The garden in Eden — one river, four heads
Seven verses, 84 words. The story moves for only two verses; the other five stand still and describe the river and the lands — here is how those descriptive sentences are built, read in the original.
Verse by verse: which patterns build each sentence, and why — so that you can read it without a translation.
1-1Before you read this page
Verses 8–9 continue verse 7 with wayyiqtols (“and he did”) — planting, placing, making sprout. From verse 10 to the end of verse 14 there is not a single wayyiqtol. The story stops, and verbless sentences, participles and the pronoun הוּא describe the river and the lands.
Proper names (of lands and rivers) normally take no article — עֵדֶן, פִּישׁוֹן, כּוּשׁ, אַשּׁוּר — because they are definite in themselves. So “the land of Cush” (אֶרֶץ כּוּשׁ) is definite without an article. Only הַחֲוִילָה in verse 11 has one.
The divine name יְהוָה appears, as from 2:4, in “YHWH God” (יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים).
1-2What each verse does — Genesis 2:8–14
Before the text, see for each verse of 2:8–14: (1) what it does in the story, (2) what it says, (3) the verbs and sentence structure it uses. Tap a row to go to that verse.
The storyline — the 3 verbs that carry the story of Genesis 2:8–14
Why only these verbs? — In Hebrew narrative the “and he did” verb (wayyiqtol, pattern 1) moves the events forward one by one. Read these verbs in order and you have the storyline of 2:8–14. The other clauses (descriptions, the verbs inside God’s speech, perfects and so on) are added to this line. See this storyline first, and in the text you will notice where a sentence moves forward and where it pauses.
The chain of verse 7 continues three more times in verses 8–9. From verse 10 the chain stops and only descriptive sentences follow — the next event begins again with וַיִּקַּח (“and he took”) in verse 15.
Tap a word to open its notes below. Pronunciation is by a modern Israeli Hebrew voice.
YLVAnd YHWH God planted a garden in Eden, from the east, and there he put Adam whom he had formed.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [YHWH God planted a garden in Eden, from the east] [he put there the man] [〈whom he had formed〉] — the third is a relative clause embedded in “the man” of the second.
- What comes first?Both the first and second clauses open with a wayyiqtol (וַיִּטַּע, וַיָּשֶׂם) → pattern 1. The chain of events from verse 7 continues.
- The verb of the embedded clauseThe third clause begins with אֲשֶׁר → no wayyiqtol is possible, so the perfect יָצָר (pattern 10, with the principle of pattern 2). It recalls וַיִּיצֶר of verse 7 as “had formed.”
- The rest of the orderClause one: verb → subject (two words, “YHWH God”) → object (“a garden,” no article) → two place words (בְעֵדֶן, מִקֶּדֶם). Clause two: verb → the short adverb שָׁם → אֶת־ + object.
- Why is it written this way?After the forming of the man (verse 7), the next events are set in order — planting the garden → placing the man — and the relative clause ties “the man” to the man of verse 7.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on מִקֶּדֶם divides it: [the planting | the placing].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd YHWH God planted a garden in Eden, from the east,
Why?First the wayyiqtol וַיִּטַּע (“and he planted”) → subject “YHWH God” → object “a garden” → place “in Eden, from the east.” The next event in the chain of verse 7 (וַיִּיצֶר, וַיִּפַּח, וַיְהִי).
YLVand there he put Adam
Why?Again a wayyiqtol, וַיָּשֶׂם; no subject is repeated, so “he” is YHWH God. The short adverb שָׁם (“there”) comes right after the verb, then אֶת־ marks the definite object, “the man.”
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on מִקֶּדֶם divides the verse: [planting the garden | placing the man]. The first half breaks again at אֱלֹהִים (tevir ֛) and בְעֵדֶן (tipcha ֖); the second half breaks at שָׁם (zaqef ֔): [he put there | the man whom he had formed].
Word by word
וַיִּטַּ֞עva-yittaand he planted
Wayyiqtol of nata “to plant.” וַ + יּ (dagesh); the י in front = “he,” and the “he” is YHWH God, right after it. The root’s first letter נ has merged into the next letter ט, leaving a dagesh in טּ (יִנְטַע → יִטַּע). Because the last letter is the guttural ע, the vowel before it is patach (טַּ). The wayyiqtol chain of verse 7 continues.
יְהוָ֧הYHWHYHWH
The name of God, four letters יהוה. The vowels the Masoretes placed on this name are not a record of how it is pronounced. From 2:4 on, the two words יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים (YHWH God) stand together as the subject. As a proper name it takes no article.
אֱלֹהִ֛יםElohimGod
Standing beside יְהוָה: “YHWH God” — two words naming one subject. The form is plural (־ִים), yet the verb וַיִּטַּע is singular. It is spelled without vav after ל: אֱלֹהִים.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H430
גַּןgana garden
“Garden.” It has no article — first mentioned, so “a garden.” From verse 9 it is הַגָּן, “the garden.” Joined to the next word by maqaf, it has no accent. Because the previous word אֱלֹהִים ends in the consonant ם, גּ keeps its dot (weak dagesh).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numbermaqqefaccents
- Form
- גַּן (“garden”) — a noun used as both masculine and feminine
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H1588
בְעֵ֖דֶןve-edenin Eden
בְ (“in”) + the place name עֵדֶן. As a proper name it has no article. The garden is “in Eden” — verse 10 has the river go out “from Eden” to water “the garden,” keeping Eden and the garden distinct. עֵדֶן is spelled like the word for “delight.” It is a two-syllable noun stressed on the first syllable (עֵ֖דֶן).
- Parsing
- preposition + proper noun (name)
- Grammar
- prepositionaccents
- Form
- בְּ + עֵדֶן (Eden)
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H5731b
מִקֶּ֑דֶםmi-qedemfrom the east
The preposition מִן (“from”) + the noun קֶדֶם (“front, east, old time”). The נ of מִן has merged into the next letter, leaving a dagesh in קּ and only מִ. Before a direction word, מִן means “on the … side” (12:8 מִקֶּדֶם “on the east”). Atnach (◌֑) here — verse 8 divides into the planting | the placing. “Eastward” (direction toward) is written with an unstressed ־ָה at the end: קֵדְמָה (13:14, 25:6, 28:14). That is not the form here. For the dispute over the meaning, see “Going deeper.”
