Appendix A
Appendix A — S-initial Clauses
Attested subject-initial clause frames in Biblical Hebrew prose relevant to Genesis 1:1.
Purpose
Collate attested subject-initial clauses in Biblical Hebrew narrative/prose to show that S-initial frames relevant to Gen 1:1 are licensed, though non-default, in Biblical Hebrew prose.
Format: six-column table for quick verification.
Columns.
Verse | Hebrew (clause excerpt) | English | Frame | Function/Note | Ref.
Captioning.
Tables are labeled "Table A.x" for easy cross-reference.
Table A.1 — Attested S-initial clauses in BH prose narrative.
| Verse | Hebrew (clause excerpt) | English | Frame | Function / Note | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gen 24:62 |
ויצחק בא |
And Isaac came |
S + qatal |
Topic/scene entry |
Holmstedt 2011:23 |
|
Gen 25:34 |
ויעקב נתן |
Then Jacob gave |
S + qatal |
Change of subject |
Arnold & Choi 169; Holmstedt 2011:23 |
|
Gen 26:26 |
ואבימלך הלך |
Then Abimelech went |
S + qatal |
Topic switch |
Holmstedt 2011:24 |
|
Gen 27:6 |
ורבקה אמרה |
And Rebekah said |
S + qatal |
Change of speaker |
Williams 97; Holmstedt 2011:24 |
|
Gen 29:9 |
ורחל באה |
Rachel came |
S + qatal |
Scene arrival |
Holmstedt 2011:24 |
|
Gen 31:19 |
ולבן הלך |
And Laban went |
S + qatal |
New situation |
Driver 84; Holmstedt 2011:24 |
|
Gen 33:17 |
ויעקב נסע |
And Jacob journeyed |
S + qatal |
Subject focus |
Davidson 147; Holmstedt 2011:24 |
|
Gen 37:3 |
וישראל אהב |
Now Israel loved |
S + qatal |
Thematic evaluation |
Driver 201; Holmstedt 2011:24 |
|
Num 14:6 |
ויהושע … וכלב … קרעו בגדיהם |
Joshua … and Caleb … tore their clothes. |
S + qatal |
Contrast with majority report |
— |
|
Num 14:38 |
ויהושע … וכלב … חיו |
Joshua … and Caleb remained alive. |
S + qatal (3cp) |
Life/death outcome |
— |
|
Deut 34:9 |
ויהושע בן נון מלא רוח חכמה |
Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom. |
S + predicate (nominal) |
Biographical summary |
— |
|
Josh 3:11 |
הנה ארון הברית … עבר |
Behold, the ark of the covenant … is crossing |
S + participle |
Scene tableau; procession |
— |
|
Josh 8:21 |
ויהושע וכל ישראל ראו |
Joshua and all Israel saw |
S + qatal |
Highlighted perception |
— |
|
Josh 8:26 |
ויהושע לא השיב ידו |
Joshua did not draw back his hand |
S + qatal |
Ongoing focal action |
— |
|
Josh 8:33 |
וכל ישראל … עמדים |
All Israel … were standing |
S + participle |
Scene tableau |
— |
|
Josh 10:11 |
ויהוה השליך |
YHWH hurled |
S + qatal |
Divine action |
— |
|
Josh 6:19 |
וכל כסף וזהב … קדש הוא ליהוה |
All the silver and gold … is holy to YHWH. |
S + predicate (nominal) |
Status/ consecration |
— |
|
Josh 10:14 |
כי יהוה נלחם לישראל |
For YHWH was fighting for Israel. |
S + participle |
Emphatic assertion |
— |
|
Josh 23:5 |
ויהוה אלהיכם הוא יהדפם |
And YHWH your God—he will drive them out. |
S + yiqtol |
Promissory assertion |
— |
|
Josh 23:1 |
ויהושע זקן בא בימים |
Joshua was old, advanced in days |
S + qatal |
Succession notice |
— |
|
1 Sam 1:5 |
ויהוה סגר רחמה |
YHWH had closed her womb |
S + qatal |
Contrast within family scene |
— |
|
1 Sam 3:19 |
ויהוה היה עמו |
YHWH was with him |
S + qatal |
Scene entry |
— |
|
1 Sam 9:15 |
ויהוה גלה … לשמואל |
YHWH had revealed … to Samuel |
S + qatal |
Backstory setup |
— |
|
1 Sam 17:15 |
ודוד הלך ושוב |
David would go and return |
S + participle |
Habitual contrast vs. battle line |
— |
|
1 Sam 19:10b |
ודוד נס |
David fled |
S + qatal |
Escape contrast |
— |
|
1 Sam 19:18 |
ודוד נס וימלט |
David fled and escaped |
S + qatal |
Escape report |
— |
|
1 Sam 25:21 |
ודוד אמר |
David had said |
S + qatal |
Quotation frame |
— |
|
1 Sam 26:3 |
