Thursday, December 10, 2009

Immediate family in Ruth

Ruth has an abundance of uses of words indicating immediate family members. In an earlier post I illustrated the grammar of man and woman. In later posts I will look also at the groups of people that are not immediate family (reapers, lads, lasses, elders, handmaiden, maid-servant, city, house, and people) and the relation of redeemer that falls, with respect to distance, between these two groups. So here is father, son, mother, daughter, sister, brother, and child. We also learn something about the behaviour of numbers - especially two - from these words.

HEBREW
CH_VS
ENGLISH
NOTES
א וַיְהִי בִּימֵי שְׁפֹט הַשֹּׁפְטִים
וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ
וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה
לָגוּר בִּשְׂדֵי מוֹאָב
הוּא וְאִשְׁתּו וּשְׁנֵי בָנָיו
01.01
Now there was in the days of the judgment of the judges,
and there was a famine in the land.
and he went a man from the house of bread (Bethlehem) of Judah
to stay in the fields of Moab
he, his wife, and his two sons
his sons, possessive plural, male - could be generically a mixed group of children but not in this case
ב וְשֵׁם הָאִישׁ אֱלִימֶלֶךְ
וְשֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ נָעֳמִי
וְשֵׁם שְׁנֵי-בָנָיו מַחְלוֹן וְכִלְיוֹן
אֶפְרָתִים מִבֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה
וַיָּבֹאוּ שְׂדֵי-מוֹאָב
וַיִּהְיוּ שָׁם
01.02
and the name of the man was Elimelek
and the name of his wife Naomi
and the name of his two sons, Maxlon and Chilion
Ephratites from Bethlehem of Judah
and they came to the fields of Moab
and they were there
his sons, repeated
ג וַיָּמָת אֱלִימֶלֶךְ
אִישׁ נָעֳמִי
וַתִּשָּׁאֵר הִיא
וּשְׁנֵי בָנֶיהָ
01.03
and he died Elimelek
the husband of Naomi
and she was bereft
and her two sons
his sons have become her sons - note the change in the pronomial suffix from vav ו to he ה. The form of 'two' does not change.
ה וַיָּמֻתוּ גַם-שְׁנֵיהֶם מַחְלוֹן וְכִלְיוֹן
וַתִּשָּׁאֵר הָאִשָּׁה
מִשְּׁנֵי יְלָדֶיהָ וּמֵאִישָׁהּ
01.05
and they died - even the two of them - Maxlon and Chilion
and she was bereft, the woman,
of her two children and of her husband
two children - literally the two that she bore. This noun will not be used again till the end of the story.
ו וַתָּקָם הִיא וְכַלֹּתֶיהָ
וַתָּשָׁב מִשְּׂדֵי מוֹאָב
כִּי שָׁמְעָה בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב
כִּי-פָקַד יְהוָה אֶת-עַמּוֹ
לָתֵת לָהֶם לָחֶם
01.06
and she arose, she and her daughters in law
to return from the fields of Moab
for she had heard in the fields of Moab
that יְהוָה had visited his people
to give to them bread
and-daughters-in-law-of-her
ז וַתֵּצֵא מִן-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה-שָּׁמָּה
וּשְׁתֵּי כַלּוֹתֶיהָ עִמָּהּ
וַתֵּלַכְנָה בַדֶּרֶךְ
לָשׁוּב אֶל-אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה
01.07
and she emerged from the place where she was
and her two daughters-in-law with her
and they went on the way
to return to the land of Judah
her two daughters in law - notice the change in the form of 'two'.
ח וַתֹּאמֶר נָעֳמִי לִשְׁתֵּי כַלֹּתֶיהָ
לֵכְנָה שֹּׁבְנָה אִשָּׁה לְבֵית אִמָּהּ
יעשה יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם חֶסֶד
כַּאֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם עִם-הַמֵּתִים וְעִמָּדִי
01.08
and Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law
Go - return - each to the house of her mother (a-b)
may יְהוָה deal with you with mercy
as you have dealt with those who died and with me
mother-of-her
יא וַתֹּאמֶר נָעֳמִי
שׁבְנָה בְנֹתַי
לָמָּה תֵלַכְנָה עִמִּי
הַעוֹד-לִי בָנִים בְּמֵעַי
וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לַאֲנָשִׁים
01.11
and Naomi said
turn back my daughters (b)
why would you go with me (a)
are there yet to me sons in my body
that they might become husbands for you?
daughters-of-me and a simple plural of sons
יב שֹׁבְנָה בְנֹתַי לֵכְןָ
כִּי זָקַנְתִּי מִהְיוֹת לְאִישׁ
כִּי אָמַרְתִּי יֶשׁ-לִי תִקְוָה
גַּם הָיִיתִי הַלַּיְלָה לְאִישׁ
וְגַם יָלַדְתִּי בָנִים
01.12
turn back my daughters - go (b-a)
for I am too old to have a husband
for had I said there is hope for me
even if there was tonight a husband
and even if I bore sons
each word my-daughters, and sons repeated again - part of the plea that the daughters-in-law (singular כַּלָּה) return to their mothers
יג הֲלָהֵן תְּשַׂבֵּרְנָה עַד אֲשֶׁר יִגְדָּלוּ
הֲלָהֵן תֵּעָגֵנָה
לְבִלְתִּי הֱיוֹת לְאִישׁ
אַל בְּנֹתַי
כִּי-מַר-לִי מְאֹד מִכֶּם
כִּי-יָצְאָה בִי יַד-יְהוָה
01.13
As if you could wait till such had grown?
As if you would remain shut up
without there being a husband?
no my daughters
for bitterness to me is great from you
for the hand of יְהוָה has come out against me
wrestling with the idiom of this verse and the prior parts of Naomi's speech - see later post on Ruth 1:10-14
יד וַתִּשֶּׂנָה קוֹלָן וַתִּבְכֶּינָה עוֹד
וַתִּשַּׁק עָרְפָּה לַחֲמוֹתָהּ
וְרוּת דָּבְקָה בָּהּ
01.14
and they lifted up their voice and wept further
and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law
but Ruth stayed close to her
now to-mother-in-law-of-her. The verb kissed takes a prefixed preposition ל
טו וַתֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה שָׁבָה יְבִמְתֵּךְ
אֶל-עַמָּהּ וְאֶל-אֱלֹהֶיהָ
שׁוּבִי אַחֲרֵי יְבִמְתֵּךְ
01.15
and she said, behold your sister-in-law returns
to her people and to her God
you return also after your sister-in-law
sister-in-law-of-you - by now we have seen most of the singular possessive pronoun suffixes [Campbell suggests sister to keep the Levirate law foremost in the mind of the hearer - Deuteronomy 25:7,9]
כב וַתָּשָׁב נָעֳמִי
וְרוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה כַלָּתָהּ עִמָּהּ
הַשָּׁבָה מִשְּׂדֵי מוֹאָב
וְהֵמָּה בָּאוּ בֵּית לֶחֶם
בִּתְחִלַּת קְצִיר שְׂעֹרִים
01.22
So Naomi returned
and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her
she returned from the fields or Moab
and they came to Bethlehem
at the beginning of the harvest of barley

