בַּבֶּ֖טֶן עָקַ֣ב אֶת־אָחִ֑יו וּבְאֹונֹ֖ו שָׂרָ֥ה אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃
In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his strength he strove with God.
Morphology
- בַּבֶּטֶן (ba-beten) – Root: בטן (beten); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the womb”; Notes: Refers to Yaʿaqov’s prenatal struggle, recalling Genesis 25:22–26; serves as the symbolic origin of his character and destiny.
- עָקַב (ʿaqav) – Root: עקב (ʿaqav); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he grasped” or “he supplanted”; Notes: Verb from which the name Yaʿaqov (Jacob) derives—means “to seize by the heel” or “to supplant,” emphasizing cunning and determination.
- אֶת־אָחִיו (ʾet-aḥiv) – Root: אח (ʾaḥ); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular construct + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his brother”; Notes: Refers to ʿEsaw; the struggle in the womb prefigures future conflicts between their descendants.
- וּבְאֹונֹו (u-veʾonov) – Root: און (ʾon); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “and in his strength”; Notes: Denotes vigor or power, possibly both physical and spiritual; portrays Yaʿaqov’s perseverance and determination.
- שָׂרָה (sarāh) – Root: שרה (śarah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he strove” or “he contended”; Notes: The verb śarah gives rise to the name Yisraʾel—“he struggles with God.” Reflects the defining moment of wrestling with the divine (Genesis 32:29).
- אֶת־אֱלֹהִים (ʾet-Elohim) – Root: אלהים (Elohim); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine plural (in form, but singular in meaning); Translation: “with God”; Notes: Refers to YHWH in anthropomorphic manifestation; the struggle illustrates the intensity of divine-human encounter and covenant identity.