Hebrew Form Guide

יֵצְא֖וּ (yê·ṣə·’ū) in Genesis 15:14: Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

יֵצְא֖וּ (yê·ṣə·’ū) in Genesis 15:14

Source Word

יֵצְא֖וּ yê·ṣə·’ū Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:14 links the English rendering "they will depart" with יֵצְא֖וּ, Strong's H3318, and the morphology label V-Qal-Imperf-3mp.

How The Form Affects Interpretation

The form helps readers follow the sequence of the promise: service, judgment, then departure with possessions.

How To Communicate It

In explanation of Genesis 15:14, use this form to keep the departure promise tied to the Lord's spoken sequence.

What Not To Say

  • Grammar should serve context, not override it.
  • Do not treat the Hebrew imperfect as a simple English future in every passage.
  • Do not use the Qal stem by itself to settle a theological claim.
  • Do not turn this occurrence into a complete word study for the whole lemma.
  • Let the surrounding clause decide whether the form is question, promise, assurance, or narrative expectation.

What Does The Label Mean?

Profile

Hebrew-verb

Part of Speech

Verb

Form Label

Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

Stem

Qal

Aspect

Imperfect

Person

Third person

Gender

Masculine

Number

Plural

Aspect Note

The imperfect form presents the action as unfolding, expected, or desired in context; Genesis 15:14 determines how that force is heard.

Verse Role

This form carries the BSB rendering "they will depart" within Genesis 15:14. Genesis 15 anchors God's covenant promise to Abram, moving from promise and faith to assurance and covenant sign.

What The Form Does In This Verse

Attached To

The promise in Genesis 15:14 that Abram's descendants will depart with many possessions

Governed By

The Hebrew imperfect form within the clause and speaker setting

Role In The Phrase

It states the promised departure that follows judgment on the nation they serve.

What It Is Not Doing

It does not make the Hebrew imperfect a simple English future in every context or settle the passage theology by itself.

How Much The Form Matters Here

Interpretive Weight

High: The form carries a key promised outcome in the covenant preview of affliction, judgment, and departure.

Syntax Profile

Qal imperfect third masculine plural in a future promise statement. states the outcome for Abram's descendants after judgment. Attached to the promise in Genesis 15:14 that Abram's descendants will depart with many possessions. Governed by the clause, speaker setting, and covenant-promise context. The imperfect should be interpreted from the sentence movement, not flattened into one English tense value.

Reader Question

What will happen after the nation is judged? Abram's descendants will depart with many possessions.

Translation Effect

Direct: The imperfect directly supports the rendering "they will depart" in this occurrence.

Where Caution Is Needed

Hebrew imperfect forms can express future, modal, expected, or context-shaped action. The clause determines whether the form is heard as question, assurance, promise, or expectation. The Qal stem identifies the form but does not carry the full theological claim.

Fallacies To Avoid

Hebrew imperfect always means simple future: The imperfect is shaped by clause context and should not be flattened into one English tense. Qal means the claim is simple: Qal identifies the stem; the covenant context carries the theological weight. grammar alone proves covenant doctrine: The form supports the clause; the passage and canon govern larger doctrine.

How The Interpretation Is Derived

Textual Witness

The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:14 links the English rendering "they will depart" with יֵצְא֖וּ, Strong's H3318, and the morphology label V-Qal-Imperf-3mp.

Lexical Identity

H3318 is represented here by the lemma יָצָא. In this occurrence, the public guide is limited to the BSB rendering "they will depart" rather than every possible gloss of the entry.

Grammar In Context

The imperfect is part of the Lord's future-oriented covenant disclosure and supports the promised departure.

Passage Meaning

Genesis 15 anchors God's covenant promise to Abram, moving from promise and faith to assurance and covenant sign.

Canonical Fit

The form fits Scripture's covenant pattern in which God speaks, promises, judges, gives, and keeps his word.

Communication Use

When teaching Genesis 15:14, use this form to keep the departure promise tied to the Lord's spoken sequence.

Do Not Derive

Do not derive a full exodus theology from V-Qal-Imperf-3mp alone. The form marks the promised departure in this covenant statement.