Genesis 30:8

Gen. 30:8 [Samaritan Pentateuch]

ותאמר רחל נפתלי אלהים נפתלתי עם אחתי וגם יכלתי ותקרא את שמו נפתלי

And Raḥel said, ‘With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and I have also prevailed.’ And she called his name Naftali.

Gen. 30:8 [Masoretic Text]

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר רָחֵ֗ל נַפְתּוּלֵ֨י אֱלֹהִ֧ים נִפְתַּ֛לְתִּי עִם־אֲחֹתִ֖י גַּם־יָכֹ֑לְתִּי וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמֹ֖ו נַפְתָּלִֽי׃

And Raḥel said, “With mighty wrestlings  I have wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed.” And she called his name Naftali.

Morphology

1. וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (vattōmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And she said”; Notes: Refers to Raḥel speaking.
2. רָחֵ֗ל (Raḥel) – Root: רָחֵל (Raḥel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Raḥel”; Notes: Subject of the verb “said.”
3. נַפְתּוּלֵ֨י (naftulê) – Root: פתל (ptl); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “wrestlings of”; Notes: Refers to struggles.
4. אֱלֹהִ֧ים (ʾElohim) – Root: אלוהים (ʾElohim); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “God”; Notes: Used in construct with “wrestlings.”
5. נִפְתַּ֛לְתִּי (niftalti) – Root: פתל (ptl); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have wrestled”; Notes: Reflexive/passive nuance.
6. עִם־אֲחֹתִ֖י (ʿim-aḥoti) – Root: אחות (aḥot); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “with my sister”; Notes: Indicates struggle with Leah.
7. גַּם־יָכֹ֑לְתִּי (gam-yakholti) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I have prevailed”; Notes: Expresses triumph.
8. וַתִּקְרָ֥א (vattiqra) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And she called”; Notes: Raḥel naming the child.
9. שְׁמֹ֖ו (shemō) – Root: שם (shem); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his name”; Notes: Refers to the newborn child.
10. נַפְתָּלִֽי׃ (Naftali) – Root: פתל (ptl); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Naftali”; Notes: Name given to the child.

Textual Commentary on Genesis 30:8

Genesis 30:8 presents a minor grammatical difference between the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP). The primary variation is in the phrase “With the wrestlings of God I have wrestled”, where the SP lacks the dual form of “wrestlings” found in the MT, simplifying the expression.

Key Differences

Phonological and Morphological Differences

Singular vs. Dual Form of “Wrestlings” (נפתולי vs. נפתלי)

• The MT uses נפתולי, a dual form of “wrestlings,” possibly emphasizing multiple struggles.
• The SP simplifies it to נפתלי, treating it as a singular or collective noun.
• Both convey the same idea: Raḥel sees her struggle for children as a “wrestling match” with her sister.

Inclusion of את in the SP

• The SP includes את שמו (“et shemo”), explicitly marking “his name” as the object of the verb.
• The MT omits את, relying on the word order to indicate that Raḥel named Naftali.
• This follows a known Samaritan scribal tendency to include את where the MT often omits it.

Textual and Linguistic Implications

• The MT’s dual form of “wrestlings” (נפתולי) may suggest intensified or repeated struggles, whereas the SP presents it in a simpler form.
• The SP’s additional את in ותקרא את שמו is a minor stylistic variation, making the sentence slightly more explicit.
• Both texts confirm the same overall meaning—Raḥel sees her rivalry with her sister as a contest, and she names her son Naftali as a reflection of that struggle.

Conclusion

The differences between the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch in Genesis 30:8 are minor and do not affect the meaning of the passage. The MT’s dual form נפתולי emphasizes multiple struggles, while the SP simplifies it as נפתלי. The SP also includes את in the naming phrase, reflecting a scribal tendency toward explicit object markers. These variations do not alter the theological or narrative message, as both texts confirm that Raḥel viewed her struggle for children as a form of divine wrestling.