Verb Sequential Imperfect

Summary

A Sequential Imperfect verb functions generally like a verb with Perfect conjugation, but it also connects to an earlier verb to form either a sequence of time or a sequence of thought.

Article

The Sequential Imperfect conjugation of a verb looks similar to the normal Imperfect verb, but it is a separate verbal form and must be treated as such. A Sequential Imperfect verb does not function like a normal Imperfect verb, but it functions similar to a Perfect verb. The difference is an added sense of being connected to an earlier verb to form a sequence of time or a sequence of thought. In Hebrew narratives, the Sequential Imperfect conjugation also serves the function of controlling the flow of a story and often occurs at the beginning of a sentence.

The endings of the Sequential Imperfect conjugation are the same as the normal Imperfect conjugation but the sequential form also has an extra prefix, which is a specialized form of the conjunction. The difference between the Sequential Imperfect and the normal Imperfect conjugation with the conjunction is in the vowel pattern. The normal Imperfect conjugation with the conjunction looks exactly like what one would expect: a normal conjunction (וְ) is added to the beginning of a normal Imperfect verb (יִקְטֹל) to make a single word (וְיִקְטֹל). However, the Sequential Imperfect conjugation looks different (וַיִּקְטֹל). In contrast to the normal Imperfect conjugation with the conjunction, the Sequential Imperfect conjugation usually contains (1) a vowel (usually pathach) under the conjunction instead of the shewa, and (2) a daghesh in the prefix consonant of the verbal form (see table below).

Example: Imperfect conjugation + conjunction (וְ) vs. Sequential Imperfect conjugation

Verbal root	Imperfect conjugation + conjunction (וְ)	Sequential Imperfect conjugation
כתב	וְיִכְתֹּב	וַיִּכְתֹּב
פעל	וְיִפְעַל	וַיִּפְעַל
קרא	וְיִקְרָא	וַיִּקְרָא

Form

Qal Sequential Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיִּקְטֹל	wayyiqtol	(and) he killed
feminine singular third person	וַתִּקְטֹל	wattiqtol	(and) she killed
masculine singular second person	וַתִּקְטֹל	wattiqtol	(and) you killed
feminine singular second person	וַתִּקְטְלִי	wattiqteli	(and) you killed
common singular first person	וָאֶקְטֹל	wa’eqtol	(and) I killed
masculine plural third person	וַיִקְטְלוּ	wayiqtelu	(and) they killed
feminine plural third person	וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה	wattiqtolenah	(and) they killed
masculine plural second person	וַתִּקְטְלוּ	wattiqtelu	(and) you killed
feminine plural second person	וַתִּקְטֹלְנָה	wattiqtolenah	(and) you killed
common plural first person	וַנִּקְטֹל	wanniqtol	(and) we killed

Niphal Sequential Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיִּקָּטֵל	wayyiqqatel	(and) he was killed
feminine singular third person	וַתִּקָּטֵל	wattiqqatel	(and) she was killed
masculine singular second person	וַתִּקָּטֵל	wattiqqatel	(and) you were killed
feminine singular second person	וַתִּקָּטְלִי	wattiqqatli	(and) you were killed
common singular first person	וָאֶקָּטֵל	wa’eqqatel	(and) I was killed
masculine plural third person	וַיִּקָּטְלוּ	wayyiqqatlu	(and) they were killed
feminine plural third person	וַתִּקָּטַלְנָה	wattiqqatalnah	(and) they were killed
masculine plural second person	וַתִּקָּטְלוּ	wattiqqatlu	(and) you were killed
feminine plural second person	וַתִּקָּטַלְנָה	wattiqqatalnah	(and) you were killed
common plural first person	וַנִּקָּטֵל	wanniqqatel	(and) we were killed

Hiphil Sequential Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיַּקְטֵל	wayyaqtil	(and) he caused to kill
feminine singular third person	וַתַּקְטֵל	wattaqtil	(and) she caused to kill
masculine singular second person	וַתַּקְטֵל	wattaqtil	(and) you caused to kill
feminine singular second person	וַתַּקְטִילִי	wattaqtili	(and) you caused to kill
common singular first person	וָאַקְטֵל	wa’aqtil	(and) I caused to kill
masculine plural third person	וַיַּקְטִילוּ	wayyaqtilu	(and) they caused to kill
feminine plural third person	וַתַּקְטֵלְנָה	wattaqtelenah	(and) they caused to kill
masculine plural second person	וַתַּקְטִילוּ	wattaqtilu	(and) you caused to kill
feminine plural second person	וַתַּקְטֵלְנָה	wattaqtelenah	(and) you caused to kill
common plural first person	וַנַּקְטֵל	wannaqtil	(and) we caused to kill

Hophal Sequential Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיָּקְטַל	wayyoqtal	(and) he was caused to kill
feminine singular third person	וַתָּקְטַל	wattoqtal	(and) whe was caused to kill
masculine singular second person	וַתָּקְטַל	wattoqtal	(and) you were caused to kill
feminine singular second person	וַתָּקְטְלִי	wattoqteli	(and) you were caused to kill
common singular first person	וָאָקְטַל	wa’oqtal	(and) I was caused to kill
masculine plural third person	וַיָּקְטְלוּ	wayyoqtelu	(and) they were caused to kill
feminine plural third person	וַתָּקְטַלְנָה	wattoqtalnah	(and) they were caused to kill
masculine plural second person	וַתָּקְטְלוּ	wattoqtelu	(and) you were caused to kill
feminine plural second person	וַתָּקְטַלְנָה	wattoqtalnah	(and) you were caused to kill
common plural first person	וַנָּקְטַל	wannoqtal	(and) we were caused to kill

