Day Four — the lights
Six verses, 69 words. The verbs inside God’s speech (jussive, weqatal, infinitive), and the narrative in which that speech is fulfilled word for word.
Verse by verse: which patterns build each sentence, and why — so that you can read it without a translation.
1-1Before you read Day Four — verbs inside speech, and “to …”
Verses 14–15 are God’s speech. Inside speech, the narrative wayyiqtol (“and he did”) gives way to the verbs of speech. This page introduces two of them — לְ + infinitive construct, “to …” (pattern 13), and the weqatal, “and let them be” (pattern 14).
Verses 16–18 narrate how that word was fulfilled. Words from the speech (לְהָאִיר “to give light,” לְהַבְדִּיל “to divide”) return in the fulfilment. And Day Four, too, begins with evening (verse 19).
1-2What each verse does — Genesis 1:14–19
Before the text, see for each verse of 1:14–19: (1) what it does in the story, (2) what it says, (3) the verbs and sentence structure it uses. Tap a row to go to that verse.
The storyline — the 7 verbs that carry the story of Genesis 1:14–19
Why only these verbs? — In Hebrew narrative the “and he did” verb (wayyiqtol, pattern 1) moves the events forward one by one. Read these verbs in order and you have the storyline of 1:14–19. The other clauses (descriptions, the verbs inside God’s speech, perfects and so on) are added to this line. See this storyline first, and in the text you will notice where a sentence moves forward and where it pauses.
Once again there are seven wayyiqtols. Between them, God’s speech (verses 14–15) holds one jussive יְהִי, two weqatals וְהָיוּ, and the infinitives לְהַבְדִּיל and לְהָאִיר; and verses 17–18 add three infinitives stating the purpose of “he set.”
Tap a word to open its notes below. Pronunciation is by a modern Israeli Hebrew voice.
YLVAnd God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens, to divide between the day and between the night; and let them be for signs (ot) and for appointed times (moadim), and for days and years;
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Four: [God said] [let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens] [to divide between the day and the night] [and let them be for signs, appointed times, days and years].
- What comes first?The first clause opens with the wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר → pattern 1. The other three are inside God’s speech.
- Three verbs inside the speech① the jussive יְהִי (“let there be,” pattern 6) ② לְ + infinitive לְהַבְדִּיל (“to divide,” pattern 13) ③ וְ + perfect form וְהָיוּ (“and let them be,” pattern 14). All three stand on the line of the command.
- So what fills the verb slot?The jussive and the weqatal stand first in their clauses. The infinitive leans on the clause before it to state a purpose, so it has no subject of its own.
- Why is it written this way?The word sets both the existence of the lights (יְהִי) and their purpose (לְהַבְדִּיל, וְהָיוּ לְ…). The purposes are carried not by one verb but by an infinitive and a weqatal — the combination for reporting speech (1 + the verbs of speech).
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on הַלָּיְלָה divides it: [let there be · to divide | and let them be]. The second half divides again at the zaqef (◌֔) on וּלְמוֹעֲדִים: [signs · appointed times | days and years].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God said,
Why?Day Four, too, opens with the wayyiqtol וַיֹּאמֶר → the subject Elohim — the fifth “and God said” of the chapter. From here to the atnach of verse 15 is God’s speech, where the verbs of speech replace the narrative wayyiqtol.
YLV"Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens,
Why?The first verb of the speech is the jussive יְהִי (“let there be”), since it is addressed to a third person (the lights). The verb is first, the subject מְאֹרֹת follows, and the phrase “in the firmament of the heavens” comes last. The verb is singular while the subject is plural — common when the verb stands before its subject (see the word notes).
YLVto divide between the day and between the night;
Why?לְהַבְדִּיל is a verb, but an infinitive construct, with neither “who” nor “when.” With לְ it states the purpose of the clause before it: “let there be — to do what? to divide.” Being a verb, it takes its own phrase, בֵּין … וּבֵין (“between A and between B”).
YLVand let them be for signs (ot) and for appointed times (moadim), and for days and years;
Why?וְהָיוּ is a perfect in form (“they were”). But standing first with וְ, following the jussive יְהִי inside the speech, it takes over that “let …”: “and let them be” — the weqatal. The ending ־וּ = “they,” the lights. The verb is first, and לְ + four nouns tell what they are to be for (see “Going deeper”).
