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Learn Hebrew Verbs ~ Lesson 5
Biblical Application
By Jeff A. Benner

Genesis 1:3
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי־אוֹר ׃
And Elohiym said, light will exist and light existed.
וַיֹּאמֶר

This is the verb root אמר meaning "to say." The prefix י identifies the subject of the verb as third person, masculine, singular (he) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (he will say). The prefix ו, meaning "and," also reverses the tense of the verb (and he said). The subject of the verb is the word אֱלֹהִים (Elohiym) which follows this verb so, this would be translated as "and Elohiym said."

יְהִי

This is the verb root היה meaning "to exist" or "to be." The prefix י identifies the subject of the verb as third person, masculine, singular (he) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (he will exist/be). The subject of the verb is the word אוֹר (or) which follows this verb so, this would be translated as "light will exist/be." Also notice that when a verb ending with the letter ה is conjugated, it is dropped from the verb.

וַיְהִי

This is the verb root היה meaning "to exist" or "to be." The prefix י identifies the subject of the verb as third person, masculine, singular (he) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (he will exist/be). The prefix ו, meaning "and," also reverses the tense of the verb (and he existed/was). The subject of the verb is the word אוֹר (or) which follows this verb so, this would be translated as "and light existed/was."




Genesis 2:21
וַיִּישָׁן וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו
And he slept and he took one of his ribs
וַיִּישָׁן

This is the verb root ישׁן meaning "to sleep." The prefix י identifies the subject of the verb as third person, masculine, singular (he) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (he will sleep). The prefix ו, meaning "and," also reverses the tense of the verb (and he slept).

וַיִּקַּח

This is the verb root לקח meaning "to take." The prefix י identifies the subject of the verb as third person, masculine, singular (he) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (he will take). The prefix ו, meaning "and," also reverses the tense of the verb (and he took). The objects of this verb and the preceeding verb are the two words that follow. Also notice that when the verb לקח is conjugated, the letter ל is dropped. While the letters ה and נ commonly drop from conjugated verbs, this is the only time that a ל is dropped.




Genesis 2:25
וַיִּהְיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם עֲרוּמִּים
And the two of them existed naked
וַיִּהְיוּ

This is the verb root היה meaning "to exist" or "to be." The prefix י and the suffix ו identify the subject of the verb as third person, masculine, plural (they) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (they will exist/be). The prefix ו, meaning "and," also reverses the tense of the verb (and they existed/were). The subject of the verb is the following word (and the two of them existed/were).




Genesis 3:2
וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה אֶל־הַנָּחָשׁ
And the woman said to the serpent
וַתֹּאמֶר

This is the verb root אמר meaning "to say." The prefix ת identifies the subject of the verb as third person, feminine, singular (she) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (she will say). The prefix ו, meaning "and," also reverses the tense of the verb (and she said). The subject of the verb is the word meaning "the woman" so, this would be transated as "the woman said."




Genesis 3:10
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶת־קֹלְךָ שָׁמַעְתִּי בַּגָּן וָאִירָא
And he said, I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid
וַיֹּאמֶר

This is the verb root אמר meaning "to say." The prefix י identifies the subject of the verb as third person, masculine, singular (he) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (he will say). The prefix ו, meaning "and," also reverses the tense of the verb (and he said).

שָׁמַעְתִּי

This is the verb root שׁמע meaning "to hear." The suffix תי identifies the subject of the verb as first person, singular (I) and the tense of the verb as perfect (I heard).

וָאִירָא

This is the verb root ירא meaning "to fear." The prefix א identifies the subject of the verb as first person, singular (I) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (I will fear/I will be afraid). The prefix ו, meaning "and," also reverses the tense of the verb (and I feared/and I was afraid).




Genesis 3:14
כִּי עָשִׂיתָ זֹּאת
Because you did this
עָשִׂיתָ

This is the verb root עשׂה meaning "to do." The suffix ת identifies the subject of the verb as second person, masculine, singular (you) and the tense of the verb as perfect (you did).




Genesis 3:15
יְשׁוּפְךָ רֹאשׁ וְאַתָּה תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ עָקֵב
He will crush you a head and you will crush us a heel
יְשׁוּפְךָ

This is the verb root שׁוּף meaning "to crush." The prefix י identifies the subject of the verb as third person, masculine, singular (he) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (he will crush). The suffix ך identifies the object of the verb as second person, masculine, singular (you). So, this word would be translated as "he will crush you."

תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ

This is also the verb root שׁוּף meaning "to crush." The prefix ת identifies the subject of the verb as second person, masculine, singular (you) and the tense of the verb as imperfect (you will crush). The suffix נוּ identifies the object of the verb as third person, singular (him). So, this word would be translated as "you will crush him" (The suffix נוּ is normally the first person, plural pronoun (us) but will sometimes be used for the third person, singular).




Another great resource is the website Learn Hebrew Verbs.



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