The Conjunctive Vav...Conjunctive Vav The conjunctive vav is spelled according to the exception for the 1st Rule of Sheva (two shevas can’t be together at the beginning of a word)

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Conjunctive Vav The conjunctive vav ,is prefixed to a Hebrew word (ו )

phrase, or clause for the following reasons:

To join a series of related nouns (translate “and”);

To join a series of alternative nouns (translate “or”);

To show contrast between clauses (translate “but”);

To introduce a new theme or idea (translate “now”);

To provide explanatory or circumstantial information when introducing a clause (translate “and…”).

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Conjunctive Vav Normally, a conjunctive vav is spelled with a vocal

sheva before most consonants; however, it can also (ו )be spelled with other vowels in certain circumstances.

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Conjunctive Vav The conjunctive vav is spelled according to the

exception for the 1st Rule of Sheva (two shevas can’t be together at the beginning of a word).

When the conjunctive vav precedes a yod sheva ,(י )the vav is spelled with a hireq .(ו )

דהו היו and Judah

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Conjunctive Vav The conjunctive vav is spelled according to the 2nd Rule

of Sheva in the presence of a hateph vowel.

The vav is spelled with the corresponding short vowel of the hateph vowel.

יאנ ו and I

בו טה־ש עו and do good

הו ב אד so I can speak

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Conjunctive Vav The conjunctive vav is spelled with a shureq :before (ו )

The consonants (labials) ב or מ or פ (BuMP rule);

Words beginning with a vocal sheva.

םש ב ו and by a name

צדקימ ל כ ו and Melchizedek

ו מתיפ ךא ד and the fruit of your land

ת ו צחב ו ם ל ש ו י and in the streets of Jerusalem

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Conjunctive Vav The conjunctive vav may, but is not always, spelled

with a qamets before single syllable words and certain words that are accented on the first syllable.

ל י להו and night

ו ץא and earth

ד ו and a generation

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Conjunctive Vav Some grammars make a distinction between the functions

previously mentioned and call the conjunctive vav a:

Vav-conjunctive;

Vav-disjunctive;

Vav-consecutive (also called a vav-conversive or reversing vav).

Sometimes the word order is switched so that the word “vav” is either before or after the function of the vav.

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Conjunctive Vav

A conjunctive vav is best translated and.

A disjunctive vav is used to show contrast between clauses and is usually translated but.

These two vavs are not prefixed to verbs.

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Conjunctive Vav Consecutive vavs are attached to verbs.

A vav-patach-dagesh forte [ ו] is usually attached to yiqtol verbs (imperfect verbs).

An imperfect verb is the mainline verb form in historical narrative.

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Conjunctive Vav Consecutive vavs are attached to verbs (cont.).

A vav with a sheva [ו ] is usually attached to qatalverbs (perfect verbs).

A perfect verb is the mainline verb form seen in forms of direct speech (predictive narrative and instructional discourse).

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Conjunctive Vav A consecutive vav also means and or but (like the

conjunctive or disjunctive vavs do); however, the consecutive vav also links a string of events so that the action of a verb is the consequence of the preceding event.

A consecutive vav can also be translated as then, so, orconsequently.

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Conjunctive Vav Now let’s see how the different kinds of conjunctive

vavs are used in historical narrative in Genesis 31:17-22.

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Conjunctive Vav Genesis 31:17

י עק בםי קו

And/then (vav-consectutive) Jacob rose up

י ו ב ניואתאש

and (vav-consecutive) he set his sons

אתו ׃יםה ג מ ל ע ל יו ש נ

and (vav-conjunctive) his wives on the camels.

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הכ ל־אתי נ ה גו ו מ ק נ

And (vav-consecutive) he carried away all his cattle

ככ ל־אתו ...ו ש ־

and (vav-conjunctive) all his goods…

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ו צ אנ־אתל ג ז זך הל ןלב ו

But (vav-disjunctive) Laban went to shear his sheep;

פ את ל חב ת ג נ ו ׃ה יל אב ש איםה ת

and (vav consecutive) Rachel had stolen the images/idols which [were] her fathers.

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מ ןלבלב־אתי עק בבי גנ ו ...יהא

And (vav consecutive) Jacob stole away unknown to Laban the Syrian.

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ו או החי ב

So (vav consecutive) he fled

ו ל־ש א־כלו

and (vav-conjunctive) all that he had/was his;

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Conjunctive Vav Genesis 31:21 (cont.)

םי קו

and (vav consecutive) he rose up

ה נ ה־אתי עב ו

and (vav consecutive) passed over the river

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Conjunctive Vav Genesis 31:21 (cont.)

ניו־אתםש י ו ׃ה ג ל ע דה פ

and (vav consecutive) set his face [toward] the mountains of Gilead.

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יכ ייש ל ש ה םו ב י ןל לבי ג דו י עק ב׃חב

And (vav consecutive) Laban was told on the third daythat Jacob had fled.

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Conjunctive Vav Now let’s see how the different kinds of conjunctive

vavs are used in direct speech in Genesis 3:2-4.

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ההי ש חה נ ו

Now (vav-conjunctive) the serpent was

ה תה י מ כ ל ...הי הו ה ש ע ש אדה ש םו ע

more cunning than any beast of the field whichYehovah had made.

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הא ת אמו ...ש חה נ ־אלה ש

And (vav consecutive) the woman said to the serpent…

(Forms of אמ usually introduce direct speech.)

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ו ...ןה ג ־ך ו ב ת ש אץהעימ פ

“…but (vav-disjunctive; note BuMP rule) of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden…”

ו ב ו ת ג על א ו ןו ת מת ־ןפ

“…and (vav-conjunctive b/c it’s part of a string of negatives) neither shall you touch it lest you die.”

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הא ־אלש חה נ י אמו הש

And (vav-consecutive) the serpent said to the woman,

׃ןו ת ת מתו מל א

“You will not surely die (die die).”

(Die is repeated twice for emphasis.)

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Conjunctive Vav Biblical Hebrew A Compact Guide, Miles Van Pelt,

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, copyright 2012.

Biblical Hebrew An Introductory Grammar, Page H. Kelly, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, copyright 1992.

Learning Biblical Hebrew A New Approach Using Discourse Analysis, B.M. Rocine, Smyth & HelwysPublishing, Inc., Macon, Georgia, copyright 2000.

Hebrew lessons compiled by: Beth C. Mehaffey

https://holyhiway.wordpress.com

Contact: betmeh2 at gmail.com

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Documents

The Conjunctive Vav...Conjunctive Vav The conjunctive vav is spelled according to the exception for the 1st Rule of Sheva (two shevas can’t be together at the beginning of a word)