וְגִדְעֹ֣ון בָּ֗א וַיַּ֤עַשׂ גְּדִֽי־עִזִּים֙ וְאֵיפַת־קֶ֣מַח מַצֹּ֔ות הַבָּשָׂר֙ שָׂ֣ם בַּסַּ֔ל וְהַמָּרַ֖ק שָׂ֣ם בַּפָּר֑וּר וַיֹּוצֵ֥א אֵלָ֛יו אֶל־תַּ֥חַת הָאֵלָ֖ה וַיַּגַּֽשׁ׃
(Judges 6:19)
And Gidʿon came and made a young goat and an ephah of flour unleavened bread the meat he placed in a basket and the broth he placed in a pot and he brought it out to him under the terebinth and he approached
A Meal Made of Verbs
This seemingly domestic scene—Gidʿon preparing food—belies a moment charged with sacred suspense. As Gidʿon unwittingly prepares a meal for an angel of YHWH, the Hebrew verbs narrating his actions use carefully chosen binyanim. In this verse, Qal, Hiphil, and Piel stems combine to highlight initiative, agency, and reverence in even the most ordinary motions: making, placing, bringing, and approaching. Let’s explore how binyanim elevate this moment into liturgical drama.
Step by Step: The Verbs Behind the Offerings
1. בָּא — He came
- Root: ב־וֹ־א (“to come”)
- Binyan: Qal (perfect, 3rd person masculine singular)
- Function: Simple motion — “he came”
- Voice: Active
- Comment: Qal is ideal here—it presents Gidʿon’s action as purposeful and smooth. No reflexivity or causation—just direct movement into sacred space.
2. וַיַּעַשׂ — And he made
- Root: ע־שׂ־ה (“to make, do”)
- Binyan: Qal (wayyiqtol, 3rd person masculine singular)
- Action: He prepared the meal—basic Qal builds narrative clarity and simplicity
- Effect: The Qal binyan here lets the reader focus not on emotion or drama but the unfolding of sacred action. The making is practical and priestly at once.
3. שָׂם — He placed (x2)
- Root: שׂ־וּ־ם (“to place”)
- Binyan: Qal (perfect, 3rd person masculine singular)
- Occurrences: Twice — for placing the meat and broth
- Effect: The repetition emphasizes order and intentionality. This isn’t chaotic hospitality—it’s meticulous placement of offerings.
4. וַיֹּוצֵא — And he brought out
- Root: י־צ־א (“to go out, bring out”)
- Binyan: Hiphil (wayyiqtol, 3rd person masculine singular)
- Morphological Clue: The initial י־ tells us it’s causative: “he caused [it] to go out” = “he brought it out”
- Effect: Hiphil lends weight to the act. This is not just casual motion—it is a deliberate, sacrificial gesture. Gidʿon initiates sacred contact with care.
- Voice: Causative-active
5. וַיַּגַּשׁ — And he approached
- Root: נ־ג־שׁ (“to approach”)
- Binyan: Hiphil or Qal with paragogic doubling (likely Qal here, wayyiqtol)
- Function: Action of nearing — may echo sacrificial proximity
- Stylistic Force: In Torah texts, approaching is often a verb of ritual gravity. The binyan (Qal here) reflects direct, solemn action—Gidʿon is not just serving; he is nearing the divine.
Table of Binyanim in Gidʿon’s Preparation
| Verb | Root | Binyan | Voice | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בָּא | ב־וֹ־א | Qal | Active | He came |
| וַיַּעַשׂ | ע־שׂ־ה | Qal | Active | He made |
| שָׂם | שׂ־וּ־ם | Qal | Active | He placed |
| וַיֹּוצֵא | י־צ־א | Hiphil | Causative | He brought out |
| וַיַּגַּשׁ | נ־ג־שׁ | Qal (possibly Hiphil) | Active | He approached |
How the Binyan Makes the Meal Holy
In this sacred setup, binyanim quietly transform a meal into liturgy. The Qal stem dominates—emphasizing direct, intentional gestures without embellishment. But it is the shift to Hiphil in וַיֹּוצֵא that signals something deeper: this meal isn’t just made—it’s offered. Gidʿon becomes priestlike, bringing out a gift to the mysterious visitor under the tree.
By the end, וַיַּגַּשׁ suggests more than motion—it gestures toward divine encounter. And that’s the hidden truth of the binyanim in Judges 6:19: they take hospitality and make it holy. The syntax becomes sacrifice.
