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Genesis 4:26

And to Drink, also himself, begat a builder,202 and he is summoning אֶת-his name Mortal-man;203 at that time he whirled/turned around204 to summon/call out in the name of Yahweh.


Footnote:

204

Pierce, Began, Profane, or Turn Around?

This could be a conjugation from different verbs:

  1. Pierced/Bore/Profane:

    • Verb: הֵחַל (hechal)
    • Strong's Number: H2490
    • Interpreted as "began" from conjecture, but primary meaning is to pierce a hole into something, profane.
  2. Whirl, Dance, Turn Around:

    • Verb: חוּל (chul)
    • Strong's Number: H2342
    • interpreted as "suffer/writhe" in some contexts but pain is never found in said contexts. It's primary meaning is to turn around, whirl, and dance.

It seems more likely that הוחל is a Hiphil construct based on חוּל rather than החל since "to pierce/profane/pollute" doesn't make sense.