וַ/יֵּאָבֵ֥ק
𐤅/𐤉𐤀𐤁𐤒
ʼâbaq
could prevail / could overcome
To grapple, wrestle, engage in a physical struggle, typically referring to close bodily combat such as that described in narrative settings. The core meaning involves the act of engaging intensively and physically with another, often resulting in being covered with dust because of the struggle. The semantic range includes literal and metaphorical uses for wrestling, struggling, or contending.
Genesis 32:25 · Word #4
Lexicon H79
| Lemma | אָבַק |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤀𐤁𐤒 |
| Transliteration | ʼâbaq |
| Strong's | H79 |
| Definition | To grapple, wrestle, engage in a physical struggle, typically referring to close bodily combat such as that described in narrative settings. The core meaning involves the act of engaging intensively and physically with another, often resulting in being covered with dust because of the struggle. The semantic range includes literal and metaphorical uses for wrestling, struggling, or contending. |
Morphology HC/VNw3ms
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state |
| Binyan | N — Niphal — Simple passive or reflexive |
| 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
| Phrase | could prevail / could overcome |
SIBI-P1 Translation H79-02
and he was dust-grappling
| Morphological Notes | Verb; Niphal stem; sequential imperfect (wayyiqtol); 3rd person masculine singular. |
| Rendering Rationale | The Niphal stem conveys a passive or reflexive sense, here rendered as entering into a dust-raising struggle. The sequential imperfect 3ms is reflected by "and he was," preserving the narrative verbal form while keeping the root imagery of dust-bound grappling. |
View full lexicon entry for H79 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
and he was wrestling
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | P1 'and he was dust-grappling' is root-faithful but in narrative context the act is wrestling; 'wrestling' is a direct contextual rendering per the definition, omitting the dust imagery unless present or needed. |