Piel Sequential Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיְּקַטֵּל	wayyeqattel	(and) he slaughtered
feminine singular third person	וַתְּקַטֵּל	watteqattel	(and) she slaughtered
masculine singular second person	וַתְּקַטֵּל	watteqattel	(and) you slaughtered
feminine singular second person	וַתְּקַטְּלִי	watteqatteli	(and) you slaughtered
common singular first person	וָאֲקַטֵּל	wa’eqattel	(and) I slaughtered
masculine plural third person	וַיְּקַטְּלוּ	wayyeqattelu	(and) they slaughtered
feminine plural third person	וַתְּקַטַּלְנָה	watteqattelnah	(and) they slaughtered
masculine plural second person	וַתְּקַטְּלוּ	watteqattelu	(and) you slaughtered
feminine plural second person	וַתְּקַטַּלְנָה	watteqattelnah	(and) you slaughtered
common plural first person	וַנְּקַטֵּל	wanneqattel	(and) we slaughtered

Pual Sequential Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיְּקֻטַּל	wayyequttal	(and) he was slaughtered
feminine singular third person	וַתְּקֻטַּל	wattequttal	(and) she was slaughtered
masculine singular second person	וַתְּקֻטַּל	wattequttal	(and) you were slaughtered
feminine singular second person	וַתְּקֻטְּלִי	wattequtteli	(and) you were slaughtered
common singular first person	וָאֲקֻטַּל	wa’aquttal	(and) I was slaughtered
masculine plural third person	וַיְּקֻטְּלוּ	wayyequttelu	(and) they were slaughtered
feminine plural third person	וַתְּקֻטַּלְנָה	wattequttalnah	(and) they were slaughtered
masculine plural second person	וַתְּקֻטְּלוּ	wattequttelu	(and) you were slaughtered
feminine plural second person	וַתְּקֻטַּלְנָה	wattequttalnah	(and) you were slaughtered
common plural first person	וַנְּקֻטַּל	wannequttal	(and) we were slaughtered

Hithpael Sequential Imperfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וַיְּתְקַטֵּל	wayyithqattel	(and) he killed himself
feminine singular third person	וַתִּתְקַטֵּל	wattithqattel	(and) she killed herself
masculine singular second person	וַתִּתְקַטֵּל	wattithqattel	(and) you killed yourself
feminine singular second person	וַתִּתְקַטְּלִי	wattithqatteli	(and) you killed yourself
common singular first person	וָאֶתְקַטֵּל	wa’ethqattel	(and) I killed myself
masculine plural third person	וַיְּתְקַטְּלוּ	wayyithqattelu	(and) they killed themselves
feminine plural third person	וַתִּתְקַטֵּלְנָה	wattithqattelnah	(and) they killed themselves
masculine plural second person	וַתִּתְקַטְּלוּ	wattithqattelu	(and) you killed yourselves
feminine plural second person	וַתִּתְקַטֵּלְנָה	wattithqattelnah	(and) you killed yourselves
common plural first person	וַנְּתְקַטֵּל	wannithqattel	(and) we killed ourselves

Function

The Sequential Imperfect conjugation indicates any one of these kinds of verbal actions:

Completed actions, or actions in the past

Example: GEN 12:1

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם

wayyomer yehwah ‘el-‘avram

and-he-said Yahweh to_Abram

Now Yahweh said to Abram

Example: GEN 13:1

וַיַּעַל֩ אַבְרָ֨ם מִמִּצְרַ֜יִם

wayya’al ‘avram mimmitsrayim

and-he-went-up Abram from-Egypt

So Abram went up from Egypt

Stative actions

This kind of action describes a state or condition, often (but not always) with a passive stem formation.

Example: GEN 22:19

וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב אַבְרָהָ֖ם בִּבְאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע

wayyeshev ‘avraham biv’er shava’

and-he-remained Abraham in-Beer Sheba

and Abraham lived at Beersheba.

Example: GEN 21:8

וַיִּגְדַּ֥ל הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַיִּגָּמַ֑ל

wayyigdal hayyeled wayyiggamal

And-he-grew the-child and-he-was-weaned

The child grew and was weaned

Actions that are paired together in a sentence (often with the verb היה)

Example: JOB 1:6

וַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים

wayhi hayyom wayyavo’u bene ha’elohim

and-it-came the-day and-they-went sons-of the-God

And then came the day when the sons of God came

Example: JUD 19:27

וַיָּ֨קָם אֲדֹנֶ֜יהָ בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּפְתַּח֙ דַּלְת֣וֹת הַבַּ֔יִת

wayyaqom ‘adoneyha babboqer wayyiftah dalthoth habbayith

and-he-rose-up her-lord in-the-morning and-he-opened doors-of the-house

Her master rose up in the morning and opened the doors of the house

Example: GEN 1:28

וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹהִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים

wayvarekh ‘otham ‘elohim wayyomer lahem ‘elohim

And-he-blessed them God and-he-said to-them God

God blessed them and God said to them