Genesis 26:3

גּ֚וּר בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ וַאֲבָרְכֶ֑ךָּ כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֗ אֶתֵּן֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֣ת הָאֵ֔ל וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם אָבִֽיךָ׃

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you; for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Avraham your father.

 

Morphology

  1. גּ֚וּר (Gur) – Root: גור (g-w-r); Form: Qal, imperative, 2ms; Translation: “Sojourn”; Notes: Command to temporarily dwell in a specified location.
  2. בָּאָ֣רֶץ (Ba’aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Noun, fs with definite article and preposition; Translation: “In the land”; Notes: Refers to the land Yitsḥaq was instructed to reside in.
  3. הַזֹּ֔את (Ha-zot) – Root: זה (z-h); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, fs; Translation: “This”; Notes: Specifies the land being referred to.
  4. וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה (Ve’ehyeh) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal, imperfect, 1cs; Translation: “And I will be”; Notes: Expresses the LORD’s promise of presence.
  5. עִמְּךָ֖ (Immekha) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “With you”; Notes: Assurance of divine accompaniment.
  6. וַאֲבָרְכֶ֑ךָּ (Va’avarkhekha) – Root: ברך (b-r-k); Form: Piel, wayyiqtol (past narrative), 1cs with 2ms suffix; Translation: “And I will bless you”; Notes: Indicates a promise of divine favor.
  7. כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ (Ki-lekha) – Root: כי (k-y) + לך (l-k); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “For to you”; Notes: Marks the reason for the blessing.
  8. וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֗ (Ul-zar’akha) – Root: זרע (z-r-ʿ); Form: Noun, ms with 2ms suffix and conjunction; Translation: “And to your offspring”; Notes: Refers to Yitsḥaq’s descendants.
  9. אֶתֵּן֙ (Etten) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal, imperfect, 1cs; Translation: “I will give”; Notes: Indicates divine action in granting the land.
  10. אֶת־כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֣ת (Et-kol-ha’aratzot) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Noun, fp with definite article and object marker; Translation: “All the lands”; Notes: Refers to the territories promised to Yitsḥaq.
  11. הָאֵ֔ל (Ha’el) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Demonstrative adjective, mp; Translation: “These”; Notes: Specifies the lands in question.
  12. וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ (Va’haqimoti) – Root: קום (q-w-m); Form: Hiphil, wayyiqtol, 1cs; Translation: “And I will establish”; Notes: Indicates fulfillment of the covenant.
  13. אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה (Et-ha-shevua) – Root: שׁבע (sh-b-ʿ); Form: Noun, fs with definite article; Translation: “The oath”; Notes: Refers to the covenant with Avraham.
  14. אֲשֶׁ֥ר (Asher) – Root: Relative pronoun; Translation: “That”; Notes: Introduces the clause describing the oath.
  15. נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי (Nishba’ti) – Root: שׁבע (sh-b-ʿ); Form: Niphal, perfect, 1cs; Translation: “I swore”; Notes: Emphasizes the binding nature of the covenant.
  16. לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם (Le-Avraham) – Root: אברהם (ʾ-v-r-h-m); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “To Avraham”; Notes: Refers to Yitsḥaq’s father.
  17. אָבִֽיךָ׃ (Avikha) – Root: אב (ʾ-v); Form: Noun, ms with 2ms suffix; Translation: “Your father”; Notes: Personalizes the covenant through lineage.

 

Morphological Analysis 

גּ֚וּר (gūr)

  • Root: גור (gwr)
  • Form: Qal Imperative 2ms
  • Translation: “Dwell”

בָּאָ֣רֶץ (bāʾāreṣ)

  • Root: ארץ (ʾrṣ)
  • Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition
  • Translation: “in the land”

הַזֹּ֔את (hazōṯ)

  • Root: זה (zh)
  • Form: Demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular
  • Translation: “this”

וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה (wəʾehyeh)

  • Root: היה (hyh)
  • Form: Qal Imperfect 1cs with conjunctive vav
  • Translation: “and I will be”

עִמְּךָ֖ (ʿimməḵā)

  • Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix
  • Translation: “with you”

וַאֲבָרְכֶ֑ךָּ (waʾăḇārəḵeḵā)

