Old Testament Essays (Dec 2017)
Gedanken zu dem Nomen ... "Samen, Nachkommen" in Genesis
Abstract
In Genesis the noun זרע appears fifty-nine times, both in MT, Sam and (the Hebrew source text of ) LXX. The ninety-five occurrences consist of „priestly“ and „non-priestly“ texts. Three equidistant structures come to light and, what is more, they are intricately intertwined and emphasize three special promises (of descendants). In the 59-part table (Gen 1:1-50:26) the metaphor “your descendants […] like the dust of the earth” takes the fifteenth (13:16a) and the fifteenth-from-last position (28:14a). In the 47-part equidistant structure (Gen 11:27-50:26) the metaphor “your descendants […] as the stars of heaven” shows in the twenty-first text (22:17a) and the twenty-first-from-last (26,4a). In the 25-part table (11:27-25:11) the phrase “I will establish my covenant […] and your/his descendants” holds the tenth position (17:7a) and the tenth-from-last (17,19b).
