Ch16 Passage Exercise — Qal Imperfect Weak Verbs

BBH Chapter 16 · Genesis 1, 3–4 · Exodus 9, 20 · Isaiah 55 · 1 Kings 21

Instructions: Parse each highlighted form. Give: (a) Person, (b) Number, (c) Gender, (d) Root (3ms lexical form), (e) Weak Class, (f) Form Type (Imperfect / Wayyiqtol / Jussive), (g) Usage Type.
Note: Wayyiqtol is the waw-consecutive imperfect used for sequential narration. Focus on the weak-class prefix pattern and form type.

Passage A — III-ה and I-Guttural (Genesis 1:3–11 and Genesis 3:1)

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י אֹ֑ור

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ דֶּ֖שֶׁא

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יִהְי֣וּ מְאֹרֹ֔ת

לֹ֥א תֹּאכְל֖וּ מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ

#FormPers.Num.Gen.RootWeak ClassForm TypeUsage Type
1יְהִ֣י
יְהִ֣י3smהָיָהIII-הJussiveVolitional — short jussive: final ה dropped; "Let there be light" — divine fiat
2יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה
יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה3smעָשָׂהIII-ה + I-gutt.JussiveVolitional — III-ה long jussive (seghol-he); I-gutt. ע causes chateph prefix; "Let the earth produce"
3יִהְי֣וּ
יִהְי֣וּ3pmהָיָהIII-הImperfectJussive/Volitional — 3mp of הָיָה; וּ- suffix replaces ה; "Let there be lights"
4תֹּאכְל֖וּ
תֹּאכְל֖וּ2pmאָכַלI-gutt. (א)ImperfectProhibition (לֹא) — I-gutt. א takes holem (not hireq); "you shall not eat"

Passage B — III-Guttural and I-Guttural (Genesis 3–4, Exodus 9, 20)

יֹאמַ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים לָאֹ֑ור

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה

לֹ֥א תַּחְמֹד֙ בֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֔ךָ

וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֥ד מֹשֶׁ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה

#FormPers.Num.Gen.RootWeak ClassForm TypeUsage Type
5יֹאמַ֥ר
יֹאמַ֥ר3smאָמַרI-gutt. (א)ImperfectSimple Future — holem prefix; one of the most frequent forms in the OT; must be memorized
6וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע
וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע3smשָׁמַעIII-gutt. (ע)WayyiqtolSequential Past — short form (no patach furtive in wayyiqtol); "and the LORD heard"
7תַּחְמֹד֙
תַּחְמֹד֙2smחָמַדI-gutt. (ח)ImperfectProhibition (לֹא) — chateph under ח causes patach prefix (not hireq); "you shall not covet" — Decalogue
8וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֥ד
וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֥ד3smעָמַדI-gutt. (ע)WayyiqtolSequential Past — chateph-patach under ע; patach prefix יַעֲ–; "and Moses stood before Pharaoh"

Passage C — I-נ and I-י (Genesis 3–4)

וַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים לְאָדָ֖ם

וַיֵּ֤דַע קַ֙יִן֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֹּ֔ו

יִתֵּ֥ן לְכֶ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה

וַיֵּ֥צֵא קַ֛יִן מִלִּפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה

#FormPers.Num.Gen.RootWeak ClassForm TypeUsage Type
9וַיִּתֵּ֨ן
וַיִּתֵּ֨ן3smנָתַןI-נWayyiqtolSequential Past — nun assimilated → dagesh forte in ת; tsere in root syllable
10וַיֵּ֤דַע
וַיֵּ֤דַע3smיָדַעI-יWayyiqtolSequential Past — tsere prefix (יֵ–); yod at R1 contracts with prefix vowel
11יִתֵּ֥ן
יִתֵּ֥ן3smנָתַןI-נImperfectSimple Future — same assimilation pattern; dagesh forte in ת; tsere lengthens
12וַיֵּ֥צֵא
וַיֵּ֥צֵא3smיָצָאI-י + III-אWayyiqtolSequential Past — tsere prefix; also III-א (aleph quiesces at R3) — compound weak class

Passage D — Biconsonantal and Geminate (Genesis 19, 22 · Isaiah 55 · 1 Kings 21)

וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים סְדֹ֖מָה

וַיָּ֣קׇם אַבְרָהָ֗ם בַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙

לֹ֥א יָשׁ֖וּב אֵלַ֑י דְּבָרִ֖י

וַיָּ֤סׇּב הַמֶּ֙לֶך֙

#FormPers.Num.Gen.RootWeak ClassForm TypeUsage Type
13וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙3pmבּוֹאBiconsonantalWayyiqtolSequential Past — וַיָּ– prefix with qamets; 3mp -וּ suffix; "and the two angels came"
14וַיָּ֣קׇם
וַיָּ֣קׇם3smקוּםBiconsonantalWayyiqtolSequential Past — qamets under prefix; short form (qamets hatuf in root); "and Abraham arose"
15יָשׁ֖וּב
יָשׁ֖וּב3smשׁוּבBiconsonantalImperfectSimple Future — qamets under prefix + shureq (ו) as middle vowel; "my word shall not return"
16וַיָּ֤סׇּב
וַיָּ֤סׇּב3smסָבַבGeminateWayyiqtolSequential Past — qamets under prefix + dagesh forte in doubled root consonant ב; holem; "and the king turned"