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- מִן + קֶדֶם → נ assimilates: מִקֶּדֶם
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H6924a
וַיָּ֣שֶׂםva-yasemand he put
Wayyiqtol of sim “to put, place.” וַ + יּ; the י = “he.” No subject is written; it is YHWH God from the previous clause. Because the middle root letter is י (a hollow root), the prefix vowel is qamets (יָ). The imperfect יָשִׂים shortens in the wayyiqtol and the stress moves back (יָּ֣), giving יָּשֶׂם.
שָׁ֔םshamthere
The adverb “there,” pointing back to the garden. Being short, it comes right after the verb, before the object. Its zaqef (◌֔) divides the clause: “he put there | the man.”
אֶתet(object marker)
The object marker, joined by maqaf and so with the short vowel אֶת. It points to the definite object, “the man (Adam).”
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
הָֽאָדָ֖םha-adamthe man (Adam)
א cannot take a dagesh, so the article lengthens to הָ. “The adam” — the very man formed from the ground in verse 7. The YLV writes “Adam.” The stroke under הָֽ is the lengthening mark (meteg).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אָדָם (“man, Adam”) + article הָ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H120
אֲשֶׁ֥רasherwhom
The relative word “who, whom, which.” It does not change for gender or number. It opens a clause describing “the man” just before it. Inside that clause “him” (the object) is not written again: “the man whom he had formed (him).”
yatsarhe had formed
Yatsar “to form, shape.” The bare form = perfect 3ms, “he formed.” No subject is written; it is YHWH God. The same verb as the wayyiqtol וַיִּיצֶר of verse 7 is taken up here as a perfect inside the relative clause: an action already finished, “had formed.” At the silluq pause the second vowel lengthens from patach to qamets (יָצַר → יָצָֽר, pausal form).
YLVAnd YHWH God made to sprout from the ground (adamah) every tree pleasant to sight and good for food, and the tree of life (chai) in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?One verb with two groups of objects: [he made sprout — from the ground — every tree (two modifiers)] [and the tree of life (in the midst of the garden) · and the tree of knowledge].
- What comes first?The wayyiqtol וַיַּצְמַח → pattern 1. As a Hiphil (“cause to”), “he made sprout” — the partner of the Qal יִצְמָח (“sprout”) in 2:5.
- The modifiersAfter עֵץ come the participle נֶחְמָד and the adjective טוֹב, matching it in gender, number and (lack of) article → pattern 12. Each adds לְ + a noun (לְמַרְאֶה “to sight,” לְמַאֲכָל “for food”).
- The second groupWith no new verb, וְעֵץ … וְעֵץ … continue the objects of the same verb. Construct עֵץ + a noun with the article = a definite “the tree of ….”
- Why is it written this way?First “every tree” is mentioned, and then two trees are set apart at the end and named. These two trees become the center of what follows (2:16–17, chapter 3).
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on לְמַאֲכָל divides it: [every tree | the two trees].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd YHWH God made to sprout from the ground (adamah) every tree pleasant to sight and good for food,
Why?The wayyiqtol וַיַּצְמַח (Hiphil, “made sprout”) → subject → “from the ground” → object “every tree.” Two modifiers follow the object: נֶחְמָד לְמַרְאֶה (“desirable to sight”) and וְטוֹב לְמַאֲכָל (“good for food”). The participle and the adjective agree with “tree” (masculine singular), and since “tree” has no article, neither do they.
YLVand the tree of life (chai) in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Why?No new verb. וְעֵץ … וְעֵץ … are further objects of the same verb וַיַּצְמַח, joined by וְ: “(he made sprout) … and the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge.” Both trees are “construct עֵץ + a noun with the article,” so each is definite: “the tree of ….” Only the tree of life has a place added: “in the midst of the garden.”
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on לְמַאֲכָל divides it: [making every tree sprout | the two trees]. The second half divides again at הַגָּן (zaqef ֔): [the tree of life in the midst of the garden | the tree of knowledge], setting the two trees each on its own. The second וְעֵץ carries zaqef gadol (◌֕) by itself, pausing on “and the tree —” before “of the knowledge of good and evil.”
Word by word
וַיַּצְמַ֞חva-yatsmachand he made sprout
Hiphil wayyiqtol of tsamach “to sprout” — the Hiphil means “to make (something) do it.” וַ + יּ; the י = “he” (YHWH God). The patach prefix vowel (יַ) marks the Hiphil, as in וַיַּבְדֵּל of Day One. The Hiphil imperfect יַצְמִיחַ shortens in the wayyiqtol, and before the final guttural ח the vowel becomes patach. In 2:5 the same root appeared as the Qal imperfect יִצְמָח (the herb had “not yet sprouted”): Qal “sprout,” Hiphil “make sprout.”
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + verb · Hiphil · wayyiqtol (narrative sequence) · 3rd masculine singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawHiphil stemwayyiqtolaccents
- Form
- root צ-מ-ח → Hiphil יַצְמִיחַ → וַיַּצְמַח
- Accent
- Gershayim a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H6779
יְהוָ֤הYHWHYHWH
The same name as in verse 8; again “YHWH God” stands as subject after the verb. The vowels the Masoretes placed on this name are not a record of how it is pronounced.
אֱלֹהִים֙ElohimGod
The second word of “YHWH God.” The verb וַיַּצְמַח is singular — one God. The pashta (◌֙) marks a break: “YHWH God made sprout | from the ground.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H430
מִןminfrom
The preposition מִן (“from”) in its full form, joined by maqaf. Because the next word begins with the article ה, the נ does not merge into it as in מִקֶּדֶם (verse 8).
- Parsing
- preposition
- Grammar
- prepositionmaqqefaccents
- Form
- full form מִן + maqaf
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H4480a
הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔הha-adamahthe ground (adamah)
Before א the article is הָ. The ending ־ָה is the feminine noun ending (stressed). It is the same ground from which Adam was formed in verse 7 — man (אָדָם) and ground (אֲדָמָה) echo in sound. Zaqef (◌֔) pause.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֲדָמָה (“ground”) + article הָ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H127
כָּלkolevery
The construct of כֹּל (“all”): “all of.” Joined by maqaf it loses its stress and is read with a short “o” (qamets chatuf, כָּל). Before a singular noun without the article it means “every …”; before a definite noun, “all the … / the whole ….”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל → construct before maqaf כָּל־ (kol)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
עֵ֛ץetstree
“Tree,” masculine singular. No article, after כָּל־: “every tree.” Final צ takes its final form ץ. Tevir (◌֛) pause.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- עֵץ (“tree”)
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H6086
נֶחְמָ֥דnechmadpleasant
Niphal participle masculine singular of chamad “to desire, covet” — “desirable, pleasant.” The prefix נֶ (nun) marks the Niphal participle. As a participle it has no “who” marker; it agrees in gender and number with “tree” (masculine singular) and describes it. “Tree” has no article, so neither does the participle. The same word וְנֶחְמָד is used of the tree again in 3:6, and the same root appears in Exod 20:17, “You shall not covet.”
