I note that we are considering these phrases related to genealogy in isolation from their immediate context. What type of recitation is the section that these verses are a part of? What characterizes these parts of Genesis as song? I hope to come back to this question.
So following up with my selection of verses for the genealogies, is there any additional information in the remaining verses: Gen 36:1, 9, and 37:2?
וְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו ה֥וּא אֱדֽוֹם | 1 And these are the successions of Esau. He is Edom. | |
a valh toldot ywiv hua adom | 10 |
v/alh t/ld\vt ywv hva advm |
Within these verses that I have extracted from the genealogies, this is the
first verse that has no internal rest point. There are times when such
verses are significant. I have noted two extended passages, the impatience
of the lovers in the Song of Songs, chapter 1,10-17 and the absence of rest
in Lamentations chapter 3 with the exception of verse 56.
Another matter of fact phrase. Nine verses share this shape.
וְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֣י אֱד֑וֹם בְּהַ֖ר שֵׂעִֽיר |
9 And these are the successions
of Esau, the father of Edom, in mount Seir. |
|
T valh toldot ywiv abi adom bhr wyir |
11 4 |
v/alh t/ld\vt ywv ab\i advm b/hr wyir |
Genesis 36:9 |
Another matter of fact phrase. Nine verses share this shape.
אֵ֣לֶּה ׀
תֹּלְד֣וֹת
יַעֲקֹ֗ב
יוֹסֵ֞ף
בֶּן־שְׁבַֽע־עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה
שָׁנָה֙
הָיָ֨ה
רֹעֶ֤ה
אֶת־אֶחָיו֙
בַּצֹּ֔אן
וְה֣וּא
נַ֗עַר
אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י
בִלְהָ֛ה
וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י
זִלְפָּ֖ה
נְשֵׁ֣י
אָבִ֑יו וַיָּבֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־דִּבָּתָ֥ם רָעָ֖ה אֶל־אֲבִיהֶֽם |
2 ♪B These are the successions
of Jacob. Joseph, a child of seventeen years, was shepherding with
his brothers among the sheep, and he, a youth, was with the children
of Bilhah and the children of Zilpah, wives of his father. And Joseph brought their evil defamation to their father. |
|
b alh toldot iyqob iosf bn-wby-ywrh
wnh hih royh at-akiv bxan vhua nyr at-bni blhh vat-bni zlph nwi abiv
viba iosf at-dibtm ryh al-abihm |
44 15 |
alh
t/ld\vt
iyqb
iv/sp
bn
wby
ywr\h
wnh
hih
ryh
at
ak\iv
b/xan
v/hva
nyr
at
bn\i
blhh
v/at
bn\i
zlph
n/w\i
ab\iv vi/ba iv/sp at db\tm ry\h al ab\ihm |
Genesis 37:2 alh toldot iyqob |
This is a remarkable segue. The 'succession' is interrupted by a focus on Joseph. It's a very long interruption. The Jerusalem Bible simply translates it as if it was spr iosf, story or record of Joseph. Jacob doesn't rate a mention. Rewriting the Hebrew certainly makes for smoother reading..
The remainder of the analysis of Genesis music will have to have a different approach. Maybe someone should perform the whole book - It would be quite a long performance I think -- around 8 hours+.
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