Cyberdov

Genesis 32:4-5 - Ya’akov sent messengers to his brother Eisav, to the land of Seir in the field of Edom. He instructed them saying, thus shall you say: “To my lord Eisav, your servant Ya’akov says, ‘I have lived with Lavan until now…”

The cantillation markings in the Masoretic text put the sentence this way: He instructed them saying, thus shall you say to my lord Eisav: “Your servant Ya’akov says…” However scholars have demonstrated “To my lord Eisav, your servant Ya’akov says…” precisely follows the formula of salutation of ancient near Eastern letters, and so must be part of the message.

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