וְיִצְחָק֙ בָּ֣א מִבֹּ֔וא בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י וְה֥וּא יֹושֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב׃
And Yitsḥaq came from coming to Be’er-laḥai-roi, and he was dwelling in the land of the Negev.
Morphology
- וְיִצְחָק֙ (veYitsḥaq) – Root: צחק (ṣ-ḥ-q); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “And Isaac”; Notes: Subject of the sentence.
- בָּ֣א (ba) – Root: בוא (b-ʾ-w); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “Came”; Notes: Action of Isaac arriving.
- מִבֹּ֔וא (miVo) – Root: בוא (b-ʾ-w); Form: Noun, infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “From coming”; Notes: Indicates motion or origin.
- בְּאֵ֥ר (Be’er) – Root: באר (b-ʾ-r); Form: Noun, fs; Translation: “Well”; Notes: Refers to Beer-lahai-roi.
- לַחַ֖י (laḥai) – Root: חַי (ḥ-y); Form: Noun, ms with preposition; Translation: “Of the living”; Notes: Describes the well.
- רֹאִ֑י (Ro’i) – Root: ראה (r-ʾ-h); Form: Participle, ms with 1cs suffix; Translation: “Who sees me”; Notes: Full name of the location, “Beer-lahai-roi.”
- וְה֥וּא (vehu) – Root: הוא (h-w-ʾ); Form: Pronoun, 3ms; Translation: “And he”; Notes: Refers back to Isaac.
- יֹושֵׁ֖ב (yoshev) – Root: ישב (y-sh-b); Form: Participle, Qal, ms; Translation: “Dwelling”; Notes: Continuous action of living.
- בְּאֶ֥רֶץ (be’eretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Noun, fs with preposition; Translation: “In the land”; Notes: Indicates location.
- הַנֶּֽגֶב (hanegev) – Root: נגב (n-g-v); Form: Noun, ms with definite article; Translation: “Of the Negev”; Notes: Refers to the southern region of Canaan.
Morphological Analysis
וְיִצְחָק֙ (wəyîṣḥāq)
- Root: יצחק (yṣḥq)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “Isaac”
בָּ֣א (bāʾ)
- Root: בוא (bōʾ)
- Form: Qal Perfect 3ms
- Translation: “came”
מִבֹּ֔וא (mibbōʾ)
- Root: בוא (bōʾ)
- Form: Preposition with infinitive construct
- Translation: “from going”
בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י (bəʾēr laḥay roʾî)
- Root: באר (bʾr) / חי (ḥy) / ראה (rʾh)
- Form: Proper noun, place name
- Translation: “Beer-lahai-roi”
וְה֥וּא (wəhūʾ)
- Form: Pronoun, masculine singular
- Translation: “and he”
יֹושֵׁ֖ב (yōšēḇ)
- Root: ישב (yšb)
- Form: Qal Participle ms
- Translation: “was dwelling”
בְּאֶ֥רֶץ (bəʾereṣ)
- Root: ארץ (ʾrṣ)
- Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition
- Translation: “in the land”
הַנֶּֽגֶב (hanneḡeḇ)
- Root: נגב (ngb)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article
- Translation: “the Negev”
Syntax Analysis
The verse opens with וְיִצְחָק֙ בָּ֣א (And Isaac came), indicating the main subject and action. The prepositional phrase מִבֹּ֔וא בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י (from going to Beer-lahai-roi) provides context for where Isaac came from. The clause וְה֥וּא יֹושֵׁ֖ב (for he was dwelling) gives additional information about Isaac’s location, בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב (in the land of the Negev).
Grammatical Analysis
The Qal perfect verb בָּ֣א indicates a completed action (“came”), while the Qal participle יֹושֵׁ֖ב expresses a continuous action (“was dwelling”). The use of מִבֹּ֔וא as a preposition with an infinitive construct adds context to Isaac’s movement.
Lexical Semantics and Word Study
- בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י (Beer-lahai-roi): A significant place name meaning “Well of the Living One Who Sees Me,” associated with divine encounters.
- הַנֶּֽגֶב (the Negev): Refers to the southern region of ancient Israel, often depicted as a desert or semi-arid area.
Textual Criticism
No significant textual variants are noted among major manuscripts for this verse.