וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן יָצָ֣א אָחִ֗יו וְיָדֹ֤ו אֹחֶ֨זֶת֙ בַּעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמֹ֖ו יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְיִצְחָ֛ק בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּלֶ֥דֶת אֹתָֽם׃
And afterward his brother came out, and his hand was holding on to the heel of Esav, and his name was called Yaʿaqov. And Yitsḥaq was sixty years old when they were born.
Morphology
- וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן (Veʾaḥarei-khen) – Root: אחר (ʾ-ḥ-r); Form: Adverbial phrase with conjunctive prefix; Translation: “And afterward”; Notes: Indicates the sequence of events.
- יָצָ֣א (Yatsaʾ) – Root: יצא (y-ts-ʾ); Form: Qal, perfect, 3ms; Translation: “He came out”; Notes: Refers to the second twin’s birth.
- אָחִ֗יו (Aḥiv) – Root: אח (ʾ-ḥ); Form: Noun, ms construct with 3ms suffix; Translation: “His brother”; Notes: Refers to the sibling relationship between the two sons.
- וְיָדֹ֤ו (Veyado) – Root: יד (y-d); Form: Noun, fs with 3ms suffix; Translation: “And his hand”; Notes: Indicates the action performed by the newborn.
- אֹחֶ֨זֶת֙ (Oḥezet) – Root: אחז (ʾ-ḥ-z); Form: Qal, participle, fs; Translation: “Holding”; Notes: Describes the grasping action.
- בַּעֲקֵ֣ב (Baʿaqev) – Root: עקב (ʿ-q-v); Form: Noun, ms with בְּ preposition; Translation: “On the heel”; Notes: Refers to the specific part of Esav’s body being grasped.
- עֵשָׂ֔ו (Esav) – Root: עשׂה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Esav”; Notes: Refers to the firstborn twin.
- וַיִּקְרָ֥א (Vayiqra) – Root: קרא (q-r-ʾ); Form: Qal, wayyiqtol (past narrative), 3ms; Translation: “And he called”; Notes: Refers to the naming of the second twin.
- שְׁמֹ֖ו (Shemov) – Root: שם (sh-m); Form: Noun, ms construct with 3ms suffix; Translation: “His name”; Notes: Indicates the giving of the name Yaʿaqov.
- יַעֲקֹ֑ב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: עקב (ʿ-q-v); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: The name reflects the action of holding onto the heel (ʿaqev).
- וְיִצְחָ֛ק (Veyitsḥaq) – Root: צחק (ts-ḥ-q); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “And Yitsḥaq”; Notes: Introduces the father of the twins.
- בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֥ים (Ben-shishim) – Root: שׁשׁ (sh-sh); Form: Noun construct with cardinal number; Translation: “Sixty years old”; Notes: Indicates Yitsḥaq’s age.
- שָׁנָ֖ה (Shanah) – Root: שנה (sh-n-h); Form: Noun, fs; Translation: “Years”; Notes: Specifies the unit of age.
- בְּלֶ֥דֶת (Beledet) – Root: ילד (y-l-d); Form: Infinitive construct with בְּ preposition; Translation: “When she bore”; Notes: Describes the act of Rivqa giving birth.
- אֹתָֽם (Otam) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Direct object marker with 3mp suffix; Translation: “Them”; Notes: Refers to the twins born to Rivqa.
Morphological Analysis
וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן (wəʾaḥărê-kēn)
- Root: אחרי (ʾḥr)
- Form: Preposition with adverb
- Translation: “And afterward”
יָצָ֣א (yāṣāʾ)
- Root: יצא (yṣʾ)
- Form: Qal Perfect 3ms
- Translation: “came out”
אָחִ֗יו (ʾāḥîw)
- Root: אח (ʾḥ)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3ms suffix
- Translation: “his brother”
וְיָדֹ֤ו (wəyādō)
- Root: יד (yd)
- Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 3ms suffix
- Translation: “and his hand”
אֹחֶ֨זֶת֙ (ʾōḥezeṯ)
- Root: אחז (ʾḥz)
- Form: Qal Participle feminine singular
- Translation: “was holding”
בַּעֲקֵ֣ב (baʿăqēḇ)
- Root: עקב (ʿqb)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition
- Translation: “in the heel”
עֵשָׂ֔ו (ʿēśāw)
- Root: עשו (ʿśw)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “Esau”
וַיִּקְרָ֥א (wayyiqrāʾ)
- Root: קרא (qrʾ)
- Form: Qal Imperfect 3ms with conversive vav
- Translation: “And he called”
שְׁמֹ֖ו (šəmō)
- Root: שם (šm)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3ms suffix
- Translation: “his name”
יַעֲקֹ֑ב (yaʿăqōḇ)
- Root: עקב (ʿqb)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “Jacob”
וְיִצְחָ֛ק (wəyīṣḥāq)
- Root: יצחק (yṣḥq)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “And Isaac”
בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֥ים (ben-šiššîm)
- Root: בן (bn) + שׁשׁ (šš)
- Form: Noun construct (“son of”) + numeral
- Translation: “sixty years old”
שָׁנָ֖ה (šānāh)
- Root: שנה (šnh)
- Form: Noun, feminine singular
- Translation: “years”
בְּלֶ֥דֶת (bəleḏeṯ)
- Root: ילד (yld)
- Form: Qal Infinitive construct with preposition
- Translation: “when she bore”
אֹתָֽם (ʾōṯām)
- Root: את (ʾt)
- Form: Direct object marker with 3mp suffix
- Translation: “them”
Syntax Analysis
The verse continues the narrative of the birth of the twins. The phrase וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן יָצָ֣א אָחִ֗יו (“And afterward, his brother came out”) signals the second child’s birth. The clause וְיָדֹ֤ו אֹחֶ֨זֶת֙ בַּעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו (“and his hand was holding Esau’s heel”) emphasizes the relationship and foreshadows future interactions. The naming of Jacob is significant, derived from יַעֲקֹ֑ב (related to “heel”), suggesting a play on words. The verse ends with וְיִצְחָ֛ק בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּלֶ֥דֶת אֹתָֽם (“And Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them”), providing the context of Isaac’s age at the birth.
Grammatical Analysis
The Qal participle אֹחֶ֨זֶת֙ describes an ongoing action at the moment of birth, highlighting Jacob’s hold on Esau’s heel. This reflects the anticipatory nature of their future relationship. The perfect form יָצָ֣א indicates the completed action of being born. The prepositional phrase בַּעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו (“in Esau’s heel”) suggests a significant symbolic act.
Lexical Semantics and Word Study
- עקב (ʿqb): Refers to “heel” or “supplanting,” which plays into the meaning behind Jacob’s name as one who follows or supplants.
- אחז (ʾḥz): Means “to hold” or “grasp,” indicating an act of grasping or seizing. This verb describes Jacob’s action at birth and symbolizes his future struggle with Esau.
Textual Criticism
This verse is consistently rendered across major textual witnesses, including the Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and the Peshitta. There are no significant variations affecting the meaning of the passage, suggesting a stable transmission history. The name “Jacob” (יעקב) reflects the Hebrew word for “heel” (עקב), highlighting the narrative’s wordplay and thematic foreshadowing of Jacob’s role in future events.