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
First half: revia (◌֗) on אֱלֹהִים — a small pause after “God said.” Zaqef (◌֔) on הַשָּׁמַיִם, and zaqef gadol (◌֕) on לְהַבְדִּיל, which sets the single word “to divide” apart. The atnach (◌֑) falls on the pausal הַלָּיְלָה. Second half: from וְהָיוּ (mahpakh, conjunctive) through לְאֹתֹת (pashta) and וּלְמוֹעֲדִים (zaqef) is one group; וּלְיָמִים (tipcha) and וְשָׁנִים (silluq) are another.
Word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva-yomerand he said
אֱלֹהִ֗יםElohimGod
The one who spoke — the subject after the verb; a plural form with a singular verb, one God. The revia (◌֗), a small pause, sets a slight gap between “God said” and the words spoken.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Revia a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H430
יְהִ֤יyehilet (it) be
The jussive יְהִי (“let there be”) of 1:3. The י in front = “it” — 3rd masculine singular. Yet the subject מְאֹרֹת (“lights”) is plural. In Hebrew, when a verb stands before its subject, it is often left in the singular like this. The next verb, וְהָיוּ, coming after the lights have been named, agrees in the plural, “they” (ending ־וּ). Mahpakh (◌֤), conjunctive.
מְאֹרֹת֙meorotlights
A noun מָאוֹר from the same root א-ו-ר as אוֹר (“light”), with the noun prefix מ — “a thing that gives light.” A prefixed מ forms nouns of “the thing that does …” or “the place where ….” It is masculine yet its plural ending is ־וֹת (the masculine adjective הַגְּדֹלִים in verse 16 shows this) — an ending alone cannot fix a noun’s gender. Here both “o” vowels are written with the holem dot only, without vav (defective spelling); verse 15 writes מְאוֹרֹת with vav. It appears first without the article. Pashta (◌֙).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- root א-ו-ר (“light”) → מָאוֹר (“light, luminary”) → plural מְאֹרֹת (first vowel reduced to shewa)
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H3974
בִּרְקִ֣יעַbi-rqiain the firmament of
בְּ (“in”) + רָקִיעַ (“firmament”). רָקִיעַ is in the construct, bound to “the heavens” that follows, so its first vowel רָ reduces to shewa רְ — “the firmament of the heavens.” Two shewas cannot stand side by side, so בְּ becomes בִּ (bi). The patach under the final ע is read first: ki-a (furtive patach). The root ר-ק-ע means “to beat out, spread out.” Munach (◌֣), conjunctive.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- רָקִיעַ (“firmament”) → construct רְקִיעַ · prefix בְּ → בִּ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H7549
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha-shamayimthe heavens
Bound to “firmament”: “the firmament of the heavens.” Article הַ + dagesh in שּׁ; always plural in form (־ַיִם). Zaqef (◌֔) — the unit “let there be lights … in the firmament of the heavens” ends here.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׁמַיִם (“heavens”) + article הַ → שּׁ
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H8064
לְהַבְדִּ֕ילle-havdilto divide
The Hiphil infinitive construct הַבְדִּיל of badal “to divide,” with לְ (“to”) — pattern 13. An infinitive has no person marker for “who”; the ones dividing are the lights of the clause before. The Hiphil shows in the prefix הַ (ha-) and the ־ִי (i) between the second and third root letters. It is the same verb and stem as וַיַּבְדֵּל (1:4) and מַבְדִּיל (1:6). In the imperfect the Hiphil ה drops after the person prefix (יַבְדִּיל), but in the infinitive לְהַבְדִּיל it stays visible. Zaqef gadol (◌֕) — this single word is set apart.
- Parsing
- preposition + verb · Hiphil · infinitive construct
- Grammar
- prepositionHiphil steminfinitive constructaccents
- Form
- root ב-ד-ל → Hiphil infinitive construct הַבְדִּיל + prefix לְ
- Accent
- Zaqef gadol a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H914
בֵּ֥יןbeinbetween
As in 1:4, בֵּין is used twice — “between the day and between the night,” the phrase governed by the infinitive לְהַבְדִּיל. Merkha (◌֥), conjunctive.
