וַ/יַּבְדֵּ֣ל

𐤅/𐤉𐤁𐤃𐤋

bâdal

and separated

To divide or separate, particularly to make a distinction or to set apart one thing, person, or group from another; to distinguish or differentiate between entities, often for purposes such as ritual, ethical, or social designation. The verb commonly denotes both physical and conceptual separation and can refer to acts of setting apart by human agency or divine action. It carries the sense of making or recognizing boundaries, whether spatial, ceremonial, or moral.

H914

Genesis 1:4 · Word #7

Lexicon H914

Lemmaבָּדַל
Lemma (Paleo)𐤁𐤃𐤋
Transliterationbâdal
Strong'sH914
DefinitionTo divide or separate, particularly to make a distinction or to set apart one thing, person, or group from another; to distinguish or differentiate between entities, often for purposes such as ritual, ethical, or social designation. The verb commonly denotes both physical and conceptual separation and can refer to acts of setting apart by human agency or divine action. It carries the sense of making or recognizing boundaries, whether spatial, ceremonial, or moral.

Morphology HC/Vhw3ms All morphology codes

Part of Speech V — Verb — An action or state
Binyan h — Hiphil — Causative active
Conjugation w — Sequential Imperfect — Imperfect with waw-consecutive, narrating past events
Person 3 — 3rd person — Third person ("he/she/they")
Gender m — Masculine — Masculine
Number s — Singular — Singular

Common Translation

Phraseand separated

SIBI-P1 Translation H914-16

and he set apart

Morphological NotesVerb, Hiphil (causative), sequential imperfect (wayyiqtol), 3rd person masculine singular.
Rendering RationaleThe Hiphil stem gives a causative sense, indicating that the subject actively caused a separation or made a distinction. The sequential imperfect (3ms) carries the narrative past force, reflected by "and he," while preserving the root idea of deliberate separation.

View full lexicon entry for H914 →

SILEX v2

SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)

and he separated

Same as P1Yes
RationaleP1 matches the causative context of וַיַּבְדֵּל, accurately rendering the verb as 'set apart'.