וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו אֵ֣ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֤י יֹוסֵף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־הָ֣עֲגָלֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח יֹוסֵ֖ף לָשֵׂ֣את אֹתֹ֑ו וַתְּחִ֕י ר֖וּחַ יַעֲקֹ֥ב אֲבִיהֶֽם׃
When Verbs Carry Emotion and Resurrection
Genesis 45:27 captures the moment Yaʿaqov hears—and believes—that Yosef is alive. But this belief doesn’t come through argument or proof; it arrives through verbs. Speaking, seeing, sending, carrying, reviving—each action is wrapped in a carefully chosen binyan. From Qal to Piel, from causative motion to emotional ignition, this verse becomes a miniature narrative of linguistic resurrection.
Layer by Layer: Binyanim Behind the Revival
1. וַיְדַבְּרוּ — And they spoke
- Root: ד־ב־ר (“to speak”)
- Binyan: Piel (wayyiqtol, 3rd person masculine plural)
- Morphological Structure: Prefix וַיְ־, dagesh in the middle radical (intensive), plural ending וּ
- Function: Intensive — not just casual conversation, but emphatic or deliberate speaking
- Semantic Effect: The Piel here highlights that these were no ordinary words. The brothers were relaying, insisting, even pleading—communicating Yosef’s words with emotional gravity.
- Literary Nuance: Had this been Qal (וַיֹּאמְרוּ), the tone would’ve been lighter. Piel shows they are trying to reach Yaʿaqov, not just inform him.
2. דִּבֶּר — He had spoken
- Root: ד־ב־ר
- Binyan: Piel (perfect, 3rd person masculine singular)
- Notes: This is the same root as the first verb, again in Piel, reinforcing intensity. Yosef’s original words carried weight—hence their repetition here in the same binyan.
3. וַיַּרְא — And he saw
- Root: ר־א־ה (“to see”)
- Binyan: Qal (wayyiqtol, 3rd person masculine singular)
- Function: Simple perception—direct, unmediated seeing
- Stylistic Effect: The Qal gives a contrast to the previous Piel verbs. The visual confirmation—the wagons—comes without embellishment. The Qal works like a clear window: “he saw.”
4. שָׁלַח — (he) sent
- Root: שׁ־ל־ח
- Binyan: Qal (perfect, 3rd person masculine singular)
- Function: Simple action — “he sent”
- Why Qal?: The act of sending the wagons doesn’t need intensification—it’s an objective, historical fact. The Qal delivers it cleanly.
5. לָשֵׂאת — to carry
- Root: נ־שׂ־א (“to lift, carry”)
- Binyan: Qal (infinitive construct)
- Function: Purpose: “to carry him”
- Comment: Again, Qal is fitting. It denotes the physical function of the wagons, keeping the tone practical rather than poetic or emphatic.
6. וַתְּחִי — and she revived
- Root: ח־י־ה (“to live”)
- Binyan: Qal (wayyiqtol, 3rd person feminine singular)
- Subject: ר֖וּחַ יַעֲקֹ֥ב (“the spirit of Yaʿaqov”) – feminine in Hebrew
- Function: To revive, to return to life
- Poetic Note: While Piel is sometimes used for reviving (as in הֶחֱיָה), Qal here shows that his spirit didn’t just receive life—it came alive from within, organically, gently, almost like breath returning.
Charting the Verbal Tapestry
| Verb | Root | Binyan | Voice | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְדַבְּרוּ | ד־ב־ר | Piel | Active | Deliberate, emotional speech |
| דִּבֶּר | ד־ב־ר | Piel | Active | Weighty words from Yosef |
| וַיַּרְא | ר־א־ה | Qal | Active | Direct visual confirmation |
| שָׁלַח | שׁ־ל־ח | Qal | Active | Objective sending |
| לָשֵׂאת | נ־שׂ־א | Qal | Active | Function of the wagons |
| וַתְּחִי | ח־י־ה | Qal | Active | Spiritual revival |
How the Binyan Shapes the Resurrection
The narrative arc of this verse unfolds through binyan choice. The double appearance of Piel for speech sets the emotional tone—these are words meant to penetrate. Then the Qal binyan takes over, delivering visual and physical facts with simplicity and trustworthiness. Finally, the climax: וַתְּחִי — not in Hiphil or Piel, but in Qal—quiet, unforced, and intimate.
The verbs do more than narrate—they resurrect. The spirit of Yaʿaqov doesn’t just awaken because of what he saw or heard, but because of how it was shown and said. That’s the quiet power of binyanim: they turn grammar into grace.
