וְאֵ֗לֶּה יְמֵ֛י שְׁנֵֽי־חַיֵּ֥י אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־חָ֑י מְאַ֥ת שָׁנָ֛ה וְשִׁבְעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְחָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃
And these are the days of the years of the life of Abraham which he lived: one hundred years, seventy years, and five years.
Morphology
וְאֵ֗לֶּה (wəʾēlleh)
- Root: אלה (ʾlh)
- Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine plural
- Translation: “And these are”
יְמֵ֛י (yəmê)
- Root: יום (ywm)
- Form: Noun, masculine plural construct
- Translation: “the days of”
שְׁנֵֽי־חַיֵּ֥י (šənê-ḥayyê)
- Root: שנה (šnʾ), חיה (ḥyh)
- Form: Noun, masculine dual construct with noun, masculine plural construct
- Translation: “the years of the life of”
אַבְרָהָ֖ם (ʾaḇrāhām)
- Root: אברהם (ʾbrhm)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “Abraham”
אֲשֶׁר־חָ֑י (ʾăšer-ḥāy)
- Root: אשר (ʾšr), חיה (ḥyh)
- Form: Relative pronoun with Qal Perfect 3ms
- Translation: “which he lived”
מְאַ֥ת (məʾat)
- Root: מאה (mʾh)
- Form: Number, feminine singular
- Translation: “one hundred”
שָׁנָ֛ה (šānāh)
- Root: שנה (šnʾ)
- Form: Noun, feminine singular
- Translation: “year”
וְשִׁבְעִ֥ים (wəšiḇʿîm)
- Root: שבע (šbʿ)
- Form: Number, masculine plural
- Translation: “seventy”
שָׁנָ֖ה (šānāh)
- Root: שנה (šnʾ)
- Form: Noun, feminine singular
- Translation: “year”
וְחָמֵ֥שׁ (wəḥāmēš)
- Root: חמש (ḥmš)
- Form: Number, masculine singular
- Translation: “five”
שָׁנִֽים (šānîm)
- Root: שנה (šnʾ)
- Form: Noun, feminine plural
- Translation: “years”
Syntax Analysis
The verse opens with the demonstrative pronoun וְאֵ֗לֶּה (“And these are”) introducing a summary statement. The construct phrase יְמֵ֛י שְׁנֵֽי־חַיֵּ֥י (“the days of the years of the life”) emphasizes the total lifespan of Abraham. The enumeration of מְאַ֥ת שָׁנָ֛ה וְשִׁבְעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְחָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים (“one hundred years, seventy years, and five years”) provides the complete age.
Grammatical Analysis
The relative pronoun אֲשֶׁר (“which”) connects the clause חָ֑י (“he lived”) to the subject אַבְרָהָ֖ם (“Abraham”), clarifying that these years were the total lifespan he lived. The use of numbers in a sequential manner emphasizes the comprehensive total.
Lexical Semantics and Word Study
- חיה (ḥyh): The root implies living or life, often used to denote a complete lifespan or vital existence.
- שנה (šnʾ): Commonly refers to a year, highlighting the annual cycle.
Textual Criticism
No significant textual variations are found among the major sources such as the Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Samaritan Targum, or the Dead Sea Scrolls. This consistency underscores the stability and preservation of the text over time.