וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer) in Genesis 15:5: Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer) in Genesis 15:5
Source Word
The BSB+ row for Genesis 15:5 links the English rendering "and said" with וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙, Strong's H559, and the parsing label Conj-w | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form moves the scene from seeing the stars to hearing the promise about Abram's offspring.
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 15:5, linking this action to the movement around it.
This form carries the BSB rendering "and said" within Genesis 15:5. 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 "and said" in Genesis 15:5
The form is governed by the Lord's speech after bringing Abram outside to see the stars.
It introduces the Lord's promise that Abram's offspring will be like the stars.
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 the star-count promise at a major covenant moment.
Waw-consecutive Qal imperfect introducing speech. introduces the promise interpreting the star-count image. Attached to the and said speech frame after the star sign. Governed by the Lord's promise after bringing Abram outside. The form advances the dialogue and identifies a speech frame; the quoted words carry the interpretive substance.
What speech follows the star-count sign? The Lord promises that Abram's offspring will be so numerous.
Direct: The form directly supports and 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 15:5 links the English rendering "and said" with וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙, 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 "and said" rather than every possible gloss of the entry.
The consecutive imperfect marks the next speech act after the Lord brings Abram outside.
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 15:5, show how the form introduces the spoken interpretation of the star-count sign.
Do not derive a full speech theology from Qal or waw-consecutive form alone. The speaker, quoted words, and covenant context carry the claim.