וַ/יַּבְדִּ֥ילוּ

𐤅/𐤉𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤋𐤅

bâdal

they 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

Nehemiah 13:3 · Word #5

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/Vhw3mp 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 p — Plural — Plural

Common Translation

Phrasethey separated

SIBI-P1 Translation H914-18

and they set apart

Morphological NotesVerb; Hiphil (causative) stem; sequential imperfect (vav-consecutive); 3rd person masculine plural.
Rendering RationaleThe Hiphil stem conveys a causative action, meaning "to cause to be separate" or "to set apart." The 3rd person masculine plural sequential imperfect is rendered as a past narrative action, preserving both the causative force and plural subject.

View full lexicon entry for H914 →

SILEX v2

SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)

and they separated

Same as P1Yes
RationaleP1 'and they set apart' fits the context and matches the standard sense for וַיַּבְדִּילוּ. Correct as is.