Tag Archives: Genesis 42:7

Introduction to Genesis 42:7 This verse is a literary turning point: Yosef sees his brothers for the first time since being sold into slavery. The verse unfolds with a vivid series of wayyiqtol verbs that reveal inner emotion through outward action. The narrative uses sequential wayyiqtol chains to structure multiple rapid developments, blending psychological recognition with deliberate disguise. This lesson focuses on the syntactic force of wayyiqtol chains, especially how they drive narrative progression and imply character perspective. וַיַּ֥רְא יֹוסֵ֛ף אֶת־אֶחָ֖יו וַיַּכִּרֵ֑ם וַיִּתְנַכֵּ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר אִתָּ֣ם קָשֹׁ֗ות וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֵאַ֣יִן בָּאתֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנַ֖עַן לִשְׁבָּר־אֹֽכֶל׃ Analysis of Key Words and Structures וַיַּ֥רְא יֹוסֵ֛ף אֶת־אֶחָ֖יו (vayyarʾ Yosef et-eḥav) – “And Yosef saw his brothers.”… Learn Hebrew