- Parsing
- verb · Niphal · participle · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- Niphal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root ח-מ-ד → Niphal participle נֶחְמָד (prefix נ)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H2530a
לְמַרְאֶ֖הle-mar’ehto sight
לְ (“to, for”) + מַרְאֶה (“sight, appearance”). מַרְאֶה is ra’ah “to see” (ר-א-ה) with the noun-forming prefix מַ; as a final-ה root it ends in ־ֶה. “Desirable to sight.” Tipcha (◌֖) pause.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- לְ + מַ + root ר-א-ה → לְמַרְאֶה
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H4758
וְט֣וֹבve-tovand good
The adjective טוֹב (“good”), masculine singular, with וְ. A second description of “tree,” set beside נֶחְמָד with וְ. It agrees with “tree” in gender and number.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + adjective · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawadjectiveaccents
- Form
- וְ + טוֹב
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H2896a
לְמַאֲכָ֑לle-ma’akhalfor food
לְ + מַאֲכָל (“food”). It is akhal “to eat” (א-כ-ל) with מַ; under א is a hateph patach (ֲ). “Good for food.” Atnach (◌֑) here — verse 9 divides into every tree | the two trees.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- לְ + מַ + root א-כ-ל → לְמַאֲכָל
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H3978
וְעֵ֤ץve-etsand the tree of
וְ + the construct of עֵץ, “tree of.” As a one-syllable word its construct has the same form. Bound to הַחַיִּים: “the tree of life.” A construct never takes the article; the article on the following word makes the whole chain definite. With no new verb, the objects of וַיַּצְמַח continue.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- וְ + עֵץ (construct has the same form)
- Accent
- Mahpakh conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H6086
הַֽחַיִּים֙ha-chayyimthe life
Article הַ + חַיִּים (“life”). ח cannot take a dagesh, yet the article stays הַ (as in הַחֹשֶׁךְ of Day One). Like מַיִם, חַיִּים usually expresses “life” in plural form (־ִים), with a dagesh in יּ. The YLV shows the Hebrew: “life (chai).” Pashta (◌֙) pause.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- חַיִּים (“life”) + article הַ
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H2416e
בְּת֣וֹךְbe-tokhin the midst of
בְּ (“in”) + the construct of תּוֹךְ (“midst”): “in the midst of.” Final כ takes the form ךְ. It says where the tree of life is.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- בְּ + תּוֹךְ (“midst,” construct)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H8432
הַגָּ֔ןha-ganthe garden
First mentioned in verse 8 as “a garden” (גַּן), it now has the article: “the garden.” The article doubles the next letter — the dagesh in גּ. Zaqef (◌֔) pause.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- גַּן + article הַ → הַגָּן
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H1588
וְעֵ֕ץve-etsand the tree of
The second tree. Again וְ + the construct עֵץ, bound to הַדַּעַת: “the tree of the knowledge.” It carries zaqef gadol (◌֕).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- וְ + עֵץ (construct has the same form)
- Accent
- Zaqef gadol a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H6086
הַדַּ֖עַתha-da’atthe knowledge
Article הַ + דַּעַת (“knowing, knowledge”) — the dot in דּ is the article’s doubling. It comes from yada “to know” (י-ד-ע): the first letter י drops and ת is added, giving a feminine noun (the infinitive construct has the same form). It governs “good and evil” almost like an object: “the knowing of good and evil.”
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- root י-ד-ע → דַּעַת (“knowledge”) + article הַ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H1847
ט֥וֹבtovgood
YLVAnd a river was going out from Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four heads.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [a river goes out from Eden to water the garden] [from there it parts] [it becomes four heads].
- What comes first?Clause one: וְ + the subject נָהָר → pattern 3 (description). Clause two: וּמִשָּׁם (“and from there”). Clause three: וְ (shewa) + a perfect.
- So what fills the verb slot?Not a single wayyiqtol: the participle יֹצֵא (5), the imperfect יִפָּרֵד (25), the weqatal וְהָיָה (14). All three are forms for ongoing or repeated action.
- Which combination?“And + subject + participle” sets the background → “X + imperfect” → “weqatal” continues it. לְהַשְׁקוֹת (13) gives the purpose; הָיָה לְ (24) means “become.”
- Why is it written this way?The river is not a single event but something that keeps flowing, so the chain of events (wayyiqtol) stops and the river is drawn with forms of continuing action — the same structure as the background sentences of 2:5–6 (יַעֲלֶה, וְהִשְׁקָה).
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on הַגָּן divides it: [going out and watering | parting and becoming four].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd a river was going out from Eden to water the garden,
Why?“And” is attached not to a verb but to the subject נָהָר (“river”), which stands first → pattern 3. The chain of the story stops here to describe the garden. The verb slot holds the participle יֹצֵא (“was going out,” pattern 5), picturing something continuous, and לְ + the infinitive לְהַשְׁקוֹת adds the purpose, “to water.”
YLVand from there it parted
Why?“And from there” (וּמִשָּׁם) stands first, so the verb cannot be a wayyiqtol; an imperfect, יִפָּרֵד, follows. In narrative background an imperfect describes what was ongoing or repeated — the same kind of background sentence as וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה in 2:6, where the mist goes up. “Who” is the prefix י = the river.
YLVand became four heads.
Why?וְ (shewa) + the perfect הָיָה = a weqatal. It is not a wayyiqtol (וַיְהִי), so it is no new event; it continues the ongoing sense of the imperfect יִפָּרֵד: “it would part … and become four.” הָיָה לְ + “four heads” = “become four heads” (pattern 24).
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on הַגָּן divides it: [the river going out from Eden to water the garden | parting from there and becoming four]. The first half breaks at מֵעֵדֶן (zaqef ֔): where from | what for; the second at יִפָּרֵד (zaqef): parting | becoming four.
