”; Notes: Direct object of “she bore.”
6. וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Marks the beginning of speech.
7. יַעֲקֹב֙ (Yaʿaqov) – Root: יעקב (Yaʿaqov); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Subject of “he said.”
8. אֶל־לָבָ֔ן (ʾel-Lavan) – Root: לבן (Lavan); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “To Lavan”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of the speech.
9. שַׁלְּחֵ֨נִי֙ (shalleḥeni) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Piel imperative 2nd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “Send me away”; Notes: A request from Yaʿaqov.
10. וְאֵ֣לְכָ֔ה (veʾelkhah) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person singular; Translation: “That I may go”; Notes: Expresses Yaʿaqov’s intention.
11. אֶל־מְקֹומִ֖י (ʾel-meqomi) – Root: מקום (maqom); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “To my place”; Notes: Refers to Yaʿaqov’s homeland.
12. וּלְאַרְצִֽי (u-leʾartsi) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “And to my land”; Notes: Emphasizes his desire to return home.

Textual Commentary on Genesis 30:25 – Masoretic Text vs. Samaritan Pentateuch

Comparison of the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch

Genesis 30:25 presents minor grammatical differences between the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP). The key variations involve the verb form for “send me away” and the prepositions used in Yaʿaqov’s request to return to his homeland.

Key Differences

Phonological and Morphological Differences

Qal vs. Piel Form of “Send Me Away” (שלחני vs. שלחני / שַלְּחֵנִי)

• The SP uses the qal form שלחני, a standard verb meaning “send me away.”
• The MT often reads שַלְּחֵנִי, the piel form, which expresses greater intensity or urgency.
• This suggests that the MT presents Yaʿaqov’s request as more forceful, whereas the SP retains a more neutral tone.

Prepositional Difference: “ואל ארצי” vs. “ולארצי”

• The SP explicitly repeats the preposition “ואל” before “ארצי” (and to my land), making the phrase more structured.
• The MT contracts it to “ולארצי”, combining the conjunction “ו” and preposition “ל“.
• This difference is stylistic rather than affecting the meaning.

Textual and Linguistic Implications

• The MT’s piel form suggests Yaʿaqov’s urgency to leave, whereas the SP’s qal form is a standard request.
• The SP’s repetition of “ואל” reflects a tendency toward explicit grammatical structure, while the MT’s contraction is a normal Hebrew convention.
• Despite these differences, both texts preserve the same overall meaning—Yaʿaqov requests to leave Lavan and return to his homeland.

Conclusion

The primary differences between the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch in Genesis 30:25 involve the verb form for “send me away” and the prepositional structure in Yaʿaqov’s request. The MT’s use of the piel form “שַלְּחֵנִי” makes the request more emphatic, whereas the SP’s simpler “שלחני”** conveys a more neutral tone. Additionally, the SP repeats “ואל” (“and to”) before “my land,” while the MT contracts it into “ולארצי.” These differences are grammatical and stylistic, with no change in the overall meaning of the passage.