יִֽירָשְׁךָ֖ (yî·rā·šə·ḵā) in Genesis 15:4: Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
יִֽירָשְׁךָ֖ (yî·rā·šə·ḵā) in Genesis 15:4
Source Word
The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:4 links the English rendering "be your heir" with יִֽירָשְׁךָ֖, Strong's H3423, and the morphology label V-Qal-Imperf-3ms | 2ms.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form clarifies the denied heir relationship before the verse identifies the promised heir from Abram's own body.
How To Communicate It
In explanation of Genesis 15:4, use this form to distinguish the denied household-heir option from the promised bodily heir.
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.
- The 2ms suffix points to Abram in the heir relationship and should not be interpreted apart from the verse.
What Does The Label Mean?
Hebrew-verb
Verb
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Second person masculine singular
Qal
Imperfect
Third person
Masculine
Singular
The imperfect form presents the action as unfolding, expected, or desired in context; Genesis 15:4 determines how that force is heard.
This form carries the BSB rendering "be your heir" within Genesis 15:4. 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
The Lord's answer in Genesis 15:4, excluding the current household heir from being Abram's heir
The Hebrew imperfect form within the clause and speaker setting
It identifies the heir relationship being denied before the verse names the one who will come from Abram's own body.
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
High: The form carries the heir relationship in the Lord's correction of Abram's concern.
Qal imperfect third masculine singular with 2ms suffix in an heir statement. states the denied heir relationship with Abram as the suffix reference. Attached to the Lord's answer in Genesis 15:4, excluding the current household heir from being Abram's heir. 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.
Who will not be Abram's heir? The one under discussion in Abram's household will not be his heir.
Direct: The imperfect directly supports the rendering "be your heir" in this occurrence.
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 2ms suffix points to Abram in the heir relationship and should not be interpreted apart from the verse.
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
The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:4 links the English rendering "be your heir" with יִֽירָשְׁךָ֖, Strong's H3423, and the morphology label V-Qal-Imperf-3ms | 2ms.
H3423 is represented here by the lemma יָרַשׁ. In this occurrence, the public guide is limited to the BSB rendering "be your heir" rather than every possible gloss of the entry.
The imperfect is used in the Lord's promise-answer, and the 2ms suffix ties the heir relation to Abram.
Genesis 15 anchors God's covenant promise to Abram, moving from promise and faith to assurance and covenant sign.
The form fits Scripture's covenant pattern in which God speaks, promises, judges, gives, and keeps his word.
When teaching Genesis 15:4, use this form to distinguish the denied household-heir option from the promised bodily heir.
Do not derive a full theology of heirship, promise, or inheritance from V-Qal-Imperf-3ms | 2ms alone. The form marks the heir relation in this statement.