וּשְׁלִים יְיָ בְּיוֹמָא שְׁבִיעָאָה עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ דְעָבַד וְעִישַרְתֵּי עִיסְקִין דִבְרָא בֵּינֵי שִׁמְשְׁתָא וְנַח בְּיוֹמָא שְׁבִיעָאָה מִכָּל עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ דְעָבָד
And the LORD completed on the seventh day His work which He had done, and He enriched the operations of creation between the suns, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done.
Verse Selection and Focus
This richly interpretive rendering of Genesis 2:2 by Targum Jonathan offers fertile ground for grammatical analysis. We will focus on two key features:
- 1. Verbal aspect in Peal perfect forms: שְׁלִים / נַח / עֲבָד
- 2. Construct chain and suffix syntax: עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ, עִיסְקִין דִבְרָא
The verse introduces a theological and temporal expansion on the Hebrew, and its Aramaic grammar reflects nuanced action and possession.
Morphological Analysis
| Word | Root | Form | Parsing & Aspect | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שְׁלִים | שׁ־ל־מ | Peal Perfect 3ms | Completed action | He completed |
| עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ | ע־ב־ד | Construct noun + 3ms suffix | “His work” (construct chain) | His work |
| נַח | נ־ו־ח | Peal Perfect 3ms | Completed rest | He rested |
| עִישַרְתֵּי | ע־שׁ־ר | Aphel Perfect 3ms + construct | Caused to be enriched | He enriched |
Syntax and Construct Chain Behavior
1. עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ דְעָבַד
– This is a classic construct chain: noun + pronominal suffix + relative clause.
– עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ (“his work”) governs the clause דְעָבַד (“that He made”), forming a possessive + restrictive relative clause.
– The clause binds semantically as “His work which He had made.”
2. עִישַרְתֵּי עִיסְקִין דִבְרָא
– עִישַרְתֵּי (from ע־שׁ־ר in the Aphel stem) is rare — it means “He enriched.”
– עִיסְקִין is plural (“activities, operations”), and דִבְרָא is in construct, so the whole phrase is “the operations of creation.”
– The phrase adds theological emphasis on divine enrichment of the created order, even between sunset and nightfall.
Aspectual Theology in the Verbs
The Targum uses perfect verbs (Peal and Aphel) to express divine finality:
- שְׁלִים – not just “He completed,” but “He fully brought to completion.”
- נַח – not merely “He rested,” but “He had entered into rest.”
- עִישַרְתֵּי – emphasizes divine blessing or enrichment post-creation, framed as accomplished.
These perfective forms contrast with Hebrew narrative wayyiqtol, underlining completion, stability, and cessation in Targum Jonathan’s theological lens.
When the Day Stood Still
In this Targumic vision of Genesis 2:2, divine completion is not mere cessation — it is fullness. Through construct chains, perfect verbs, and interpretive expansion (“between the suns”), the Aramaic crafts a liturgical moment where rest becomes a sacred domain. The syntax sings what the theology whispers: the seventh day is not emptiness, but abundance at rest.
