Verb Sequential Perfect

Summary

A Sequential Perfect verb often expresses the same kinds of action as the Imperfect conjugation, but it also connects to an earlier verb to form either a sequence of time or a sequence of thought. However, in Biblical Hebrew a Sequential Perfect verb has an additional and unique potential to express the same kind of action as the verb immediately preceding it.

Article

The Sequential Perfect conjugation looks very similar to the normal Perfect form, but it is a separate verbal form and must be treated as such. The Sequential Perfect conjugation takes the same verbal endings as the normal Perfect conjugation but includes the conjunction waw (וְ “and”) as a prefix. A Sequential Perfect verb does not function like a normal Perfect conjugation verb. Rather, it functions more like an Imperfect verb, because it often appears in a series following a clause with an Imperfect verb.

Note

The Sequential Pefect conjugation has an additional function that is unique among all verbal conjugations in Biblical Hebrew. A Sequential Verb often, but not always, expresses the same kind of action as the preceding verb. This is often the case when a Sequential Perfect verbs are used to express a sequence of incomplete actions, a sequence of imperatives, or a sequence of verbal actions expressing possibility or desirability.

There is a difference between (1) the Sequential Perfect conjugation, (2) the Perfect copulative, and (3) the normal Imperfect conjugation with the conjunction. (1) and (2) have an identical form, including the vocalization, so the reader must determine from the context which one is being used in any given instance. (1) is also different than (3), although they can have similar meanings. The Sequential Perfect conjugation ((1) above) forms a sequence with the verb in the clause before it, but the normal Imperfect conjugation ((3) above) with the conjunction does not.

Form

Qal Sequential Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וְקָטַל	weqatal	(and) he will kill
feminine singular third person	וְקָטְלָה	weqatlah	(and) she will kill
masculine singular second person	וְקָטַלְתָּ	weqatalta	(and) you will kill
feminine singular second person	וְקָטַלְתְּ	weqatalt	(and) you will kill
common singular first person	וְקָטַלְתִּי	weqatalti	(and) I will kill
common plural third person	וְקָטְלוּ	weqatlu	(and) they will kill
masculine plural second person	וּקְטַלְתֶּם	uqetaltem	(and) you will kill
feminine plural second person	וּקְטַלְתֶּן	uqetalten	(and) you will kill
common plural first person	וְקָטַלְנוּ	weqatalnu	(and) we will kill

Niphal Sequential Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וְנִקְטַל	weniqtal	(and) he will be killed
feminine singular third person	וְנִקְטְלָה	weniqtelah	(and) she will be killed
masculine singular second person	וְנִקְטַלְתָּ	weniqtalta	(and) you will be killed
feminine singular second person	וְנִקְטַלְתְּ	weniqtalt	(and) you will be killed
common singular first person	וְנִקְטַלְתִּי	weniqtalti	(and) I will be killed
common plural third person	וְנִקְטְלוּ	weniqtelu	(and) they will be killed
masculine plural second person	וְנִקְטַלְתֶּם	weniqtaltem	(and) you will be killed
feminine plural second person	וְנִקְטַלְתֶּן	weniqtalten	(and) you will be killed
common plural first person	וְנִקְטַלְתֶּנוּ	weniqtaltenu	(and) we will be killed

Hiphil Sequential Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וְהִקְטִיל	wehiqtil	(and) he will cause to kill
feminine singular third person	וְהִקְטִילָה	wehiqtilah	(and) she will cause to kill
masculine singular second person	וְהִקְטַלְתָּ	wehiqtalta	(and) you will cause to kill
feminine singular second person	וְהִקְטַלְתְּ	wehiqtalt	(and) you will cause to kill
common singular first person	וְהִקְטַלְתִּי	wehiqtalti	(and) I will cause to kill
common plural third person	וְהִקְטִילוּ	wehiqtilu	(and) they will cause to kill
masculine plural second person	וְהִקְטַלְתֶּם	wehiqtaltem	(and) you will cause to kill
feminine plural second person	וְהִקְטַלְתֶּן	wehiqtalten	(and) you will cause to kill
common plural first person	וְהִקְטַלְנוּ	wehiqtalnu	(and) we will cause to kill

Hophal Sequential Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וְהָקְטַל	wehoqtal	(and) he will be caused to kill
feminine singular third person	וְהָקְטְלָה	wehoqtelah	(and) she will be caused to kill
masculine singular second person	וְהָקְטַלְתָּ	wehoqtalta	(and) you will be caused to kill
feminine singular second person	וְהָקְטַלְתְּ	wehoqtalt	(and) you will be caused to kill
common singular first person	וְהָקְטַלְתִּי	wehoqtalti	(and) I will be caused to kill
common plural third person	וְהָקְטְלוּ	wehoqtelu	(and) they will be caused to kill
masculine plural second person	וְהָקְטַלְתֶּם	wehoqtaltem	(and) you will be caused to kill
feminine plural second person	וְהָקְטַלְתֶּן	wehoqtalten	(and) you will be caused to kill
common plural first person	וְהָקְטַלְנוּ	wehoqtalnu	(and) we will be caused to kill

Piel Sequential Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וְקִטֵּל / וְקִטַּל	weqittel / weqittal	(and) he will slaughter
feminine singular third person	וְקִטְּלָה	weqittelah	(and) she will slaughter
masculine singular second person	וְקִטַּלְתָּ	weqittalta	(and) you will slaughter
feminine singular second person	וְקִטַּלְתְּ	weqittalt	(and) you will slaughter
common singular first person	וְקִטַּלְתִּי	weqittalti	(and) I will slaughter
common plural third person	וְקִטְּלוּ	weqittelu	(and) they will slaughter
masculine plural second person	וְקִטַּלְתֶּם	weqittaltem	(and) you will slaughter
feminine plural second person	וְקִטַּלְתֶּן	weqittalten	(and) you will slaughter
common plural first person	וְקִטַּלְנוּ	weqittalnu	(and) we will slaughter

