וַ/יִּמָּח֖וּ
𐤅/𐤉𐤌𐤇𐤅
mâchâh
and they were blotted out
To wipe, remove, or obliterate by wiping; to blot out something by rubbing or stroking, often as an act of erasure or destruction. In biblical usage, frequently refers to the removal of writing, memory, or existence (concrete or abstract), such as erasing names from a record, blotting out sin or transgression, or wiping out a people or nation. Sometimes references the physical action of wiping away (e.g., tears), or the complete removal (e.g., wiping out cities or peoples).
Genesis 7:23 · Word #17
Lexicon H4229
| Lemma | מָחָה |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤌𐤇𐤄 |
| Transliteration | mâchâh |
| Strong's | H4229 |
| Definition | To wipe, remove, or obliterate by wiping; to blot out something by rubbing or stroking, often as an act of erasure or destruction. In biblical usage, frequently refers to the removal of writing, memory, or existence (concrete or abstract), such as erasing names from a record, blotting out sin or transgression, or wiping out a people or nation. Sometimes references the physical action of wiping away (e.g., tears), or the complete removal (e.g., wiping out cities or peoples). |
Morphology HC/VNw3mp
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 | p — Plural — Plural |
Common Translation
| Phrase | and they were blotted out |
SIBI-P1 Translation H4229-22
and they were wiped out
| Morphological Notes | Verb, Niphal (passive), sequential imperfect (wayyiqtol), 3rd person masculine plural. |
| Rendering Rationale | The Niphal stem marks a passive action, so the subject (3rd masculine plural) receives the action of wiping/obliteration. The sequential imperfect with prefixed ו conveys narrative past, hence "and they were wiped out," preserving the root sense of removal by wiping. |
View full lexicon entry for H4229 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
and they were blotted out
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | Adjusted from P1 'and they were wiped out' to 'and they were blotted out' for consistency with earlier H4229 in the verse, and standard biblical usage. |