ב וַתֹּאמֶר רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה אֶל-נָעֳמִי
אֵלְכָה-נָּא הַשָּׂדֶה
וַאֲלַקֳּטָה בַשִּׁבֳּלִים
אַחַר אֲשֶׁר אֶמְצָא-חֵן בְּעֵינָיו
וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ לְכִי בִתִּי
02.02
and Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi
let me go please to the field
and glean grain
after the one in whose eyes I will find favor
and she said to her, go my daughter
first use of the word 'my daughter' (singular) - framing chapters 2 and 3
ח וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז אֶל-רוּת
הֲלוֹא שָׁמַעַתְּ בִּתִּי
אַל-תֵּלְכִי לִלְקֹט בְּשָׂדֶה אַחֵר
וְגַם לֹא תַעֲבוּרִי מִזֶּה
וְכֹה תִדְבָּקִין עִם-נַעֲרֹתָי
02.08
and Boaz said to Ruth
do you not hear, my daughter
do not go to glean in the field of another
and also do not pass beyond this one
but stay close here with my lasses
Note how Boaz and Naomi both use the phrase 'my daughter'
יא וַיַּעַן בֹּעַז וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ
הֻגֵּד הֻגַּד לִי
כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-עָשִׂית אֶת-חֲמוֹתֵךְ
אַחֲרֵי מוֹת אִישֵׁךְ
וַתַּעַזְבִי אָבִיךְ וְאִמֵּךְ
וְאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתֵּךְ וַתֵּלְכִי אֶל-עַם
אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדַעַתְּ תְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם
02.11
and Boaz answered and said to her
to be shown, it has been shown to me
all that you have done for your mother-in-law
after the death of your husband
and you left your father and your mother
and the land of your birth and went to a people
which you did not know before in times past
first appearance of father
יח וַתִּשָּׂא וַתָּבוֹא הָעִיר
וַתֵּרֶא חֲמוֹתָהּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר-לִקֵּטָה
וַתּוֹצֵא וַתִּתֶּן-לָהּ
אֵת אֲשֶׁר-הוֹתִרָה מִשָּׂבְעָהּ
02.18
and she lifted it up and went to the city
and her mother-in-law saw what she gleaned
and she brought out and gave to her
what she had left over after she was sated

