Genesis 1:3-5

Read the table from right to left starting at verse 3 and see if you recognize any words, fixes, or structural concepts from the previous verses. Do you remember their significance or what they mean? 

1. ויאמר pronounced “WaYAmar”. It is a three-part phrase; ו+י+אמר, and he said. The base root “Amar” is a verb meaning to say.
   • The prefix (י) is translated he will do; however, the presence of the other prefix, (ו) in tghis phrase, reverses the tense, “will say” to “said”. Whden present, the wow (ו) changes changes the tense to past tence.
2. אור pronounced “Owr” or “ore”. This is a secondary root based on the primary root word אר, meaning order. The word is changed slightly by adding an infix, (ו) between the two-letter root, connecting the light to the idea of order.

• • This word introduces a new type of ‘fix’, the infix. It’s a Hebrew letter added within a primary root to create a more specific word. In this case, light is the one that orders. The (ו) between a two-letter root is, “one who does” the action/verb root or “one who is” the noun root. Since light can be a verb or a noun, אור is one who does order  and one who orders (to light) or one who is order (light).
  • The important thing to know about the Hebrew language is that it is a function-based language. Light is called אור because it brings order and is order.

3. כי pronounced “Key”. It is a combination of a prefix and a suffix; כ+י. Though not usually recognized and acknowledged, these sorts of combinations are very common throughout scripture.
4. The kaph (כ) is a prefix meaning like or as.

• • The yod (י) is a suffix meaning ‘me’ or ‘of’.
  • Together these usually say, ‘as of’ and is translated ‘for’ or ‘because’. In this case, Elahim perceived the light for or because of function. Either indicates that light is a necessity for function; thus, Elahim made it appear.

5. טוב pronounced “Towb”. It is a secondary root word derived from the primary root, טב meaning to function properly.

• • The abstract term “good” is associated with this word. The Hebrew definition tells us what it means to be “good”. That is, to function as intended.
  • The waw (ו) infix indicate that טוב is one that functions.

6. ויבדל pronounced “WaYaBadal”. It is a phrase made of three parts; ו+י+בדל, and he will separate. The root word is a secondary root derived from a primary root word meaning door (דל).

• • Thus, to be separate is to be in (ב) the door (דל). The person on the inside is separate from those on the outside of the door. Thus, separation is defined by its characteristics; i.e., its name.

7. בין pronounced “Baeen”. This is another secondary root derived from a primary and modified by an infix.

• • This word comes from the word בן meaning son and tent panel. Sons build the house or family of their fathers with their own wives and grandchildren. Thus, he is represented by the tent panel. Also, בן is literally the house seed or the seed of the house, i.e. the son.
  • Imagine a house and a seed, the early script for these two letters, בן. Then place an arm in the middle. The result, the house gives to or does for the seed. It creates a division between the inside and the outside distinguishing between the two, hence the words also mean understand, as the ability to distinguish between things.
  • The י) ( infix infers something is caused to be done. In this case, the tent panel is caused to be between two sides to distinguish the outside from the inside.

8. ויקרא pronounced “WaYaKorah”. It is a three-part phrase; ו+י+קרא, meaning “and he will call”. The root is a secondary root meaning call, meet, and read and is a derivative of the primary root, רא meaning to perceive.

• • The word is literally a time to perceive. The time to perceive is when one is called, meets, or reads. This is the conditions under which something is made apparent.

9. לאור pronounced “LaOwr”. The root is the word for light.

• • The prefix, ל, translated ‘to’, ‘so’, or ‘for’. It is most often translated ‘to’, but when followed by the ה prefix, it is usually, “so (ל) that (ה)” … a fact many scholars don’t acknowledge. Here it’s simply “to light” or “to the light”.

10. יום pronounced “Yowm”. Its derivation is uncertain; however, the primary root appears to be ים, meaning water or perhaps what water represents in nature, infinity. It could be translated as the “infinite one” describing the number of days.
11. לילה pronounced “Lailah”. It is a derivation of the root לל, also meaning night. It is the image of a staff leading a staff, as to say the “blind leading the blind” or being lead without the ability to see, as in the darkness.^[1] It could be interpreted, “The cause of the blind leading the blind or the cause of her night.
12. ערב pronounced “Orab”. This is a root meaning dark in color.
13. בקר pronounced “Bakar”. This is a root word meaning morning. It also means herdsman and cattle. Perhaps morning is indicative of the time of day when the herdsmen of this nomadic people’s day began.
14. אחד, pronounced “Achad” is a word meaning a single unit. Its translated as “one”. It is a derivative of the primary two-letter root, חד, meaning to unite. The א added to the beginning makes it a strong union, or as we say, ONE.

• • So, when we read in Deuteronomy 6:4, “YaHuWaH is our God. YaHuWaH is One.”, the message is that Yahuwah is united, and Israel must also be of one mind with Him, by observing to do the things He instructs us to do.

The KJV reads: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.

The Hebrew reads:

Just in case you were in doubt😉

So, if you are second guessing learning biblical Hebrew… This is just one example of why you must absolutely keep learning!

We need the whole story if we are going to live in the light of God’s character.

[1] Matthew 15:14