וַתַּ֥ךְ (wat·taḵ) in Jonah 4:7: Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
וַתַּ֥ךְ (wat·taḵ) in Jonah 4:7
Source Word
The BSB+ row for Jonah 4:7 links the English rendering "that attacked" with וַתַּ֥ךְ, Strong's H5221, and the parsing label Conj-w | V-Hifil-ConsecImperf-3fs.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form marks the turning point where Jonah's shade is struck, preparing the exposure of his misplaced pity.
How To Communicate It
Use this form to trace how the narrative shifts from comfort to loss in God's lesson to Jonah.
What Not To Say
- Grammar should serve context, not override it.
- Do not make the imperfect label prove more than the sentence supports.
- Do not use the stem label by itself 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 - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Conjunctive waw
Hifil
Consecutive imperfect
Third person
Feminine
Singular
The consecutive imperfect form participates in the verse's movement; Jonah 4:7 determines whether the reader should hear sequence, result, or narrative progress.
This form carries the BSB rendering "that attacked" within Jonah 4:7. Jonah 4 exposes Jonah's anger and God's patient instruction about compassion.
What The Form Does In This Verse
The action or phrase rendered "that attacked" in Jonah 4:7
The form is governed by the scene where God appoints the worm and the plant is struck at dawn.
It marks the worm's attack on the plant, moving the object lesson from shade to loss.
The form does not by itself settle every use of H5221, every possible translation, or the whole doctrine connected to this passage.
How Much The Form Matters Here
High: The form marks the strike that removes Jonah's shade and advances God's object lesson.
Waw-consecutive Hifil imperfect marking the worm's strike. moves the scene from provided shade to withered plant. Attached to the worm attacked the plant action. Governed by the appointed-worm scene in Jonah 4. The form advances the object lesson; the dialogue interprets why the loss matters.
What happens to the plant? The worm attacks it, and it withers.
Direct: The form directly supports attacked or struck.
The Hifil form should be read with the appointed creature and plant scene. The feminine singular form follows the narrative subject and should not be overread beyond the clause.
Hifil always proves direct divine causation: The stem contributes to the action, but the narrative states God appoints the creature and explains the lesson.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
The BSB+ row for Jonah 4:7 links the English rendering "that attacked" with וַתַּ֥ךְ, Strong's H5221, and the parsing label Conj-w | V-Hifil-ConsecImperf-3fs.
H5221 is represented here by the lemma נָכָה. In this occurrence, the public guide is limited to the BSB rendering "that attacked" rather than every possible gloss of the entry.
The consecutive imperfect advances the appointed-worm scene, and the feminine subject fits the creature or immediate agent in the narrative.
Jonah 4 exposes Jonah's anger and God's patient instruction about compassion.
The form fits Scripture's witness to mercy, repentance, prophetic obedience, and God's compassion for the nations.
When teaching Jonah 4:7, show how the form marks the plant's loss as part of the object lesson rather than random background detail.
Do not derive God's whole lesson from the Hifil form alone. The appointed worm, plant, and following dialogue interpret the action.