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  • From: "Daniel Walin" <danserve4x AT yahoo.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Et (Genesis 1:1)
  • Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 00:53:57 -0400


Although I have been endeavoring to learn Biblical Hebrew in my spare
time, I have as yet had no formal instruction beyond interacting with my
computer program (this will hopefully change when I leave for college) and
so this question may be simplistic. Forgive me, the program I am using
seems to be good for vocabulary but not so great on teaching me grammar.

I recently purchased a Hebrew Bible and began to peruse it, starting at
the beginning. I recognized most of the words in Genesis 1:1 and I now
understand each except for the word "et" that appears to be used twice,
once by itself and the second time with a vav prefix, I assume indicating
the "and." My question is this: what is the function of this word? It
doesn't seem to me to have any word-for-word correspondence with the
English translations, so what is the idea behind it?

Thanks,
Daniel Walin




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