Gen 1:14 - what is the subject of the jussive
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2020 11:56 am
Hi:
Here's the start of Gen 1:14:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם "and God said 'let there be luminaries in the firmament of the skies"
I thought the verb "to be" should be fem. pl. since "luminaries" is fem. pl., but the verb יְהִי is masc. sg.
I want to compare-and-contrast to Gen 1:20:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יִשְׁרְצ֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם "and God said 'let the waters teem ..."
so I noticed the verb is masc. pl. just like "waters" is masc. dual/pl
And also we look at Gen 1:3 "let there be light" (the verb is masc. sg. and so is the word light)
So back to Gen 1:14 - what is the subject of the verb "to be" in 1:14??
thanxs!
Glenn
Here's the start of Gen 1:14:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם "and God said 'let there be luminaries in the firmament of the skies"
I thought the verb "to be" should be fem. pl. since "luminaries" is fem. pl., but the verb יְהִי is masc. sg.
I want to compare-and-contrast to Gen 1:20:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יִשְׁרְצ֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם "and God said 'let the waters teem ..."
so I noticed the verb is masc. pl. just like "waters" is masc. dual/pl
And also we look at Gen 1:3 "let there be light" (the verb is masc. sg. and so is the word light)
So back to Gen 1:14 - what is the subject of the verb "to be" in 1:14??
thanxs!
Glenn