Word by word
וְנָהָרּ֙ve-naharand a river
וְ + the noun נָהָר (“river”). “And” is attached to the subject, not to a verb, and stands first — a sentence that describes the garden rather than adding an event. Without the article it is “a river,” first mentioned (from verse 13 it is הַנָּהָר, “the river”). In this manuscript the final ר carries a dot (רּ); ר normally takes no dagesh, so this is an unusual spelling.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberaccents
- Form
- וְ + נָהָר (“river”)
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H5104
יֹצֵ֣אyotsewas going out
Qal participle masculine singular of yatsa “to go out” (י-צ-א). The Qal participle has “o” after the first root letter (יֹ) and “e” after the second (צֵ). It agrees with its subject נָהָר (masculine singular). As a participle it has no “who” marker and pictures continuous flowing out. The final א is silent.
- Parsing
- verb · Qal · participle · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- Qal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root י-צ-א → Qal participle יֹצֵא (o–e pattern)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H3318
מֵעֵ֔דֶןme-edenfrom Eden
מִן + עֵדֶן. ע cannot take a dagesh, so the נ cannot be doubled into it; instead the vowel of מִ lengthens to מֵ (me). The same מִן appears on this page in three forms: מִקֶּדֶם (doubling), מִן־הָאֲדָמָה (full form), מֵעֵדֶן (lengthened vowel). The river goes out from Eden to the garden. Zaqef (◌֔) pause.
- Parsing
- preposition + proper noun (name)
- Grammar
- prepositionaccents
- Form
- מִן + עֵדֶן → before ע: מֵעֵדֶן
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H5731b
לְהַשְׁק֖וֹתle-hashqotto water
לְ + the Hiphil infinitive construct of shaqah “to give drink, to water” (שׁ-ק-ה). The prefix הַ marks the Hiphil infinitive; a final-ה root’s infinitive ends in ־וֹת. לְ + infinitive = “in order to” (purpose). An infinitive has no “who” marker — the one watering is the river. Same root as וְהִשְׁקָה in 2:6 (the mist “watered”).
- Parsing
- preposition + verb · Hiphil · infinitive construct
- Grammar
- prepositionHiphil steminfinitive constructaccents
- Form
- root שׁ-ק-ה → Hiphil infinitive הַשְׁקוֹת + לְ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H8248
אֶתet(object marker)
The object marker (אֶת before maqaf). The infinitive לְהַשְׁקוֹת takes an object like a verb: “the garden.”
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
הַגָּ֑ןha-ganthe garden
“The garden,” as in verse 9. Atnach (◌֑) here: verse 10 divides into the river going out to water the garden | its parting from there.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- גַּן + article הַ → הַגָּן
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H1588
וּמִשָּׁם֙u-mi-shamand from there
וּ + מִן + שָׁם (“there”). Before the lip-sound מ, “and” is וּ (u), as in וּבֵין of Day One. The נ of מִן merges, leaving a dagesh in שּׁ. “From there” stands before the verb — so the verb cannot be a wayyiqtol.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + adverb
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositionadverbaccents
- Form
- וּ + מִן + שָׁם → וּמִשָּׁם
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H8033
יִפָּרֵ֔דyipparedit was parting
Niphal imperfect 3ms of parad “to divide” — the Niphal means “to be divided, to part.” The י in front = “he, it”; the “it” is the river (נָהָר, masculine). In the Niphal imperfect the Niphal נ merges into the first root letter, giving a dagesh in פּ with qamets under it (יִפָּרֵד). An imperfect inside narrative describes what was ongoing or repeated then. 13:14, “after Lot had separated from him” (הִפָּרֶד), uses the same Niphal.
וְve-hayahand it became
וְ (shewa) + the perfect 3ms of hayah “to be, become” (bare form = “he, it”). Not the wayyiqtol וַיְהִי but a weqatal. It continues the preceding imperfect יִפָּרֵד, carrying the same ongoing, repeated sense: “it would part … and become.” The “it” is the river. With the following לְ it means “become.”
לְאַרְבָּעָ֥הle-arba’ahfour
לְ + the number אַרְבָּעָה (“four”). הָיָה לְ means “become.” Numbers three to ten, oddly, take the form with ־ָה when used with masculine nouns: because רָאשִׁים is masculine plural, it is אַרְבָּעָה (with a feminine noun it would be אַרְבַּע).
- Parsing
- preposition + cardinal number · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- prepositionnumeralaccents
- Form
- לְ + אַרְבָּעָה (“four,” the form used with masculine nouns)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H702
רָאשִֽׁיםrashimheads
Masculine plural of רֹאשׁ (“head”). In the plural the first vowel becomes qamets (רָ) and א is silent: “rashim.” The same root as רֵאשִׁית (“beginning”) of Day One. The river’s “heads” = the four streams it parts into. Silluq at the verse end.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- רֹאשׁ (“head”) → plural רָאשִׁים
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H7218a
YLVThe name of the first is Pishon; it is the one surrounding all the land of Havilah, where there is gold.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [the name of the first — Pishon] [it is the one surrounding all the land of Havilah] [〈where the gold is〉].
- What comes first?Clause one: the noun שֵׁם (without even “and”) → a verbless sentence (pattern 4). Clause two: the pronoun הוּא → pattern 26.
- So what fills the verb slot?No clause has a finite verb. The predicate of clause two is article + participle הַסֹּבֵב (pattern 27); clause three is a verbless relative clause with אֲשֶׁר + שָׁם (10 + 4).
- The way of countingThe first is counted not with an ordinal but with the cardinal הָאֶחָד (“the one”). From the second on: ordinals הַשֵּׁנִי, הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, הָרְבִיעִי.
- Why is it written this way?Name → what it surrounds → what is in that land. Repeating this shape for each river (verses 13, 14) introduces all four alike.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on פִּישׁוֹן divides it: [the name | what it does].
Clause by clause
YLVThe name of the first is Pishon;
Why?A verbless sentence — subject “the name of the first” (שֵׁם הָאֶחָד) + predicate “Pishon.” It opens without “and.” In counting the four, the first is the cardinal אֶחָד (“one”); from the second on, ordinals.
YLVit is the one surrounding all the land of Havilah,
Why?The pronoun הוּא (“it” = Pishon) first → the predicate הַסֹּבֵב (article + participle, “the one surrounding”) → object “all the land of Havilah.” There is no verb; because the predicate is also definite, הוּא marks the boundary: “it — is — ….” Like a verb, the participle takes אֵת and an object.
YLVwhere there is gold.