- Parsing
- preposition
- Grammar
- prepositionaccents
- Form
- unchanging
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H996
הַיּ֖וֹםha-yomthe day
Article הַ + dagesh in יּ. The name “Day” (יוֹם) that God gave the light in 1:5 now takes the article: “the day,” the day already named. The “o” is written with vav (וֹ). Tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- יוֹם (“day”) + article הַ → יּ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H3117
וּבֵ֣יןu-veinand between
Before the lip-sound ב, “and” is וּ (u); after the vowel the ב loses its dagesh: “u-vein.” Munach (◌֣).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositionaccents
- Form
- וּ + בֵּין → dagesh drops: בֵין
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H996
הַלָּ֑יְלָהha-laylahthe night
Article הַ + dagesh in לּ. At the atnach (◌֑) pause the first vowel lengthens — the pausal לָּיְלָה (as לָיְלָה in 1:5); in verse 16, not at a pause, it is הַלַּיְלָה. A masculine noun despite the final ה. Verse 14 divides here.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- לַיְלָה (“night”) + article הַ → pausal הַלָּיְלָה
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H3915
וְהָי֤וּve-hayuand let them be
The perfect 3rd common plural הָיוּ of hayah “to be, become” — the ending ־וּ = “they.” The “they” are the lights, hence the plural. וְ (shewa) is attached in front. By form alone it is “they were” (perfect); but inside God’s speech, following the jussive יְהִי with וְ, it takes over that “let …”: “and let them be” — the weqatal (pattern 14). It is a plain וְ, not the wayyiqtol וַ + dagesh. With the following לְ + noun it means “to be for” (הָיָה לְ, treated in pattern 24).
לְאֹתֹת֙le-ototfor signs
לְ (“for, as”) + the plural of אוֹת (“sign”). The plural ending is ־וֹת; here both “o” vowels are written with the holem dot only, without vav (אֹתֹת). OSHB marks its gender as common. אוֹת is the word for a sign that makes something known — the rainbow (9:12), circumcision (17:11), the Sabbath (Exod 31:13). Pashta (◌֙), a small pause.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine or feminine · plural
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- אוֹת (“sign”) → plural אֹתוֹת (here אֹתֹת) + prefix לְ
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H226
וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔יםu-le-moedimand for appointed times
Three pieces in one word: וּ (“and”) + לְ (“for”) + מוֹעֲדִים (“appointed times”). “And” is וּ (u) because the next letter לְ has a shewa (וְ → וּ before a shewa and before the lip-sounds ב, מ, פ). The singular מוֹעֵד (moed) is the root י-ע-ד, “to appoint, to meet by appointment,” with the noun prefix מ; the root’s first letter (originally ו) appears after מ as the vowel וֹ (o). So the word means “something appointed” — an appointed time, place or meeting. It is used in Gen 17:21, “at this appointed time (moed),” in Lev 23:2, “the appointed times (moadim) of YHWH” (מוֹעֲדֵי יְהוָה), and in “the tent of meeting” (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד). In the plural the tsere of עֵ reduces; the guttural ע takes a hataf patach (עֲ) instead of a shewa: mo-a-dim. The munach (◌֣) on the earlier syllable marks a secondary stress in a long word; the zaqef (◌֔) is the pause.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- root י-ע-ד (“appoint”) → noun מוֹעֵד (“appointed time”) → plural מוֹעֲדִים + prefixes וּ · לְ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H4150
וּלְיָמִ֖יםu-le-yamimand for days
וּ + לְ + יָמִים. יָמִים is the plural of יוֹם (“day”), and it is irregular: the “o” of yom disappears and the first syllable becomes יָ (ya). This is the third and last לְ; the next word, “years,” has none — this one לְ covers “days and years” together. Tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- יוֹם (“day”) → irregular plural יָמִים + prefixes וּ · לְ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H3117
וְשָׁנִֽיםve-shanimand years
שָׁנָה (“year”) is feminine, yet its plural uses ־ִים, which looks masculine — the reverse of מָאוֹר, a masculine noun with ־וֹת. It has only וְ in front, no לְ. Silluq at the verse end (the stroke under נִֽ).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + noun · feminine · plural
- Grammar
- conjunction wawgender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׁנָה (“year”) → plural שָׁנִים + prefix וְ
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H8141
YLVand let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens, to give light upon the earth"; and it was so.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens] [to give light upon the earth] [and it was so].
