Gen. 30:37b [Samaritan Pentateuch]
ויקח לו יעקב מקל לבנה לח ולוז וערמון ויפצל בהם פצלות לבנות מחשף הלבן אשר על המקלות
And Yaʿaqov took for himself a rod of fresh white poplar, almond, and plane tree, and he peeled white peelings in them, exposing the white that was on the rods.
Gen. 30:37 [Masoretic Text]
וַיִּֽקַּֽח־לֹ֣ו יַעֲקֹ֗ב מַקַּ֥ל לִבְנֶ֛ה לַ֖ח וְל֣וּז וְעֶרְמֹ֑ון וַיְפַצֵּ֤ל בָּהֵן֙ פְּצָלֹ֣ות לְבָנֹ֔ות מַחְשֹׂף֙ הַלָּבָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמַּקְלֹֽות׃
And Yaʿaqov took for himself rods of fresh white poplar, almond, and plane tree, and he peeled white peelings in them, exposing the white that was on the rods.
Morphology
- וַיִּֽקַּֽח־לֹ֣ו (vayyiqqaḥ-lo) – Root: לקח (laqakh); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And he took for himself”; Notes: Narrative past action.
- יַעֲקֹ֗ב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: יעקב (Yaʿaqov); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Name of the patriarch.
- מַקַּ֥ל (maqqal) – Root: מקל (maqqal); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “rod”; Notes: Refers to a stick or staff.
- לִבְנֶ֛ה (livneh) – Root: לבן (lavan); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “white poplar”; Notes: Type of tree.
- לַ֖ח (laḥ) – Root: לח (laḥ); Form: Adjective, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “fresh”; Notes: Describes the state of the wood.
- וְל֣וּז (veluz) – Root: לוז (luz); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “almond”; Notes: Refers to the almond tree.
- וְעֶרְמֹ֑ון (ve-ʿermon) – Root: ערמון (ʿermon); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “plane tree”; Notes: A type of tree.
- וַיְפַצֵּ֤ל (vayefatztzel) – Root: פצל (patztzel); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he peeled”; Notes: Intensive action.
- בָּהֵן֙ (bahein) – Root: ב (be) + הן (hein); Form: Preposition with 3rd person feminine plural suffix; Translation: “in them”; Notes: Refers to the rods.
- פְּצָלֹ֣ות (petzalot) – Root: פצל (patztzel); Form: Noun, feminine plural absolute; Translation: “peelings”; Notes: Refers to what was peeled off.
- לְבָנֹ֔ות (levanot) – Root: לבן (lavan); Form: Adjective, feminine plural absolute; Translation: “white”; Notes: Describes the color of the peeling.
- מַחְשֹׂף֙ (maḥsof) – Root: חשף (ḥasaf); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “exposing”; Notes: Indicates the act of uncovering.
- הַלָּבָ֔ן (hallavan) – Root: לבן (lavan); Form: Adjective, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “the white”; Notes: Describes the peeled surface.
- אֲשֶׁ֖ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- עַל־ (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “on”; Notes: Indicates location.
- הַמַּקְלֹֽות׃ (hammaqqelot) – Root: מקל (maqqal); Form: Noun, masculine plural definite; Translation: “the rods”; Notes: Refers to the wooden sticks.
Textual Commentary on Genesis 30:37b
| Feature | Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) | Masoretic Text (MT) | Effect on Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spelling of “Rod” | מקל (maqel, “rod”) | מקל (maqel, “rod”) | No difference in meaning; identical root and function. |
| Tree Names | לבנה לח ולוז וערמון (livneh laḥ ve-luz ve-armon, “white poplar, almond, and plane tree”) | לבנה לח ולוז וערמון (livneh laḥ ve-luz ve-armon, “white poplar, almond, and plane tree”) | Identical wording in both texts. |
| Verb Form: “He Peeled in Them” | ויפצל בהם (vayefatzel bahem, “and he peeled in them”) | ויפצל בהן (vayefatzel bahem, “and he peeled in them”) | Minor spelling difference in the preposition; no effect on meaning. |
| Spelling of “White Peelings” | פצלות לבנות (petzalot levanot, “white peelings”) | פצלות לבנות (petzalot levanot, “white peelings”) | No difference in meaning or function. |
| Spelling of “Exposing the White” | מחשף הלבן (machshef ha-lavan, “exposing the white”) | מחשף הלבן (machshef ha-lavan, “exposing the white”) | Identical in both texts. |
Analysis of Key Differences
The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) and Masoretic Text (MT) in this verse are almost entirely identical, with only a minor spelling variation in the preposition used in “he peeled in them” (בהם vs. בהן). This does not affect the meaning.
Textual and Linguistic Implications
The minor spelling variation is an example of scribal tendencies rather than a meaningful textual divergence. Both texts describe the same process with no theological or interpretive differences.
Conclusion
The difference in Genesis 30:37b between the MT and SP is purely orthographic and does not alter the meaning of the verse in any way. The two texts are functionally identical in this passage.