Why?The relative אֲשֶׁר + שָׁם (“there”) = “where.” Inside is a verbless sentence, “there — the gold”: the land of Havilah “where there is gold.”
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on פִּישׁוֹן divides it: [the name | what that river does]. The second half breaks at הַסֹּבֵב (revia ֗) and הַחֲוִילָה (zaqef ֔): [the one surrounding | all the land of Havilah | where there is gold].
Word by word
שֵׁ֥םshemthe name of
The construct of שֵׁם (“name”), “the name of,” unchanged in form. Bound to הָאֶחָד: “the name of the one.” It is the subject of a verbless sentence, opening without “and.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- שֵׁם (“name”) — construct has the same form
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H8034
הָֽאֶחָ֖דha-echadthe first (the one)
The article הָ + the cardinal אֶחָד (“one”). Before א the article lengthens to הָ; the stroke is a meteg. In Hebrew counting the first item is often named with the cardinal אֶחָד, and from the second on ordinals follow — הַשֵּׁנִי (verse 13), הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, הָרְבִיעִי (verse 14). So the YLV renders “the first.” It is the same word as יוֹם אֶחָד in 1:5.
פִּישׁ֑וֹןPishonPishon
ה֣וּאhuit
The 3rd masculine singular pronoun “he, it.” It picks up Pishon from the previous sentence (נָהָר “river” is masculine) and opens a new sentence. With no article and standing first, it is the subject: “it is ….” The predicate הַסֹּבֵב (“the one surrounding”) follows with no verb — pattern 26. The final א is silent.
- Parsing
- personal pronoun · 3rd · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- personal pronounaccents
- Form
- pronoun הוּא (“he, it,” 3ms)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H1931
הַסֹּבֵ֗בha-sovevthe one surrounding
The article הַ + the Qal participle masculine singular of savav “to go around, surround” (ס-ב-ב), סֹבֵב (o–e pattern). The article’s doubling puts a dagesh in סּ. Article + participle = “the one surrounding” — pattern 27. It agrees with הוּא (masculine singular) and, like a verb, takes an object (אֵת + the land). As a participle it pictures continual surrounding. The final ב follows a vowel, so it has no dot: a v sound. Revia (◌֗) pause.
- Parsing
- article “the” + verb · Qal · participle · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articleQal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root ס-ב-ב → Qal participle סֹבֵב + article הַ → סּ
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H5437
אֵ֚תet(object marker)
The object marker, pointing to what הַסֹּבֵב surrounds. Without a maqaf it has its own accent (yetiv ֚) and keeps the long vowel אֵת.
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתaccents
- Form
- unchanging · before a maqaf it becomes אֶת־ (verse 4)
- Accent
- Yetiv a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H853
כָּלkolall
The construct כָּל־. Because what follows is definite (“the land of Havilah”), it means “all the …, the whole ….”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל → construct before maqaf כָּל־ (kol)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
אֶ֣רֶץeretsthe land of
The construct of אֶרֶץ (“land”), “the land of,” unchanged in form. As a construct it has no article and is bound to הַחֲוִילָה.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“land”) — construct has the same form
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H776
הַֽחֲוִילָ֔הha-ChavilahHavilah
אֲשֶׁרasherwhere (which)
The relative אֲשֶׁר. Joined by maqaf to שָׁם (“there”), אֲשֶׁר … שָׁם = “which … there,” that is, “where.” It describes “the land of Havilah.” Before the maqaf it has no accent.
שָׁ֖םshamthere
הַזָּהָֽבha-zahavthe gold
Article הַ + זָהָב (“gold”) — the dot in זּ is the article’s doubling. It is the subject of the relative clause “there (is) the gold,” which has no verb. Silluq at the verse end. The final ב follows a vowel: a v sound.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- זָהָב (“gold”) + article הַ → זּ
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H2091
YLVAnd the gold of that land is good; there is the bdellium and the onyx stone.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Two: [the gold of that land is good] [there — the bdellium and the onyx stone].
- What comes first?Clause one: וּ + the subject “the gold of the land” → pattern 3. Clause two: the place word שָׁם.
- So what fills the verb slot?Neither clause has a verb → pattern 4. The predicates are the adjective טוֹב (masculine singular, agreeing with “gold”) and “there (is).”
- The modifier ‹הַהִוא›“Article + pronoun” after a definite noun = “that.” It looks like הוּא of verse 11 (a subject, without the article) but does a different job. It is feminine hi, agreeing with אֶרֶץ.
- Why is it written this way?It picks up “the gold” at the end of verse 11, adds that it is “good,” and lists more treasures of the same land — description following description, with no event.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on טוֹב divides it into two sentences: [gold | stones].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd the gold of that land is good;
Why?וּ + the subject “the gold of that land” (וּזֲהַב הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא) first → pattern 3. There is no verb, only the predicate טוֹב (“good”) → pattern 4. Article + pronoun הַהִוא is the “that” of “that land” (feminine, agreeing with אֶרֶץ).
YLVthere is the bdellium and the onyx stone.
Why?A verbless sentence with “there” (שָׁם) placed first: “there (is) the bdellium and the onyx stone.” A place word + a subject is enough to say “there is.”
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on טוֹב divides it exactly into two sentences: [the gold of that land is good | there are stones there]. Tevir (◌֛) stands on וּזֲהַב in the first half, tipcha (◌֖) on הַבְּדֹלַח in the second.
Word by word
וּֽזֲהַ֛בu-zahavand the gold of
The construct of זָהָב (“gold”), זְהַב, “the gold of” — its first vowel is reduced. This manuscript writes a hateph patach (ֲ) under ז instead of a shewa, so that the short vowel is clearly sounded; therefore “and” takes the form it has before a shewa, וּ (u). The stroke in וּֽ is a meteg. A descriptive sentence opening with “and + subject.”
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- זָהָב → construct זְהַב (here זֲהַב) + וּ
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H2091
הָאָ֥רֶץha-aretsthe earth
“The land,” bound to the construct זֲהַב: “the gold of the land.” Before א the article is הָ, and with it the first vowel lengthens: הָאָרֶץ.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H776
הַהִ֖ואha-hithat
The article הַ + the 3rd feminine singular pronoun “she, it.” When article + pronoun comes after a definite noun, it means “that” — “that land.” Because אֶרֶץ is feminine, the pronoun is feminine. The letters are written הוא (with vav) but pointed “hi” (הִ) — in the Torah the feminine pronoun hi is mostly written this way. Unlike הוּא (hu, a subject) in verse 11, here it has the article and describes the noun.