Pual Sequential Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וְקֻטַּל	wequttal	(and) he will be slaughtered
feminine singular third person	וְקֻטְּלָה	wequttelah	(and) she will be slaughtered
masculine singular second person	וְקֻטַּלְתָּ	wequttalta	(and) you will be slaughtered
feminine singular second person	וְקֻטַּלְתְּ	wequttalt	(and) you will be slaughtered
common singular first person	וְקֻטַּלְתִּי	wequttalti	(and) I will be slaughtered
common plural third person	וְקֻטְּלוּ	wequttelu	(and) they will be slaughtered
masculine plural second person	וְקֻטַּלְתֶּם	wequttaltem	(and) you will be slaughtered
feminine plural second person	וְקֻטַּלְתֶּן	wequttalten	(and) you will be slaughtered
common plural first person	וְקֻטַּלְנוּ	wequttalnu	(and) we will be slaughtered

Hithpael Sequential Perfect Paradigm

Parsing	Hebrew	Transliteration	Gloss
masculine singular third person	וְהִתְקַטֵּל	wehithqattal	(and) he will kill himself
feminine singular third person	וְהִתְקַטְּלָה	wehithqattelah	(and) she will kill herself
masculine singular second person	וְהִתְקַטַּלְתָּ	wehithqattalta	(and) you will kill yourself
feminine singular second person	וְהִתְקַטַּלְתְּ	wehithqattalt	(and) you will kill yourself
common singular first person	וְהִתְקַטַּלְתִּי	wehithqattalti	(and) I will kill myself
common plural third person	וְהִתְקַטְּלוּ	wehithqattelu	(and) they will kill themselves
masculine plural second person	וְהִתְקַטַּלְתֶּם	wehithqattaltem	(and) you will kill yourselves
feminine plural second person	וְהִתְקַטַּלְתֶּן	wehithqattalten	(and) you will kill yourselves
common plural first person	וְהִתְקַטַּלְנוּ	wehithqattalnu	(and) we will kill ourselves

Function

The Sequential Perfect conjugation can indicate any one of many different kinds of actions:

Incomplete actions, in present or future time

Example: JER 43:12

וְהִצַּ֣תִּי אֵ֗שׁ בְּבָתֵּי֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י מִצְרַ֔יִם

wehitsatti ‘esh bevottey ‘elohe mitsrayim

and-I-will-kindle fire in-houses-of gods-of Egypt

Then I will light a fire in the temples of Egypt’s gods.

In poetry it can take on a variety of functions, here it clearly continues the previous Imperfect. It expresses an habitual action that is not (never) completed.

Example: PSA 90:6

בַּ֭בֹּקֶר יָצִ֣יץ וְחָלָ֑ף לָ֝עֶ֗רֶב יְמוֹלֵ֥ל וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃

babboqer yatsits wehalaf la’erev yemolel weyavesh

in-the-morning it-blossoms and-it-renews at-the-evening it-withers and-it-dries

In the morning it blooms and grows up; in the evening it withers and dries up.

Frequentive or durative actions

These may be in past time, present time, future time, or without a specified timeframe.

Example: 1SA 5:7

וַיִּרְא֥וּ אַנְשֵֽׁי־אַשְׁדּ֖וֹד כִּֽי־כֵ֑ן וְאָמְר֗וּ

wayyir’u ‘anshe-‘ashdod ki-khen we’omru

and-they-saw men-of_Ashdod that_thus and-they-were-saying

When the men of Ashdod realized what was happening, they said

Direct or indirect commands

In the following example, the Sequential Perfect conjugation is translated with imperative meaning.

Example: 2SA 7:5

לֵ֤ךְ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ אֶל־עַבְדִּ֣י אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד

lekh we’amarta ‘el-‘avdi ‘el-dawid

go and-say to_my-servant to_David

Go and tell David my servant

In the following example, the Sequential Perfect conjugation is translated with jussive meaning.

Example: GEN 31:44

וְהָיָ֥ה לְעֵ֖ד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽךָ

wehayah le’ed beni uvenekha

and-let-it-be for-a-witness between-me and-between-you

and let it be for a witness between you and me.

Imaginary, possible, or conditional actions

Example: EXO 21:20

וְכִֽי־יַכֶּה֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶת־עַבְדּ֜וֹ א֤וֹ אֶת־אֲמָתוֹ֙ בַּשֵּׁ֔בֶט וּמֵ֖ת

wekhi-yakkeh ‘ish ‘eth-‘avdo ‘o ‘eth-‘amatho bashevet umeth

and-if_he-strikes man [dir.obj]_his-servant or [dir.obj]_his-female-servant with-the-rod and-he-dies

If a man hits his male servant or his female servant with a staff, and if the servant dies

Actions of greater or lesser desirability

These may include instructions, requests, permissions, invitations, assurances, wishes, etc.

In the following example, the Sequential Perfect conjugation is translated with cohortative meaning.

Example: RUT 2:7

אֲלַקֳטָה־נָּא֙ וְאָסַפְתִּ֣י בָֽעֳמָרִ֔ים

‘alaqotah-nna’ we’asafti vo’omarim

let-me-glean_oh and-let-me-gather among-the-reapers

Please let me glean and gather after the reapers.