Many scholars have interpreted the Niphal verb of נִבְרְכ֣וּ in Genesis 12:3 a number of different ways. The two prominent interpretations of נִבְרְכ֣וּ is either a reflexive/reciprocal view, or the passive view. Scholars have debated the issue over a long period of time, and it is still not definitive of how the verb should be translated in Genesis 12:3. This paper will examine both views and provide the best possible interpretation of the Niphal verb נִבְרְכ֣וּ in Genesis 12:3.
Genesis 12:3 There are two prominent views of how the Niphal stem of נִבְרְכ֣וּ should be translated in Genesis 12:3. This verse says, “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be…show more content… Noonan argues that the Niphal stem is almost always used as medio-passive rather than reflexive or reciprocal, so the Niphal should not be translated as reflexive or reciprocal. Of course, rarity should not be the only criteria by which the Niphal stem is interpreted in Genesis 12:3. However, Noonan states there is no plausible basis to use the Niphal stem in Genesis 12:3 as reflexive or reciprocal. There are no examples in the Hebrew Bible that would give enough evidence to view נִבְרְכ֣וּ in Genesis 12:3 as reflexive. Noonan argues that in Genesis 12:3 נִבְרְכ֣וּ should be translated as a medio-passive verb. On the other hand, Chrisholm Jr., argues for the reflexive view based on a contextual clue in Genesis 12:2, and a similar statement used in Zechariah 8:13, where God says to His people, “You will be a blessing,” whereas before they “were a curse.” Chrisholm Jr. states that “curse” does not refer to Israel being the source of the curse, but that they became a curse-word among the nations, who considered them an accursed people. Therefore, “be a blessing” could indicate that Israel’s name will be used in blessing pronouncements, and not curses. If Genesis 12:3 is to be understood as Zechariah 8:13, then “be a blessing,” could be translated as reflexive or reciprocal according to Chrisholm…show more content… At best, the Niphal could only be an indirect semantic reflexive because the subject is not the agent and direct object. The ultimate agent by which blessing is given and dispensed is God Himself. A true direct semantic reflexive has the agent immediately affecting itself, which does not occur in the three passages in Genesis where the Niphal of נִבְרְכ֣וּ is used. In other words, Noonan makes the point that linguistically it is unlikely that the Niphal of נִבְרְכ֣וּ can be reflexive or reciprocal. Therefore, נִבְרְכ֣וּ must be