| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse continues the birth narrative with vatosif {וַתֹּ֣סֶף | waṯ·ṭô·sep̄} ‘and she added’, a Qal wayyiqtol form linking this clause to the prior context. The infinitive construct laledet {לָלֶ֔דֶת | lā·le·ḏet} ‘to give birth’ depends on the finite verb, indicating ongoing childbearing. The direct object marker et appears twice, marking achiv {אֶת־אָחִיו | ʾet ʾaḥîw} ‘his brother’ and havel {אֶת־הָבֶל | ʾet hā·ḇel} ‘Abel’ in apposition. The wayyiqtol vayehi {וַֽיְהִי־ | way·hî} ‘and he became’ shifts to role assignment. Hevel {הֶבֶל | hā·ḇel} ‘Abel’ serves as subject of the participle roeh {רֹעֵה | rō·ʿē} ‘shepherd’, which takes tson {צֹאן | ṣō·ʾan} ‘flocks’ as its complement, defining Abel’s pastoral role. In parallel, veqayin {וְקַיִן | wə·qa·yin} ‘and Cain’ introduces the adversative clause with hayah {הָיָה | hā·yāh} ‘he was’ plus the participle oved {עֹבֵד | ʿō·ḇēḏ} ‘worker’ and adamah {אֲדָמָה | ʾa·ḏā·māh} ‘ground’, contrasting Cain’s agricultural labor with Abel’s shepherding. English renders wayyiqtol as simple past and participles as stable titles. |