- Parsing
- article “the” + personal pronoun · 3rd · feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlepersonal pronounaccents
- Form
- article הַ + pronoun הִוא (= הִיא, 3fs)
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H1931
ט֑וֹבtovis good
The adjective טוֹב, masculine singular, agreeing with the subject זְהַב (gold, masculine). “(The gold) is good,” with no verb — the predicate of a verbless sentence. Atnach (◌֑) here: verse 12 divides into gold | stones.
שָׁ֥םshamthere
הַבְּדֹ֖לַחha-bedolachthe bdellium
Article הַ + בְּדֹלַח — the dot in בּ is the article’s doubling. The word appears again in Num 11:7 for the appearance of manna (YLV “like the appearance of bdellium”). What it is exactly is not certain. Tipcha (◌֖) pause.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- בְּדֹלַח + article הַ → בּ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H916
וְאֶ֥בֶןve-evenand the stone of
וְ + the construct of אֶבֶן (“stone”), “the stone of,” unchanged in form. אֶבֶן is feminine though it does not end in ־ָה. Bound to הַשֹּׁהַם: “the onyx stone.” The ב follows a vowel: a v sound.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- אֶבֶן (“stone”) — construct has the same form + וְ
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H68
הַשֹּֽׁהַםha-shohamthe onyx
Article הַ + שֹׁהַם — the dot in שּׁ is the article’s doubling. A gemstone name; in Exod 28:9 these are the stones engraved with the names of the sons of Israel for the high priest’s ephod (YLV “two stones of onyx”). Its exact identity is not certain. Silluq at the verse end.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שֹׁהַם + article הַ → שּׁ
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H7718
YLVAnd the name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one surrounding all the land of Cush.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Two: [the name of the second river — Gihon] [it is the one surrounding all the land of Cush].
- What comes first?Clause one: וְ + the subject (וְשֵׁם הַנָּהָר הַשֵּׁנִי) → patterns 3 + 4. Clause two: הוּא → pattern 26.
- The ordinalהַשֵּׁנִי is the ordinal “second.” Like an adjective it follows the noun it describes and takes the same article (הַנָּהָר הַשֵּׁנִי).
- So what fills the verb slot?No verb; the predicate is הַסּוֹבֵב (article + participle, 27) — the same word as הַסֹּבֵב in verse 11, spelled with ו.
- Why is it written this way?The second river is introduced in exactly the shape of verse 11; the repeated pattern shows the four belong together.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on גִּיחוֹן divides it: [the name | what it does].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd the name of the second river is Gihon;
Why?“And + subject” (וְשֵׁם הַנָּהָר הַשֵּׁנִי, “the name of the second river”) + the predicate “Gihon” — a verbless sentence. The ordinal הַשֵּׁנִי takes the article just like הַנָּהָר, the noun it describes.
YLVit is the one surrounding all the land of Cush.
Why?The same structure as verse 11 — הוּא (= Gihon) + הַסּוֹבֵב (“the one surrounding”) + אֵת + “all the land of Cush.” Repeating the pattern introduces each river in the same shape.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on גִּיחוֹן divides it exactly as in verse 11: [the name | what that river does]. The second half breaks at הַסּוֹבֵב (zaqef ֔).
Word by word
וְשֵֽׁםve-shemand the name of
וְ + the construct שֵׁם. Unlike verse 11 it has “and,” attaching the description of the second river to the first. It is joined by maqaf; the stroke under שֵֽׁ is a meteg.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- וְ + שֵׁם (construct)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H8034
הַנָּהָ֥רha-naharthe river
Article הַ + נָהָר — the dot in נּ is the article’s doubling. One of the streams of the river introduced in verse 10, so now “the river.” It is bound to “the name of.”
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- נָהָר (“river”) + article הַ → נּ
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H5104
הַשֵּׁנִ֖יha-shenithe second
The ordinal “second” (שֵׁנִי), masculine singular. Ordinals end in ־ִי (-i) and take the article just like the noun they describe, הַנָּהָר (doubling in שּׁ). The first in verse 11 was the cardinal הָאֶחָד; from here on the text uses ordinals. Tipcha (◌֖) pause.
גִּיח֑וֹןGichonGihon
ה֣וּאhuit
The pronoun הוּא (“it”) — this time picking up Gihon. Exactly as in verse 11 it opens a “הוּא + article + participle” sentence.
- Parsing
- personal pronoun · 3rd · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- personal pronounaccents
- Form
- pronoun הוּא (“he, it,” 3ms)
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H1931
הַסּוֹבֵ֔בha-sovevthe one surrounding
The same “one surrounding” as in verse 11, but this time the “o” is written with the vowel letter ו: הַסּוֹבֵב. It and הַסֹּבֵב (verse 11, with the dot only) are two spellings of the same word. Zaqef (◌֔) pause.
- Parsing
- article “the” + verb · Qal · participle · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articleQal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root ס-ב-ב → Qal participle סוֹבֵב (spelled with ו) + article
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H5437
אֵ֖תet(object marker)
The object marker — pointing to what הַסּוֹבֵב surrounds. It carries tipcha (◌֖), so it keeps the long vowel אֵת.
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתaccents
- Form
- unchanging · before a maqaf it becomes אֶת־ (verse 4)
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H853
כָּלkolall
The construct כָּל־. Because what follows is definite (“the land of Havilah”), it means “all the …, the whole ….”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct statemaqqefaccents
- Form
- כֹּל → construct before maqaf כָּל־ (kol)
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3605
אֶ֥רֶץeretsthe land of
Construct “the land of,” bound to כּוּשׁ.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine or feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“land”) — construct has the same form
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H776
כּֽוּשׁKushCush
YLVAnd the name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one going east of Asshur. And the fourth river, it is the Euphrates.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [the name of the third river — Hiddekel] [it is the one going east of Asshur] [the fourth river — it is the Euphrates].
- What comes first?Clauses one and three: וְ + subject → pattern 3. Clause two: הוּא → pattern 26.
- So what fills the verb slot?No verb. Clause two’s predicate is הַהֹלֵךְ (article + participle, 27) + the construct קִדְמַת (“east of”). In clause three הוּא picks up the fronted subject, and the name פְרָת itself is the predicate (26).
