וְיִתְכַּסּ֣וּ (wə·yiṯ·kas·sū) in Jonah 3:8: Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
וְיִתְכַּסּ֣וּ (wə·yiṯ·kas·sū) in Jonah 3:8
Source Word
The BSB+ row for Jonah 3:8 links the English rendering "be covered" with וְיִתְכַּסּ֣וּ, Strong's H3680, and the morphology label Conj-w | V-Hitpael-ConjImperf-3mp.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form clarifies that the decree calls for a plural public response, but the grammar should not be made to prove inner repentance apart from the narrative.
How To Communicate It
When teaching Jonah 3:8, use this form to show how the decree moves from visible humbling toward urgent prayer and turning from evil.
What Not To Say
- Grammar should serve context, not override it.
- Do not make the sequence form prove the spiritual depth of Nineveh's repentance by itself.
- Do not use the stem label alone to settle a theological claim.
- Do not treat this occurrence as a complete word study for the whole Hebrew lemma.
What Does The Label Mean?
Hebrew-verb
Verb
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Conjunctive waw
Hitpael
Conjunctive imperfect
Third person
Masculine
Plural
The conjunctive imperfect form joins the action to its context and may carry modal force; Jonah 3:8 determines how that force is heard.
This form carries the BSB rendering "be covered" within Jonah 3:8. Jonah 3 shows the renewed command, the preaching in Nineveh, repentance, and mercy.
What The Form Does In This Verse
The command that people and animals be covered with sackcloth in Jonah 3:8
The royal decree calling Nineveh to visible humbling and urgent prayer
The waw-linked Hitpael imperfect belongs to the decree's sequence of commanded responses.
The form does not by itself prove the inner sincerity of all Ninevites or settle every use of H3680.
How Much The Form Matters Here
Moderate: The form affects the decree's plural call to public humbling.
Waw-linked imperfect relation. adds a commanded public response within the royal decree. Attached to the command that people and animals be covered with sackcloth in Jonah 3:8. Governed by the royal decree calling Nineveh to visible humbling and urgent prayer. The waw-linked imperfect form belongs to the clause relation, and context decides whether it carries request, result, condition, resolve, or another nuance.
Who is being told to be covered? The plural command belongs to the people and animals named in the decree.
Direct: The form directly supports the rendering "be covered" in the decree.
The waw-linked imperfect form belongs to the clause relation, and context decides whether it carries request, result, condition, resolve, or another nuance. The attached waw should be explained from the clause relation rather than treated as a stand-alone theological signal. The form participates in command-like decree language, but the narrative context decides the force.
Imperfect form proves future certainty by itself: The form contributes aspect or modality, but the clause and context decide the force. stem label settles the theology: The Hebrew stem identifies the verbal pattern; the passage supplies the theological claim. grammar replaces context: The morphology should clarify the clause while remaining governed by the surrounding passage.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
The BSB+ row for Jonah 3:8 links the English rendering "be covered" with וְיִתְכַּסּ֣וּ, Strong's H3680, and the morphology label Conj-w | V-Hitpael-ConjImperf-3mp.
H3680 is represented here by the lemma כָּסָה. In this occurrence, the public guide is limited to the BSB rendering "be covered" rather than every possible gloss of the entry.
The third masculine plural links the command to the people and animals named in the decree, while context supplies the visible sackcloth response.
Jonah 3 shows the renewed word of the Lord, Nineveh's response, public humbling, and God's mercy toward repentant hearers.
The form fits Scripture's witness that God's warning summons repentance and that mercy is shown according to his compassion.
When teaching Jonah 3:8, use this form to show how the decree moves from visible humbling toward urgent prayer and turning from evil.
Do not derive the full theology of repentance, decree language, or the full range of H3680 from Conj-w | V-Hitpael-ConjImperf-3mp alone.