ודוד יושב במדבר |
David was staying in the wilderness |
S + participle |
Contrast of locations |
— |
|
1 Sam 29:2 |
ודוד ואנשיו עברים |
David and his men were passing |
S + participle |
Review line tableau |
— |
|
2 Sam 1:1 |
ודוד שב |
David returned |
S + qatal |
Scene entry after campaign |
— |
|
2 Sam 3:1 |
ודוד הלך וחזק |
David kept growing stronger |
S + participle |
Contrast of fortunes |
— |
|
2 Sam 3:26b |
ודוד לא ידע |
David did not know |
S + neg qatal |
Knowledge contrast |
— |
|
2 Sam 15:30 |
ודוד עלה |
David was going up |
S + participle |
Pilgrimage ascent |
— |
|
2 Sam 18:24 |
ודוד יושב בין שני השערים |
David was sitting between the two gates |
S + participle |
Scene tableau |
— |
|
1 Kgs 5:25(11) |
ושלמה נתן לחירם |
Solomon gave to Hiram |
S + qatal |
Counter-gift to Hiram |
— |
|
1 Kgs 5:26(12) |
ויהוה נתן חכמה לשלמה |
YHWH gave wisdom to Solomon |
S + qatal |
Scene entry |
— |
|
1 Kgs 14:5 |
ויהוה אמר אל אחיה |
YHWH said to Ahijah |
S + qatal |
Oracle setup |
— |
|
1 Chr 15:29 |
ודוד משחק |
David was dancing |
S + participle |
POV during ark entry |
— |
|
1 Chr 16:26 |
יהוה שמים עשה |
YHWH made the heavens |
S + qatal |
Declarative praise line |
— |
|
1 Chr 19:13 |
ויהוה הטוב בעיניו יעשה |
YHWH (may) do what is good |
S + yiqtol |
Wish formula |
— |
|
2 Chr 24:24 |
ויהוה נתן בידם |
YHWH gave into their hand |
S + qatal |
Defeat rationale |
— |
A-Openers — Book-initial S-first Headlines (select)
These incipits often use S-initial frames to mark a new narrative unit or heading, counter-balancing the general VSO tendency in running prose.
Table A.2 — Book-initial S-first headlines (select).
| Verse | Hebrew (incipit core) | English gloss | Frame | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 Chr 1:1 |
אדם שת אנוש |
“Adam, Seth, Enosh …” |
S + predicate (nominal) |
Genealogical restart |
|
Neh 1:1 |
דברי נחמיה בן חכליה |
“The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah …” |
S + predicate (nominal) |
New memoir |
|
Job 1:1a |
איש היה בארץ עוץ |
“There was a man in the land of Uz …” |
S + predicate (nominal) |
Narrative incipit |
|
Prov 1:1 |
משלי שלמה בן דוד |
“Proverbs of Solomon son of David …” |
S + pred (title) |
Collection header |
|
Eccl 1:1 |
דברי קהלת בן דוד |
“Words of Qohelet son of David …” |
S + pred (title) |
Collection header |
|
Song 1:1 |
שיר השירים |
“Song of Songs …” |
S + predicate (nominal) |
Poetic collection |
|
Isa 1:1 |
חזון ישעיהו |
“Vision of Isaiah …” |
S (title) |
Prophetic header |
|
Jer 1:1 |
דברי ירמיהו |
“Words of Jeremiah …” |
S (title) |
Prophetic header |
|
Ezek 1:1a |
ואני בתוך הגולה … |
“And I was among the exiles …” |
S + pred |
Autobiographical incipit |
|
Hos 1:1 |
דבר יהוה אשר היה … |
“Word of YHWH that came to Hosea …” |
S + pred |
Prophetic header |
|
Joel 1:1 |
דבר יהוה אשר היה … |
“Word of YHWH that came to Joel …” |
S + pred |
Prophetic header |
|
Amos 1:1 |
דברי עמוס |
“Words of Amos …” |
S (title) |
Prophetic header |
|
Obad 1:1 |
חזון עבדיה |
“Vision of Obadiah …” |
S (title) |
Prophetic header |
|
Mic 1:1 |
דבר יהוה אשר היה … |
“Word of YHWH that came to Micah …” |
S + pred |
Prophetic header |
|
Nah 1:1 |
משא נינוה |
“Oracle concerning Nineveh …” |
S (title) |
Prophetic header |
|
Zeph 1:1 |
דבר יהוה אשר היה … |
“Word of YHWH that came to Zephaniah …” |
S + pred |
Prophetic header |
|
Mal 1:1 |
משא דבר יהוה … ביד מלאכי |
“Oracle—the word of YHWH … by the hand of Malachi.” |
S + pred |
Prophetic header |
Takeaway. These tables do not make S-initial order the norm; they show that it is a licensed discourse option at scene entry, topic shift, evaluation, and headings.