יט וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ חֲמוֹתָהּ
אֵיפֹה לִקַּטְתְּ הַיּוֹם וְאָנָה עָשִׂית
יְהִי מַכִּירֵךְ בָּרוּךְ
וַתַּגֵּד לַחֲמוֹתָהּ
אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשְׂתָה עִמּוֹ
וַתֹּאמֶר שֵׁם הָאִישׁ
אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי עִמּוֹ הַיּוֹם בֹּעַז
02.19
and her mother-in-law said to her
where did you glean today and where work
may the one who took note of you be blessed
and she showed her mother-in-law
what she had done with him
and she said, the name of the man
that I worked with today is Boaz

כ וַתֹּאמֶר נָעֳמִי לְכַלָּתָהּ
בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַיהוָה
אֲשֶׁר לֹא-עָזַב חַסְדּוֹ
אֶת-הַחַיִּים וְאֶת-הַמֵּתִים
וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ נָעֳמִי
קָרוֹב לָנוּ הָאִישׁ מִגֹּאֲלֵנוּ הוּא
02.20
And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law
Blessed be he from יהוָה
who has not left off his kindness
for the living and the dead
and Naomi said to her
near to us is the man and he our redeemer

כב וַתֹּאמֶר נָעֳמִי אֶל-רוּת כַּלָּתָהּ
טוֹב בִּתִּי כִּי תֵצְאִי עִם-נַעֲרוֹתָיו
וְלֹא יִפְגְּעוּ-בָךְ בְּשָׂדֶה אַחֵר
02.22
and Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law
good my daughter to go out with his lasses
that none force you into another field

כג וַתִּדְבַּק בְּנַעֲרוֹת בֹּעַז
לְלַקֵּט עַד-כְּלוֹת קְצִיר-הַשְּׂעֹרִים
וּקְצִיר הַחִטִּים
וַתֵּשֶׁב אֶת-חֲמוֹתָהּ
02.23
so she stayed close with the lasses of Boaz
to glean to the completion of the barley harvest
and the wheat harvest
and she lived with her mother-in-law
there is a passage of time here - within the space of the two consecutive harvests
א וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ נָעֳמִי חֲמוֹתָהּ
בִּתִּי הֲלֹא אֲבַקֶּשׁ-לָךְ מָנוֹחַ
אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב-לָךְ
03.01
and Naomi her mother-in-law said to her
my daughter do I not seek for you rest
that it may be good for you

ו וַתֵּרֶד הַגֹּרֶן
וַתַּעַשׂ כְּכֹל
אֲשֶׁר-צִוַּתָּה חֲמוֹתָהּ
03.06
and she descended to the threshing-floor
and she did everything just as
her mother-in-law commanded

י וַיֹּאמֶר בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ לַיהוָה בִּתִּי
הֵיטַבְתְּ חַסְדֵּךְ
הָאַחֲרוֹן מִן-הָרִאשׁוֹן
לְבִלְתִּי-לֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי הַבַּחוּרִים
אִם-דַּל וְאִם-עָשִׁיר
03.10
and he said you are blessed of יהוָה my daughter
you have made good your mercy
the end from the beginning
that you did not follow choice
whether poor or wealthy

יא וְעַתָּה בִּתִּי אַל-תִּירְאִי
כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-תֹּאמְרִי אֶעֱשֶׂה-לָּךְ
כִּי יוֹדֵעַ כָּל-שַׁעַר עַמִּי
כִּי אֵשֶׁת חַיִל אָתְּ
03.11
and now my daughter have no fear
all that you say I will do for you
for all the gate, my people, know
that you are a woman of ability