  • Root: ברך (brk)
  • Form: Piel Imperfect 1cs with conjunctive vav and 2ms suffix
  • Translation: “and I will bless you”

כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ (kî-ləḵā)

  • Form: Conjunction and preposition with 2ms suffix
  • Translation: “for to you”

וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֗ (uləzarʿăḵā)

  • Root: זרע (zrʿ)
  • Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with preposition and 2ms suffix
  • Translation: “and to your offspring”

אֶתֵּן֙ (ʾettēn)

  • Root: נתן (ntn)
  • Form: Qal Imperfect 1cs
  • Translation: “I will give”

אֶת־כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֣ת (ʾeṯ-kol-hāʾărāṣōṯ)

  • Root: ארץ (ʾrṣ)
  • Form: Noun, feminine plural with definite article and direct object marker
  • Translation: “all these lands”

הָאֵ֔ל (hāʾēl)

  • Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine plural
  • Translation: “these”

וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ (wahăqîmōṯî)

  • Root: קום (qwm)
  • Form: Hiphil Perfect 1cs with conjunctive vav
  • Translation: “and I will establish”

אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה (ʾeṯ-haššəḇuʿāh)

  • Root: שבע (šbʿ)
  • Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article and direct object marker
  • Translation: “the oath”

אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʾăšer)

  • Form: Relative pronoun
  • Translation: “which”

נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי (nišbaʿtî)

  • Root: שבע (šbʿ)
  • Form: Niphal Perfect 1cs
  • Translation: “I swore”

לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם (ləʾaḇrāhām)

  • Root: אברהם (ʾbrhm)
  • Form: Proper noun, masculine singular with preposition
  • Translation: “to Abraham”

אָבִֽיךָ׃ (ʾāḇîḵā)

  • Root: אב (ʾb)
  • Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2ms suffix
  • Translation: “your father”

Syntax Analysis

The verse begins with the imperative command גּ֚וּר (“Dwell”), highlighting a direct instruction from God to Isaac. The clause וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה עִמְּךָ֖ (“and I will be with you\”) emphasizes divine assurance, expressing God’s presence and blessing as conditions are met. The conjunction וַאֲבָרְכֶ֑ךָּ (“and I will bless you”) follows, indicating a promise contingent upon obedience. The sentence כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֗ אֶתֵּן֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָֽאֲרָצֹ֣ת הָאֵ֔ל (“for to you and your offspring I will give all these lands”) provides the reason for the command and promise. The final clause וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם אָבִֽיךָ (“and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father”) reaffirms the continuity of the covenantal promise made to Abraham, now extended to Isaac.

 

Grammatical Analysis

The command גּ֚וּר (“Dwell”) is an imperative form, suggesting an urgent directive. The verb וְאֶֽהְיֶ֥ה (“and I will be”) is in the Qal imperfect, first-person singular, with a conjunctive vav, indicating a future action tied to the previous command. The form וַאֲבָרְכֶ֑ךָּ (“and I will bless you”) is a Piel imperfect with a conjunctive vav, denoting an emphatic promise of blessing. The verb אֶתֵּן (“I will give”) is in the Qal imperfect, first-person singular, signifying God’s action of granting the land. The Hiphil perfect form וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי (“and I will establish”) underscores God’s commitment to fulfilling the oath made to Abraham.

 

Lexical Semantics and Word Study

  • גור (gwr): Typically means to “sojourn” or “dwell,\” often with the connotation of temporary residence or reliance on another’s provision.
  • ברך (brk): In the Piel stem, it means “to bless,” implying bestowal of favor and prosperity.
  • שבע (šbʿ): Refers to swearing an oath or making a solemn promise, emphasizing a binding covenant.

 

Textual Criticism

This verse is consistent across the Masoretic Text, Septuagint, and other ancient sources. The commitment of God to uphold the oath made to Abraham aligns with key covenantal themes throughout Genesis. The phrase וַהֲקִֽמֹתִי֙ אֶת־הַשְּׁבֻעָ֔ה (“and I will establish the oath”) reiterates the importance of divine promises and reflects a thematic parallel found in other patriarchal narratives.

 

 

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