וַיְהִ֗י בְּיֹ֨ום דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֖ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(Exodus 6:28)
And it came to pass on the day that YHWH spoke to Moshe in the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt).
This verse is a short narrative introduction that sets the scene for divine communication. It might look simple at first, but it reveals a lot about Hebrew narrative grammar, time expressions, and sentence flow. Let’s break it down and see how Hebrew builds meaning, even in one quiet verse.
This is a time marker. It introduces the moment when YHWH addressed Moshe—likely preparing for what follows next in the story.
Word Order and Flow: Setting the Scene
This is a classic Hebrew narrative introduction. It begins with:
- וַיְהִי — “And it came to pass” (typical of biblical openings)
- בְּיֹום דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה — “on the day YHWH spoke to Moshe”
- בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם — “in the land of Mitsrayim” (location)
In Hebrew, this type of structure is used to mark a moment in time right before a major divine act or command.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
| Hebrew Word | Meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִי | And it came to pass | From הָיָה (“to be”). This is a wayyiqtol (vav-consecutive past tense), used to start narrative sections. Very common in Biblical Hebrew stories. |
| בְּיֹום | on the day | יוֹם = “day.” בְּ = “in/on.” Time expression that introduces when the action happened. |
| דִּבֶּר | spoke | Perfect tense, 3rd person masculine singular from דָּבַר (“to speak”). Refers to what YHWH did. |
| יְהוָה | YHWH | The subject who is speaking. Hebrew syntax allows this to follow the verb. |
| אֶל־מֹשֶׁה | to Moshe | Prepositional phrase: אֶל = “to,” + proper noun. Moshe is the one spoken to. |
| בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם | in the land of Mitsrayim | Location phrase. אֶרֶץ = “land,” מִצְרָיִם = “Egypt.” The בְּ means “in.” |
Visual: Hebrew Narrative Openings
| Element | Function | Example from Verse |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִי | Marks new scene or event | “And it came to pass” |
| בְּיֹום… | Introduces time | “On the day…” |
| דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה | Main event or action | “YHWH spoke to Moshe” |
| בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם | Setting / place | “In the land of Mitsrayim” |
What We Learned from This Sentence
- You saw the typical Hebrew story opener: וַיְהִי (And it came to pass…)
- You learned how to recognize a time clause: בְּיֹום דִּבֶּר…
- You practiced Hebrew word order, where verbs often come before the subject (e.g., “spoke YHWH to Moshe”).
- You saw a simple but complete Hebrew narrative sentence with a clear event, time, and place.
This verse might seem like a quiet setup, but it’s a classic structure of how Hebrew tells sacred stories. You’re learning to hear the rhythm of revelation in its original language!
