וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ (way·yaḥ·šə·ḇe·hā) in Genesis 15:6: Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ (way·yaḥ·šə·ḇe·hā) in Genesis 15:6
Source Word
The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:6 links the English rendering "and it was credited" with וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ, Strong's H2803, and the morphology tag Conj-w | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms | 3fs.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form marks the second movement of Genesis 15:6: after Abram believes, the Lord reckons it as righteousness. The suffix makes the object relationship visible.
How To Communicate It
When teaching Genesis 15:6, use this form to show that the Hebrew verb includes both the reckoning action and a suffix that explains why English supplies "it" in "credited it."
What Not To Say
- Grammar should serve context, not override it.
- Do not use the suffix alone to settle the whole doctrine of imputation.
- Do not flatten the verb into a generic thought word when the verse uses it for reckoning or crediting.
What Does The Label Mean?
Hebrew-verb
Verb
Qal
Consecutive imperfect
Third
Masculine
Singular
Conjunctive waw
Third feminine singular
Conjunctive waw with Qal consecutive imperfect, third masculine singular, with third feminine singular suffix
The form carries the next action in the verse and includes a suffix that points to what is being counted or credited.
This form states the Lord's reckoning action and points back to Abram's faith as what is credited.
What The Form Does In This Verse
Righteousness
The verb supplies the second main action of the verse after Abram's believing.
It states that the Lord counted or credited Abram's faith as righteousness. The attached suffix helps the English phrase carry the object idea, 'it.'
The suffix does not create a separate doctrine by itself. Context should guide interpretation and not be overridden by a grammar label.
How Much The Form Matters Here
High: The form carries the reckoning action in Genesis 15:6 and includes the suffix that anchors the object relation in the credited-righteousness clause.
Conjunctive waw with Qal consecutive imperfect third masculine singular and third feminine singular suffix. advances from Abram believing to the Lord counting it to him as righteousness. Attached to the reckoning clause after Abram believed. Governed by the second main movement of Genesis 15:6. The suffix helps identify the object relation, but the whole clause carries the theological claim.
What does the Lord reckon or count in Genesis 15:6? He counts it to Abram as righteousness.
Direct: The verb and suffix directly support renderings such as "he credited it" or "he counted it."
The attached suffix should not be used by itself to settle the doctrine of imputation. The consecutive imperfect advances the clause, but the sequence must be read inside the verse. Qal identifies the stem and does not make the reckoning action theologically simple or self-explanatory.
Suffix alone proves imputation: The suffix marks an object relation; the full clause and canonical use explain the theological significance. Qal means simple: The Qal label is a stem label, not a claim that the doctrine or action is simple.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:6 links the English rendering "and it was credited" with וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ, Strong's H2803, and the morphology tag Conj-w | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms | 3fs.
H2803 can mean to think, reckon, count, account, plan, or regard, depending on context.
The verb advances the sentence after Abram's believing, and the attached third feminine singular suffix helps explain the English object idea.
The verse says that Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted it to him as righteousness.
This reckoning language becomes central to the canonical discussion of faith and righteousness.
Teachers can show that the Hebrew form helps explain why English needs an object such as 'it' in this clause.
Do not claim that the suffix alone proves the full theological relationship between faith and righteousness. The whole clause carries that claim.