- Three forms of “east”On this page מִקֶּדֶם (verse 8, “on the east side”) and קִדְמַת (verse 14, “east of,” construct) differ from קֵדְמָה with the direction ־ָה (“eastward,” 13:14).
- Why is it written this way?Up to the third river the shape “name + הוּא + participle” repeats; the fourth is closed with one short sentence: “the river — it — the Euphrates.” The structure adds no description to the fourth.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on אַשּׁוּר divides it: [the third river | the fourth river].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd the name of the third river is Hiddekel;
Why?The same “and + subject + name” as verse 13: “the name of the third river — Hiddekel.” Ordinal הַשְּׁלִישִׁי.
YLVit is the one going east of Asshur.
Why?הוּא (= Hiddekel) + הַהֹלֵךְ (“the one going”) + the direction “east of Asshur” (construct קִדְמַת). Instead of an object, the participle הֹלֵךְ takes “where.”
YLVAnd the fourth river, it is the Euphrates.
Why?“And + subject,” וְהַנָּהָר הָרְבִיעִי (“the fourth river”), is placed first (pattern 3), and the pronoun הוּא picks it up and links it to the predicate פְרָת: “the fourth river, it is the Euphrates.” This time there is no participle; the name itself is the predicate. For the fourth river only the name is given, not a land it surrounds.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on אַשּׁוּר divides it: [the third river | the fourth river]. The first half breaks at חִדֶּקֶל (zaqef ֔): [the name | what it does]; the second at הָרְבִיעִי (tipcha ֖): [the fourth river | it is the Euphrates].
Word by word
וְשֵׁ֨םve-shemand the name of
The same “and the name of” as in verse 13; this time without maqaf, carrying its own accent (qadma ֨).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- וְ + שֵׁם (construct)
- Accent
- Qadma conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H8034
הַנָּהָ֤רha-naharthe river
“The river” — naming the third river.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- נָהָר (“river”) + article הַ → נּ
- Accent
- Mahpakh conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H5104
הַשְּׁלִישִׁי֙ha-shelishithe third
The ordinal “third” (שְׁלִישִׁי) — שָׁלֹשׁ (“three”) with the ordinal ending ־ִי. It takes the article just like הַנָּהָר, doubling שּׁ. Pashta (◌֙) pause.
חִדֶּ֔קֶלChiddeqelHiddekel
The river name Hiddekel. As a proper name it has no article. The dot in דּ is a doubled consonant (hid-de). The same river appears in Dan 10:4 as “the great river” (YLV “the great river, which is the Tigris”). Zaqef (◌֔) pause.
ה֥וּאhuit
The pronoun הוּא — this time picking up Hiddekel. The third “הוּא + article + participle” sentence.
- Parsing
- personal pronoun · 3rd · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- personal pronounaccents
- Form
- pronoun הוּא (“he, it,” 3ms)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H1931
הַֽהֹלֵ֖ךְha-holekhthe one going
Article + the Qal participle masculine singular of halakh “to go” (ה-ל-ך), הֹלֵךְ (o–e pattern). ה cannot take a dagesh, but the article stays הַ (implied doubling). “The one going” — pattern 27. Final כ takes the form ךְ. Tipcha (◌֖) pause.
- Parsing
- article “the” + verb · Qal · participle · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articleQal stemparticipleaccents
- Form
- root ה-ל-ך → Qal participle הֹלֵךְ + article הַ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H1980
קִדְמַ֣תqidmateast of
The construct of the feminine noun קִדְמָה (“front, east side”) — the feminine ending ־ָה becomes ־ַת in the construct. Bound to Asshur: “east of (in front of) Asshur.” 4:16, “east of Eden” (קִדְמַת־עֵדֶן), has the same form. It differs from קֵדְמָה “eastward” (13:14): that ־ָה is an unstressed direction marker, whereas the ־ָה here is the stressed feminine ending.
- Parsing
- noun · feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- gender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- קִדְמָה (“east side”) → construct קִדְמַת
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H6926
אַשּׁ֑וּרAshshurAsshur
The land and people name Asshur. As a proper name it has no article; the dot in שּׁ is a doubled consonant (ash-shur). 10:11, “From that land Asshur went out.” In 25:18 it takes the direction ending ־ָה: אַשּׁוּרָה, “toward Asshur” — not the form here. Atnach (◌֑) here: verse 14 divides into the third river | the fourth river.
וְהַנָּהָ֥רve-ha-naharand the river
וְ + article הַ + נָהָר. “And + subject” stands first. This time, without “the name of,” the river itself is placed first, then picked up again by the pronoun הוּא.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawdefinite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- וְ + הַ + נָהָר
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H5104
הָֽרְבִיעִ֖יha-revi’ithe fourth
ה֥וּאhuit
The pronoun הוּא — picking up “the fourth river,” just placed first, as “it,” and linking it to the name פְרָת. Standing between subject and predicate, it works as the link: “X — it is — Y.”
- Parsing
- personal pronoun · 3rd · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- personal pronounaccents
- Form
- pronoun הוּא (“he, it,” 3ms)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H1931
פְרָֽתFeratEuphrates
All the sentence patterns of this page in one table, and the places where views differ.
2-1Sentence patterns on this page
Which patterns build the clauses of this page, in one table.
| Pattern | On this page |
|---|---|
| 1. The wayyiqtol narrative sentence | 2:8 And YHWH God planted a garden in Eden, from the east,2:8 and there he put Adam2:9 And YHWH God made to sprout from the ground (adamah) every tree pleasant to sight and good for food,2:9 and the tree of life (chai) in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. |
| 2. The “X + perfect” sentence | 2:8 whom he had formed. |
| 3. The “and + subject” descriptive sentence | 2:10 And a river was going out from Eden to water the garden,2:12 And the gold of that land is good;2:13 And the name of the second river is Gihon;2:14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel;2:14 And the fourth river, it is the Euphrates. |
| 4. The verbless sentence | 2:11 The name of the first is Pishon;2:11 where there is gold.2:12 And the gold of that land is good;2:12 there is the bdellium and the onyx stone.2:13 And the name of the second river is Gihon;2:14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel; |
| 5. The participle sentence | 2:10 And a river was going out from Eden to water the garden, |
| 10. The relative clause with אֲשֶׁר | 2:8 whom he had formed.2:11 where there is gold. |
| 12. Participles and adjectives that modify a noun | 2:9 And YHWH God made to sprout from the ground (adamah) every tree pleasant to sight and good for food, |
| 13. לְ + infinitive construct, “to …” | 2:10 And a river was going out from Eden to water the garden, |
| 14. The weqatal — what is to follow, inside speech | 2:10 and became four heads. |
| 24. הָיָה לְ: “become” | 2:10 and became four heads. |
| 25. “And + subject + imperfect”: repeated background | 2:10 and from there it parted |
| 26. The verbless sentence linked by the pronoun הוּא | 2:11 it is the one surrounding all the land of Havilah,2:13 it is the one surrounding all the land of Cush.2:14 it is the one going east of Asshur.2:14 And the fourth river, it is the Euphrates. |
| 27. Article + participle: “the one that …” | 2:11 it is the one surrounding all the land of Havilah,2:13 it is the one surrounding all the land of Cush.2:14 it is the one going east of Asshur. |
2-2Going deeper
Verse 8, מִקֶּדֶם — “in the east,” or “of old, beforehand”?
