21st Century Bible Hebew -- Nouns in -ach

Genesis 2:5

 

ה וְכֹ֣ל ׀ שִׂ֣יחַ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה טֶ֚רֶם יִהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ וְכָל־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה טֶ֣רֶם יִצְמָ֑ח כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הִמְטִ֜יר יְהוָֹ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֣ם אַ֔יִן לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:

 

Translation:     But all the growth of the field did not yet exist on land and all grass of the field had not yet sprouted, because **** Gd had not yet caused rain on the earth, and there was no man for the purpose of working the earth.

 

Vocabulary in this lesson:

שִׂיחַ	growth
טֶרֶם	Not yet
יִצְמָח	sprout
הִמְטִיר	Caused to rain
אַיִן	There was none
לַעֲבֹד	To work

 

First, see if you can find the etnach.

 

Second, why did I translate “caused rain”?

 

Third, notice what la plus the aspectless verb says about people.

 

That’s right, the purpose of having people is to service the earth. This probably makes you think that this second narrative is “about” agriculture, but that’s not true, and the grammar in later verses has consequences that show what it’s really “about”.

 

And finally, how does this verse parallel Genesis 1:2? That’s right. This is another verse that says things at creation were not like they are now. In that case, the dry land and other things we are used to didn’t exist. In this case our attention is pointed at plant life. That’s a spoiler that plants will be crucial to the denouement. So look for this narrative to end only when some form of plant life has played its role.

 

Grammar point: nouns ending in chet with a patach under it, are pronounced –ach not cha. These are all feminine nouns unless they are men’s names. However, say sichat not siacht.

 

absolute	construct	Number
שִׂיחַ	שִׂיחַת	Singular
שִׂיחוֹת	שִׂיחוֹת	Plural

 

The loss of the patach is required in this kind of noun.

 

Answer to the first question: the etnach is under yitsmach.

 

Answer to the second question: notice the classic yod of the hifil.