Hebrew Form Guide

לָ֧תֶת (lā·ṯeṯ) in Genesis 15:7: Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

לָ֧תֶת (lā·ṯeṯ) in Genesis 15:7

Source Word

לָ֧תֶת lā·ṯeṯ Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:7 links the English rendering "to give" with לָ֧תֶת, Strong's H5414, and the morphology label Prep-l | V-Qal-Inf.

How The Form Affects Interpretation

The form clarifies the purpose movement of the verse: the Lord brought Abram out in order to give him this land.

How To Communicate It

In explanation, this form can help readers see the Lord's covenant promise as both remembered action and promised gift.

What Not To Say

  • Grammar should serve context, not override it.
  • Do not make the Qal stem prove that giving is simple or unconditional in every biblical context.
  • Do not treat the lamed infinitive as a complete covenant theology.
  • Do not detach the land gift from the Lord's speech in Genesis 15.
  • Do not use this occurrence as a complete word study for H5414.

What Does The Label Mean?

Profile

Hebrew-verb

Part of Speech

Verb

Form Label

Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Attached Prefixes

Lamed preposition

Stem

Qal

Aspect

Inf

Person

Not marked

Gender

Not marked

Number

Not marked

Aspect Note

The morphology label identifies the form, but Genesis 15:7 supplies the sentence role and theological meaning.

Verse Role

This form carries the BSB rendering "to give" within Genesis 15:7. 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 Lord's purpose statement in Genesis 15:7: He brought Abram out of Ur to give him the land

Governed By

The prefixed lamed on a Qal infinitive construct within the divine self-identification clause

Role In The Phrase

It marks the giving purpose tied to the Lord's covenant promise and connects the exodus-from-Ur statement to the land gift.

What It Is Not Doing

It does not prove a complete theology of divine gift, land, or covenant fulfillment by itself.

How Much The Form Matters Here

Interpretive Weight

High: The form carries the purpose of the Lord's action in a major covenant-promise verse.

Syntax Profile

Lamed-prefixed Qal infinitive construct. expresses the intended land gift tied to the Lord's prior action. Attached to the Lord's statement that He brought Abram out of Ur. Governed by the prefixed lamed and the divine purpose clause. The infinitive should be read with the whole promise statement, not as a detached theology of giving.

Reader Question

Why does the Lord say He brought Abram out? To give him this land, which the next form describes as land to possess.

Translation Effect

Direct: The lamed infinitive directly supports the purpose phrase "to give."

Where Caution Is Needed

A lamed infinitive can carry purpose, result, or complement force; the Lord's purpose statement governs this occurrence. The giving language must be kept within Genesis 15's covenant promise. The Qal stem identifies the form but does not decide every theological question attached to the gift.

Fallacies To Avoid

Qal means the gift is grammatically simple: Qal identifies the stem; the covenant context carries the theological weight. to give proves the whole covenant doctrine alone: The infinitive marks purpose in Genesis 15:7; broader doctrine needs the passage and canon. grammar replaces covenant context: The Lord's speech and promise govern interpretation.

How The Interpretation Is Derived

Textual Witness

The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:7 links the English rendering "to give" with לָ֧תֶת, Strong's H5414, and the morphology label Prep-l | V-Qal-Inf.

Lexical Identity

H5414 is represented here by the lemma נָתַן. In this occurrence, the public guide is limited to the BSB rendering "to give" rather than every possible gloss of the entry.

Grammar In Context

The prefixed lamed makes the Qal infinitive dependent on the Lord's action of bringing Abram out of Ur, giving the clause its purpose movement.

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 15:7, use this form to show that the Lord's past action and promised gift belong together in the verse.

Do Not Derive

Do not derive a full theology of divine gift, land, or covenant fulfillment from Prep-l | V-Qal-Inf alone. The form marks the giving purpose in Genesis 15:7.