The repeated formula and its numbers
Says Each generation has two clauses. The first is וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁד חַי חָמֵשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת־שָׁלַח (“and Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and fathered Shelah”). The second is וַיְחִי אַרְפַּכְשַׁד אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת־שֶׁלַח (“and Arpachshad lived after he fathered Shelah”), then the years and וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת. 11:12 and 11:14 use khay, “lived”; from 11:16 the form is וַיְחִי.
Says Numbers put the units first: חָמֵשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים (“five and thirty”; the lexicon gives sheloshim as “thirty” and notes that units precede it in 11:12). Hundreds come last, as in שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת (“three years and four hundred,” 11:13; ’arba‘, “four”). 11:24 has תֵּשַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִים (“nine and twenty”; ‘esrim, “twenty”).
Says 11:26 lists three sons after one age: וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת־אַבְרָם אֶת־נָחוֹר וְאֶת־הָרָן (“and he fathered Abram, Nahor and Haran”). Nahor repeats the name of Terah’s father (11:24).
Uncertain Whether 11:26 means all three were born when Terah was 70, or names Abram first for his place in the story, the verse does not say. No lean is taken here.
Claims
- SaysEach generation has two clauses. The first is וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁד חַי חָמֵשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת־שָׁלַח (“and Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and fathered Shelah”). The second is וַיְחִי אַרְפַּכְשַׁד אַחֲרֵי הוֹלִידוֹ אֶת־שֶׁלַח (“and Arpachshad lived after he fathered Shelah”), then the years and וַיּוֹלֶד בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת. 11:12 and 11:14 use khay, “lived”; from 11:16 the form is וַיְחִי.
- SaysNumbers put the units first: חָמֵשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים (“five and thirty”; the lexicon gives sheloshim as “thirty” and notes that units precede it in 11:12). Hundreds come last, as in שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת (“three years and four hundred,” 11:13; ’arba‘, “four”). 11:24 has תֵּשַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִים (“nine and twenty”; ‘esrim, “twenty”).
- Says11:26 lists three sons after one age: וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת־אַבְרָם אֶת־נָחוֹר וְאֶת־הָרָן (“and he fathered Abram, Nahor and Haran”). Nahor repeats the name of Terah’s father (11:24).
- UncertainWhether 11:26 means all three were born when Terah was 70, or names Abram first for his place in the story, the verse does not say. No lean is taken here.
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 11:12–26 (WLC/OSHB; morph HVqp3ms HC/Acbpa HC/Vqw3ms HC/Vhw3ms)
- BSB public domain Gen 11:26 (BSB)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 1026 (leaf n1049), archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft, s.v. H7970 “thirty”; checked against the printed page (scan)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 916 (leaf n939), archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft, s.v. H702 “four”; checked against the printed page (scan)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 797 (leaf n820), archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft, s.v. H6242 “twenty”; checked against the printed page (scan)
2026-11-12
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