4QGen-Exoda 17-18
2
#mxw [ ber.^835Q107 MT Exod 1:14 wrrmyw SV(1) – Difference in number.^836
4QGen-Exoda 17-18
10
rrmywQ108 MT Exod 2:2 h#l# OV(l) – Difference in grammati-
4QGen-Exoda 19 i 6 t#l# cal form.^837
Q109 MT Exod 2:4 h(dl OV(l) – Possible difference in
4QGen-Exoda 19 i 8 t(dl pronunciation.^838
Q110 MT Exod 3:8 yzrphw yrm)hw SV(3) – Different order of listed
4QGen-Exoda 19 ii items.
1-2
yrm)hw yz[r]phw835
The sources refer to the number of sons of Jacob in Egypt. 4QGen-Exoda agrees with the LXX in num-
bering the progeny of Jacob as 75, against 70 in the MT, the SP and the Tgs. The extra five sons in 4QGen-
Exoda and the LXX could be a reference to the children and grand-children of Ephraim and Manasseh listed
in Num 26:33-40. On this see A.E. Steinmann, "Jacob's Family Goes to Egypt: Varying Portraits of Unity
and Disunity in the Textual Traditions of Exodus 1:1-5," Textual Criticism (1997) n.p. [cited 22 June
2008]. Online: http://rosetta.reltech.org/TC/vol02/Steinmann1997.html. The number order here is reversed
as compared to the LXX and also 4QExodb 1 5 (see E. Ulrich and F.M. Cross, Qumran Cave 4. VII, 19, and
Q122 below). 836
Although in the previous line of 4QGen-Exoda the verb √Cwq, “to abhor, be disgusted,” refers to the
Egyptians in the plural, the verb √rrm, “to be bitter,” refers to them in the singular. All of the other wit-
nesses agree with the MT in the use of the plural form in both instances. 837
The construct form of the cardinal in 4QGen-Exoda suggests that the number of days here should be
taken as a block: Myxry t#l# whnpctw, “and she hid him for (a group of) three days.” This is in contrast, in
terms of grammar, with the phrase in the MT and the SP: “Myxry h#l# whnpxtw, “and she hid him (for) three
days.” On the difference between the absolute and construct form of the cardinals see P. Joüon and T. Mu-
raoka, Grammar of Biblical Hebrew, 526, §142d, and B.K. Waltke and M. O'Connor, Biblical Hebrew Syn-
tax, 278. The form in 4QGen-Exoda does not appear to be particularly suited to the construct, but for a
similar form in the MT we can point to 2 Sam 24:13 where the absolute and construct forms of the cardinal
appear in close proximity with little difference in meaning: Mymy t#l# twyh M)w ... Ksn My#dx h#l# M)
Kcr)b rbd, “will you flee for three months ... and will pestilence be in your land for (a group of) three
days?” 838
4QGen-Exoda has the expected form of the infinitive construct of √(dy, “to know.” According to W.
Gesenius, E. Kautzsch, and A.E. Cowley, Hebrew Grammar, 189, §69m, the infinitive construct of primae
yod roots with the feminine ending h- is rare, which raises the possibility that the form in the MT may be
read as containing paragogic heh.