וְאֵ֗לֶּה יְמֵ֛י שְׁנֵֽי־חַיֵּ֥י אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־חָ֑י מְאַ֥ת שָׁנָ֛ה וְשִׁבְעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְחָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃
These are the days of the years of the life of Avraham that he lived, one hundred years and seventy years and five years.
Morphology
- וְאֵ֗לֶּה (ve’eleh) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Conjunction + demonstrative pronoun, mp; Translation: “and these”; Notes: Introduces a summative statement.
- יְמֵ֛י (yemei) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Noun, mp construct; Translation: “the days of”; Notes: Indicates a period of time.
- שְׁנֵֽי־ (shenei) – Root: שנה (sh-n-h); Form: Noun, mp construct; Translation: “the years of”; Notes: Construct form links to the following noun.
- חַיֵּ֥י (ḥayyei) – Root: חיה (ḥ-y-h); Form: Noun, mp construct; Translation: “the life of”; Notes: Refers to Avraham’s lifetime.
- אַבְרָהָ֖ם (Avraham) – Root: אברם (ʾ-v-r-m); Form: Proper noun, ms; Translation: “Avraham”; Notes: Subject of the verse.
- אֲשֶׁר־ (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾ-sh-r); Form: Relative particle; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the clause describing his life.
- חָ֑י (ḥay) – Root: חיה (ḥ-y-h); Form: Verb, qal, 3ms perfect; Translation: “he lived”; Notes: Describes Avraham’s lifespan.
- מְאַ֥ת (me’at) – Root: מאה (m-ʾ-h); Form: Noun, fs construct; Translation: “one hundred”; Notes: First part of the numerical expression.
- שָׁנָ֛ה (shanah) – Root: שנה (sh-n-h); Form: Noun, fs absolute; Translation: “years”; Notes: Completes the first numerical unit.
- וְשִׁבְעִ֥ים (veshivʿim) – Root: שבע (sh-b-ʿ); Form: Noun, mp absolute; Translation: “and seventy”; Notes: Adds the second numerical unit.
- שָׁנָ֖ה (shanah) – Root: שנה (sh-n-h); Form: Noun, fs absolute; Translation: “years”; Notes: Completes the second numerical unit.
- וְחָמֵ֥שׁ (veḥamesh) – Root: חמש (ḥ-m-sh); Form: Noun, fs absolute; Translation: “and five”; Notes: Adds the final numerical unit.
- שָׁנִֽים (shanim) – Root: שנה (sh-n-h); Form: Noun, fp absolute; Translation: “years”; Notes: Concludes the numerical expression. The verse provides a structured summary of Avraham’s lifespan using Hebrew numerical conventions. The repetition of “years” emphasizes the completeness of each unit in the numerical total.
Morphological Analysis
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.