What the text makes clear — מִקֶּדֶם is מִן + קֶדֶם, and קֶדֶם in the Bible means both “front, east” (place) and “of old, before” (time). In Genesis מִקֶּדֶם occurs, besides this verse, in 3:24, 11:2, 12:8 (twice) and 13:11. It carries the atnach (◌֑), closing the half-verse of the planting.
① Place — “in the east, on the east side”
- Evidence
- The other five occurrences of מִקֶּדֶם in Genesis all refer to place. In the same Eden story, 3:24: “he stationed east of the garden of Eden the cherubim”; 12:8: “the mountain on the east of Bethel … and Ai on the east” (paired with מִיָּם, “on the west”). Before a direction word מִן means “on the … side.” In the same passage 2:14 קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר and 4:16 “east of Eden” (קִדְמַת־עֵדֶן) are also about place. The Septuagint “κατὰ ἀνατολάς” (“toward the east”) and the Syriac Peshitta render it so.
- Problems
- It does not say “east of what” — 12:8 names לְבֵית־אֵל (“of Bethel”) and 3:24 לְגַן־עֵדֶן (“of the garden of Eden”). So it is taken as east from where the writer and first readers stood, but the text does not state that reference point.
- Sources
- Septuagint · Peshitta · most modern translations
② Time — “of old, beforehand”
- Evidence
- Elsewhere מִקֶּדֶם does refer to time: Ps 74:12, “God is my King from of old”; Mic 5:1 (5:2 in English Bibles), “his goings forth are from of old, from the days of eternity (olam).” The Latin Vulgate renders “a principio” (“from the beginning”), and the Aramaic Targum Onkelos “mileqadmin” (“from the beginning”). The Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 54a, cites this verse in listing the garden of Eden among “seven things created before the world.”
- Problems
- In Genesis מִקֶּדֶם never means time, and in the same story (3:24) it clearly means place. Verse 8 is a wayyiqtol sentence carrying on from verse 7, and it is followed at once by a description of “where” — the garden, Eden, the river. The reading of Pesachim 54a comes not from the grammar but from later interpretation.
- Sources
- Vulgate · Targum Onkelos · Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 54a
Grammatically both senses are possible. Usage within Genesis (3:24, 11:2, 12:8, 13:11) and קִדְמַת in the same passage (2:14) point to place. The YLV renders “from the east.”
Verses 10–14 — where are the four rivers?
What the text makes clear — one river goes out from Eden to water the garden and from there parts into four רָאשִׁים (“heads”). The fourth, פְרָת, bears the name of 15:18, “the great river, the river Euphrates”; the third, חִדֶּקֶל, appears in Dan 10:4 as “the great river” (YLV “the Tigris”). Pishon is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament, and Gihon recurs only as the name of Gihon beside Jerusalem (1 Kgs 1:33). The description in verses 11–14 uses participles (“surrounding”) and verbless sentences (“there is …”).
① Southern Mesopotamia — near where the two rivers meet
- Evidence
- The Hiddekel (Tigris) and the Euphrates really do flow together there. Friedrich Delitzsch, “Wo lag das Paradies?” (1881), placed Eden near Babylon; Juris Zarins (1980s) took Pishon as a dry riverbed in Arabia (Wadi al-Batin) and Gihon as the Karun in Iran, placing Eden at the head of the Persian Gulf.
- Problems
- The text says one river goes out from Eden and “parts” into four, but there the rivers “join” as they flow down. The words must then be read as viewing the streams in reverse (upstream from the sea). Choosing Pishon and Gihon depends heavily on conjecture from outside the text.
- Sources
- Friedrich Delitzsch (1881) · Juris Zarins
② The Armenian highlands — where the two rivers rise
- Evidence
- The Tigris and the Euphrates do rise in neighboring highlands, which fits the direction of “going out from one place and parting.” Older commentators identified other large rivers of that region (such as the Araxes) with Gihon and Pishon.
- Problems
- The four do not part from one river; each rises from its own springs. Havilah of gold and Cush are hard to find there (Havilah in 10:7, 29 is a name among the descendants of Cush and Joktan).
- Sources
- Older commentaries
③ Gihon = the Nile, Pishon = the Ganges
- Evidence
- In many places Cush is the land south of Egypt (Esth 1:1, “from India even to Cush”). Josephus, Antiquities book 1 (1.1.3), read it this way, and the Septuagint of Jer 2:18 renders the Nile (שִׁחוֹר, Shihor) as “Γηων” (Gihon).
- Problems
- The Nile and the Ganges cannot part from one river with the Tigris and Euphrates (an underground connection must be assumed). In Gen 10:8 Cush is the father of Nimrod, whose kingdom began in the land of Shinar, in Mesopotamia (10:10).
- Sources
- Josephus, Antiquities 1.1.3 · Septuagint, Jer 2:18
④ The land before the flood — not locatable on today’s map
- Evidence
- It holds that the flood greatly changed the land (7:11, “all the fountains of the great deep were broken open”) and that today’s Tigris and Euphrates only inherited the old names. This explains why the four rivers do not fit the present landscape.
- Problems
- The text does not itself say that the flood moved the rivers. Verses 11–14 speak, with participles and verbless sentences, as of things present — “surrounding,” “there is” — and use names the first readers knew, such as Asshur and the Euphrates.
- Sources
- Various conservative commentaries
What the grammar settles is the four names, the order of counting, and the participles “surrounding” and “going.” The third and fourth connect to the same names elsewhere in Scripture (Dan 10:4, Gen 15:18); for the first and second, the text says no more.