וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer) in Genesis 15:13: Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer) in Genesis 15:13
Source Word
The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:13 links the English rendering "Then [the Lord] said" with וַיֹּ֣אמֶר, Strong's H559, and the parsing label Conj-w | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form marks a transition into covenant prophecy, where the Lord speaks about affliction, time, and deliverance.
How To Communicate It
Use this form to trace the dialogue movement, identify the speaker, and keep the quoted words as the interpretive center.
What Not To Say
- Grammar should serve context, not override it.
- Do not make the consecutive 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 - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Conjunctive waw
Qal
Consecutive imperfect
Third person
Masculine
Singular
The consecutive imperfect carries the narrative or sequence forward in Genesis 15:13, linking this action to the movement around it.
This form carries the BSB rendering "Then [the Lord] said" within Genesis 15:13. 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 action or phrase rendered "Then [the Lord] said" in Genesis 15:13
The form is governed by the Lord's covenant disclosure about Abram's descendants and their future affliction.
It introduces the Lord's solemn speech about the future of Abram's offspring.
The form does not by itself settle every use of H559, every possible translation, or the whole doctrine connected to this passage.
How Much The Form Matters Here
High: The form introduces divine covenant prophecy about Abram's descendants.
Waw-consecutive Qal imperfect introducing speech. introduces the Lord's speech about the future of Abram's offspring. Attached to the then the Lord said speech frame. Governed by the covenant disclosure in Genesis 15:13. The form advances the dialogue and identifies a speech frame; the quoted words carry the interpretive substance.
Who speaks, and what kind of speech follows? The Lord speaks a covenant disclosure about Abram's descendants.
Direct: The form directly supports then he said or then the Lord said.
Waw-consecutive advances the dialogue and should not be reduced to a tense label only. Qal marks the speech verb stem; the speaker and quoted words determine the meaning.
Speech verb form carries the whole theological claim: The form introduces speech; the content of the speech and covenant setting carry the claim.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:13 links the English rendering "Then [the Lord] said" with וַיֹּ֣אמֶר, Strong's H559, and the parsing label Conj-w | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms.
H559 is represented here by the lemma אָמַר. In this occurrence, the public guide is limited to the BSB rendering "Then [the Lord] said" rather than every possible gloss of the entry.
The consecutive imperfect marks the next speech act in the covenant vision, with the Lord as speaker.
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 15:13, show how the form introduces the divine word that interprets Israel's future suffering and deliverance.
Do not derive a full speech theology from Qal or waw-consecutive form alone. The speaker, quoted words, and covenant context carry the claim.