וַ/יִּהְי֕וּ
𐤅/𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤅
hâyâh
and they were
To be, to exist, to happen, to take place; expresses existence, state of being, occurrence, or coming into a particular state. Used for describing the state or process of being, becoming, or coming to pass; also to indicate the occurrence of events or conditions, and, in certain syntactic contexts, serves as a linking or existential verb.
Numbers 25:9 · Word #1
Lexicon H1961
| Lemma | הָיָה |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤄𐤉𐤄 |
| Transliteration | hâyâh |
| Strong's | H1961 |
| Definition | To be, to exist, to happen, to take place; expresses existence, state of being, occurrence, or coming into a particular state. Used for describing the state or process of being, becoming, or coming to pass; also to indicate the occurrence of events or conditions, and, in certain syntactic contexts, serves as a linking or existential verb. |
Morphology HC/Vqw3mp
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state |
| Binyan | q — Qal — Simple 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
| Phrase | and they were |
SIBI-P1 Translation H1961-76
and they became
| Morphological Notes | Verb, Qal stem, sequential imperfect (wayyiqtol), 3rd person masculine plural. |
| Rendering Rationale | The Qal sequential imperfect (wayyiqtol) 3rd person masculine plural expresses a completed past action in narrative sequence, conveying entry into a state of being. "And they became" preserves the root sense of coming into existence or state while reflecting the plural masculine form. |
View full lexicon entry for H1961 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
and they were
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | The Hebrew וַיִּהְיוּ in narrative often means 'and they were.' Given the context, 'and they became' (P1) is less natural than 'and they were,' which matches both the verbal aspect and common translation in context. |