טז וַתָּבוֹא אֶל-חֲמוֹתָהּ
וַתֹּאמֶר מִי-אַתְּ בִּתִּי
וַתַּגֶּד-לָהּ
אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה-לָהּ הָאִישׁ
03.16
and she came to her mother-in-law
and she said is that you, my daughter?
and she told her
all that the man had done for her

יז וַתֹּאמֶר שֵׁשׁ-הַשְּׂעֹרִים
הָאֵלֶּה נָתַן לִי
כִּי אָמַר אֵלַי אַל-תָּבוֹאִי
רֵיקָם אֶל-חֲמוֹתֵךְ
03.17
and she said six of barley
these he gave to me
and he said to me you may not go
empty to your mother-in-law

יח וַתֹּאמֶר שְׁבִי בִתִּי
עַד אֲשֶׁר תֵּדְעִין אֵיךְ יִפֹּל דָּבָר
כִּי לֹא יִשְׁקֹט הָאִישׁ
כִּי-אִם-כִּלָּה הַדָּבָר הַיּוֹם
03.18
and she said - sit tight my daughter
until you know how a thing will fall out
for the man will not rest
in this case he will complete the thing today
the last use of the word 'my daughter'
ג וַיֹּאמֶר לַגֹּאֵל
חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר לְאָחִינוּ לֶאֱלִימֶלֶךְ
מָכְרָה נָעֳמִי הַשָּׁבָה מִשְּׂדֵה מוֹאָב
04.03
and he said to the redeemer
the portion of the field of our brother Elimelek
which Naomi who returned from the field of Moab is selling
to-brother-of-us
י וְגַם אֶת-רוּת הַמֹּאֲבִיָּה אֵשֶׁת מַחְלוֹן קָנִיתִי לִי
לְאִשָּׁה לְהָקִים שֵׁם-הַמֵּת עַל-נַחֲלָתוֹ
וְלֹא-יִכָּרֵת שֵׁם-הַמֵּת מֵעִם אֶחָיו
וּמִשַּׁעַר מְקוֹמוֹ
עֵדִים אַתֶּם הַיּוֹם
04.10
and moreover Ruth the Moabite the wife of Mahlon I have bought to me
as wife to raise up the name as his inheritance
so the name of the dead is not cut off from his brothers
and from the gate of his place
witnesses you are today
from-with brothers-of-him
יג וַיִּקַּח בֹּעַז אֶת-רוּת וַתְּהִי-לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה
וַיָּבֹא אֵלֶיהָ
וַיִּתֵּן יְהוָה לָהּ הֵרָיוֹן וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן
04.13
So Boaz got Ruth and she became his wife
and he went to her
and יְהוָה gave her conception and she bore a son

טו וְהָיָה לָךְ לְמֵשִׁיב נֶפֶשׁ
וּלְכַלְכֵּל אֶת-שֵׂיבָתֵךְ
כִּי כַלָּתֵךְ אֲשֶׁר-אֲהֵבַתֶךְ
יְלָדַתּוּ אֲשֶׁר-הִיא טוֹבָה לָךְ מִשִּׁבְעָה בָּנִים
04.15
and he will be to you one who restores your being
and sustains your old age
for your daughter-in-law who loves you
and bore him is better to you than seven sons
Sons reappear here for the first time since chapter 1 - there is a full and complex frame to the story involving the use of place names and words relating to birth and sons and daughter-in-law.
טז וַתִּקַּח נָעֳמִי אֶת-הַיֶּלֶד
וַתְּשִׁתֵהוּ בְחֵיקָהּ
וַתְּהִי-לוֹ לְאֹמֶנֶת
04.16
and Naomi got the child
and set him in her lap
and became for him his support
the second use of 'child'
יז וַתִּקְרֶאנָה לוֹ הַשְּׁכֵנוֹת שֵׁם לֵאמֹר
יֻלַּד-בֵּן לְנָעֳמִי
וַתִּקְרֶאנָה שְׁמוֹ עוֹבֵד
הוּא אֲבִי-יִשַׁי אֲבִי דָוִד
04.17
and the women neighbours called him a name saying
a son is born to Naomi
and they called his name Obed.
He is the father of Jesse the father of David
a son is born - one can see how the birthing concept can skip generations. So there is no need for the 'this is the generation of', or 'x begat y' to assume contiguity

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