תַזְרִיעַ TAZRIYA, Lev. 12:2

For discussions which focus upon specific words, their origin, meaning, relationship to other ANE languages.
Forum rules
Members will observe the rules for respectful discourse at all times!
Please sign all posts with your first and last (family) name.
Post Reply
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

תַזְרִיעַ TAZRIYA, Lev. 12:2

Post by Isaac Fried »

We read there
אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ וְיָלְדָה זָכָר
with תַזְרִיעַ = אתה-זר-היא-ע containing the pair of personal pronouns אתה-היא referring to the couple of actors participating in the act זרע, 'sow, scatter seed', resulting, בשעה טובה ובמזל טוב, in the birth of a healthy boy. But who are they? At first sight one may tend to see אתה-היא as 'you-her', the man to his wife. But this is not the accepted understanding:
Aramaic אונקלוס translation:אִתְּתָא אֲרֵי תְּעַדֵּי וּתְלִיד דְּכַר
NIV: "A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son"
KJV: "If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child"
Namely, אתה-היא refer both to the woman accepting the seed and forming the fetus.

It is of interest to note that the Targum puts סַפַּחַת, 'scab, growth, buildup, accumulation', of Lev. 13:2, as עֶדְיָא EDYA, of the same root עד, 'addition', as of תְּעַדֵּי = ת-עדי of Lev. 12:2, of pregnancy.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: תַזְרִיעַ TAZRIYA, Lev. 12:2

Post by Isaac Fried »

Lev. 13:2 says moreover
אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ שְׂאֵת אוֹ סַפַּחַת
where שְׂאֵת = שא-את, 'rise, swell, puff-up', is from the uniliteral root שא SA, related to the root סע, 'go, move' (yet a Hebrew root depicts a fixed state not a movement). From this root we find also the derived word שִׂיא = ש-היא-א, SIY, top, summit, peak, tip, pinnacle, elevation', as in Deut. 4:48
הַר שִׂיאֹן הוּא חֶרְמוֹן
KJV: "mount Sion, which is Hermon"
with שִׂיאֹן = שִׂיאֹ-אוֹן = שיא-הינוֹ so similar to הר ציוֹן, 'mount Zion'.
Also in Job 20:6
אִם יַעֲלֶה לַשָּׁמַיִם שִׂיאוֹ וְרֹאשׁוֹ לָעָב יַגִּיעַ
KJV: "Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds"
with שִׂיאוֹ = שיא-הוּא

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: תַזְרִיעַ TAZRIYA, Lev. 12:2

Post by Isaac Fried »

The personal pronoun אתה, curtailed to a mere pre-attached תַּ TA is also often used in BH (and post BH) to help turn a root into a noun, for instance:
אתה-אֲוָה = תַּאֲוָה, 'craving, desire', as in Gen. 3:6. Also מַאֲוַי = מה = אוי as in Ps. 140:9
אתה-בְשִיל = תַּבְשִיל, 'cooked food, dish'. Also מְבַשֵּלָה = מ-בשלה, as in Ezekiel 46:23
אתה-גְמוּל = תַּגְמוּל, 'reward', as in Ps. 116:12
אתה-חְבּוּלָה = תַּחְבּוּלָה, 'ruse', as in Prov. 24:6
תַּיִש = אתה-איש, 'goat', as in Gen. 32:15
אתה-לְמִיד = תַּלְמִיד, 'pupil, student', as in 1Ch. 25:8
אתה-נוּר = תַּנוּר, 'oven, stove', as in Lev. 2:4
אתה-נִין = תַּנִין, 'whale', as in Isaiah 27:1
אתה-עֲלוּמָה = תַּעֲלוּמָה, 'mystery', as in Job 28:11 and Ps. 42:22
אתה-עֲנוּג = תַּעֲנוּג, 'pleasure', as in Songs 7:7

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: תַזְרִיעַ TAZRIYA, Lev. 12:2

Post by Isaac Fried »

To תַּיִש = אתה-איש and אתה-נִין = תַּנִין we should add the תַּחַש = אתה-חש of Ex. 25:5.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: תַזְרִיעַ TAZRIYA, Lev. 12:2

Post by Isaac Fried »

Yes, and not to forget the תַּחְמָס = אתה-חמס of Lev. 11:16.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: תַזְרִיעַ TAZRIYA, Lev. 12:2

Post by Isaac Fried »

The PP את AT comes also attached at the end, as in
צלחת = צלח-את CALAXAT = CALAX-AT, 'plate'.
and
צרעת = צרע-את CARAAT = CARA-AT, 'leprosy'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Post Reply