Genesis 13

Genesis is definitely easier than Ezekiel. I wonder if this feeling will continue. There's no particular reason I can think of that it should be more or less familiar, but perhaps there is a perception of change in language than is measurable.

And there is. It is a rough count. If you take the number of words with an internal vav and compare this to their roots without a vav, then the proportion in Ezekiel (7.3%) is double that of Genesis (3.6%). My results for yod are 13.6 and 16.0%. This is less significant. My calculations may need refining and my data is incomplete. So gut feel rules at present.

The story of Abram continues. He is richer than I remembered. Perhaps verse 2 got short shrift in my Sunday school. You'll note that I have Abram migrating, נסע, and Lot meandering, הלך. (Not to be too prejudiced. Meandering is sometimes just fine.) For shepherd, what do you think? This is the root for friend or associate also.

Note the two verses that begin on a note other than the tonic. Note how many moods and tensions that the high C embraces in this short song. Note also there is no rest in verse 1, even though it is long. I tell you, the music is an important and surprising interpreter.

Genesis 13		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיַּעַל֩ אַבְרָ֨ם מִמִּצְרַ֜יִם ה֠וּא וְאִשְׁתּ֧וֹ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ וְל֥וֹט עִמּ֖וֹ הַנֶּֽגְבָּה	1		And Abram came up from Egypt, he, his wife, and all that were his, and Lot with him, southward.	3c	3g	24
וְאַבְרָ֖ם כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד בַּמִּקְנֶ֕ה בַּכֶּ֖סֶף וּבַזָּהָֽב	2		And Abram was very heavy, in acquisitions, in silver, and in gold.	3e	4B	7 10
וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְמַסָּעָ֔יו מִנֶּ֖גֶב וְעַד־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל עַד־הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר־הָ֨יָה שָׁ֤ם אָֽהֳלוֹ֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה בֵּ֥ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעָֽי	3		And he went on his migrations from the south to Bethel, to the place where his tent was at the start, between Bethel and the Shambles,	3e	4C	14 22
אֶל־מְקוֹם֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥שָׂה שָׁ֖ם בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֥א שָׁ֛ם אַבְרָ֖ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה	4		To the place of the altar that he had made there at the beginning, and there Abram called on the name of Yahweh.	3d	4A	16 10
וְגַם־לְל֔וֹט הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָ֑ם הָיָ֥ה צֹאן־וּבָקָ֖ר וְאֹהָלִֽים	5		And moreover, to Lot, going with Abram, were sheep and oxen and tents.	3e	4A	10 10
וְלֹא־נָשָׂ֥א אֹתָ֛ם הָאָ֖רֶץ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת יַחְדָּ֑ו כִּֽי־הָיָ֤ה רְכוּשָׁם֙ רָ֔ב וְלֹ֥א יָֽכְל֖וּ לָשֶׁ֥בֶת יַחְדָּֽו	6		And the land did not bear them to settle as one, for their property was abundant and they were not able to settle as one.	3d	4C	13 15
וַֽיְהִי־רִ֗יב בֵּ֚ין רֹעֵ֣י מִקְנֵֽה־אַבְרָ֔ם וּבֵ֖ין רֹעֵ֣י מִקְנֵה־ל֑וֹט וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י אָ֖ז יֹשֵׁ֥ב בָּאָֽרֶץ	7		And there was contention between the shepherds of the livestock of Abram and the shepherds of the livestock of Lot. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite, then, were settled in the land.	3e	4C	17 15
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־ל֗וֹט אַל־נָ֨א תְהִ֤י מְרִיבָה֙ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֔יךָ וּבֵ֥ין רֹעַ֖י וּבֵ֣ין רֹעֶ֑יךָ כִּֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֥ים אַחִ֖ים אֲנָֽחְנוּ	8		And Abram said to Lot, Please let there not be contention between me and you, and between my shepherds and your shepherds, for we are, everyone, kin.	3e	4C	29 8
הֲלֹ֤א כָל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הִפָּ֥רֶד נָ֖א מֵעָלָ֑י אִם־הַשְּׂמֹ֣אל וְאֵימִ֔נָה וְאִם־הַיָּמִ֖ין וְאַשְׂמְאִֽילָה	9		Is not all the earth before you? Separate, please, from me. If to the left, then I will take the right, and if to the right, then I will take the left.	3e	4C	17 17
וַיִּשָּׂא־ל֣וֹט אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּ֖הּ מַשְׁקֶ֑ה לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ שַׁחֵ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־סְדֹם֙ וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה כְּגַן־יְהוָה֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה צֹֽעַר	10		And Lot lifted up his eyes, and he saw all the basin of the Jordan, that all of it was irrigated, (before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), as the garden of Yahweh, as the land of Egypt as one enters Zoar.	3e	4B	21 27
וַיִּבְחַר־ל֣וֹ ל֗וֹט אֵ֚ת כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיִּסַּ֥ע ל֖וֹט מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיִּפָּ֣רְד֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ מֵעַ֥ל אָחִֽיו	11		And Lot chose as his, all the basin of the Jordan. So Lot migrated from the east, and they separated, each from his kin.	3e	4C	19 9
אַבְרָ֖ם יָשַׁ֣ב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן וְל֗וֹט יָשַׁב֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַיֶּאֱהַ֖ל עַד־סְדֹֽם	12		Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled in the cities of the basin, and pitched his tent to Sodom.	3e	4B	10 17
וְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סְדֹ֔ם רָעִ֖ים וְחַטָּאִ֑ים לַיהוָ֖ה מְאֹֽד	13		And the men of Sodom were evil and sinners, to Yahweh excessively.	3e	4B	11 4
וַֽיהוָ֞ה אָמַ֣ר אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם אַחֲרֵי֙ הִפָּֽרֶד־ל֣וֹט מֵֽעִמּ֔וֹ שָׂ֣א נָ֤א עֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ וּרְאֵ֔ה מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה שָׁ֑ם צָפֹ֥נָה וָנֶ֖גְבָּה וָקֵ֥דְמָה וָיָֽמָּה	14		But Yahweh said to Abram (after Lot had separated from him), Lift up, please, your eyes and see, from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and towards the sea,	3e	4C	33 12
כִּ֧י אֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה רֹאֶ֖ה לְךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָֽם	15	c	Because all the land that you see, to you I will give it, and to your seed for evermore.	3c	4B	17 7
וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ כַּעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ אִם־יוּכַ֣ל אִ֗ישׁ לִמְנוֹת֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ גַּֽם־זַרְעֲךָ֖ יִמָּנֶֽה	16		And I will render your seed like the dust of the earth, and if anyone can fathom the dust of the earth, likewise your seed will be fathomed.	3e	4B	13 21
ק֚וּם הִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בָּאָ֔רֶץ לְאָרְכָּ֖הּ וּלְרָחְבָּ֑הּ כִּ֥י לְךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה	17	C	Arise. Walk in the land from her length and to her breadth, for to you I will give it.	3e	4C	13 6
וַיֶּאֱהַ֣ל אַבְרָ֗ם וַיָּבֹ֛א וַיֵּ֛שֶׁב בְּאֵלֹנֵ֥י מַמְרֵ֖א אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֥ם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהוָֽה	18		And Abram pitched his tent, and he came and sat by the oak of Mamre that is in Hebron, and he built there an altar to Yahweh.	3d	4B	23 9