- What comes first?Again וְהָיוּ — pattern 14 continues a second time. The speech is not yet over.
- The purposeלְהָאִיר (“to give light”) — pattern 13. Who gives light is the “they” of the clause before (the lights).
- Back to the storyAfter the atnach, וַיְהִי־כֵן — the wayyiqtol returns, the speech ends, and the fulfilment is announced (pattern 6).
- Why is it written this way?Inside the speech, one jussive (יְהִי) was followed by two weqatals (וְהָיוּ, וְהָיוּ) and two infinitives (לְהַבְדִּיל, לְהָאִיר). Where the narrative verb וַיְהִי appears, the speech has ended.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on הָאָרֶץ divides it: [the word | and it was so].
Clause by clause
YLVand let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens,
Why?וְהָיוּ again — a second weqatal in a row. The verb form itself shows that the speech is still going on. “הָיָה + לְ” (לִמְאוֹרֹת) means “to be for, to serve as.” “In the firmament of the heavens” follows.
YLVto give light upon the earth";
Why?Again לְ + infinitive construct, לְהָאִיר — the purpose of the lights: “to give light upon the earth.” The same structure as לְהַבְדִּיל in verse 14.
YLVand it was so.
Why?After the atnach the wayyiqtol וַיְהִי returns — God’s speech is over and the story moves again. וַיְהִי־כֵן (“and it was so”) is the set phrase announcing fulfilment (1:7, 9, 11, 15, 24, 30).
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on הָאָרֶץ divides the verse: [the word | and it was so]. The first half divides again at the zaqef (◌֔) on הַשָּׁמַיִם: [let them be for lights in the firmament | to give light upon the earth].
Word by word
וְהָי֤וּve-hayuand let them be
The וְהָיוּ of verse 14 once more — two weqatals in a row (pattern 14). The “they” (ending ־וּ) are still the lights. The form shows that God’s speech is still going on; it ends where the narrative verb וַיְהִי returns after the atnach.
לִמְאוֹרֹת֙li-meorotfor lights
לְ + מְאוֹרֹת. Because מְ has a shewa, לְ becomes לִ (li) — two shewas do not stand side by side (as in בִּרְקִיעַ). It is the same word as מְאֹרֹת in verse 14, but here the first “o” is written with vav (מְאוֹרֹת); the sound is the same. “הָיָה + לְ” = “to be for, to serve as”: “let them be for lights.” Pashta (◌֙).
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberaccents
- Form
- מָאוֹר → plural מְאוֹרֹת + לְ → לִ
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H3974
בִּרְקִ֣יעַbi-rqiain the firmament of
The same “in the firmament of the heavens” as in verse 14 — בְּ → בִּ before the construct רְקִיעַ. Munach (◌֣), conjunctive.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- רָקִיעַ (“firmament”) → construct רְקִיעַ · prefix בְּ → בִּ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H7549
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha-shamayimthe heavens
“The heavens,” bound to “firmament.” Article הַ + שּׁ. Zaqef (◌֔) — the first half of verse 15 divides here: [let them be for lights | to give light].
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׁמַיִם (“heavens”) + article הַ → שּׁ
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H8064
לְהָאִ֖ירle-hairto give light
The root א-ו-ר of אוֹר (“light”) used as a verb — the Hiphil infinitive construct הָאִיר (“to give light”) with לְ (“to”). In a verb whose middle root letter is ו, the Hiphil puts ־ִי (i) in that place: א-ו-ר → הָאִיר. The הָ in front is not the article but the Hiphil ה. The ones giving light are the lights; as an infinitive it has no person marker (pattern 13). From one root come אוֹר (“light”), מָאוֹר (“luminary”) and הָאִיר (“to give light”). Tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- preposition + verb · Hiphil · infinitive construct
- Grammar
- prepositionHiphil steminfinitive constructaccents
- Form
- root א-ו-ר → Hiphil infinitive construct הָאִיר + prefix לְ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H215
עַלalupon
הָאָ֑רֶץha-aretsthe earth
The article is הָ before א. Atnach (◌֑) — verse 15 divides: [the word | and it was so]. God’s speech ends with this word.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H776
וַֽיְהִיva-yehiand it was
The wayyiqtol וַיְהִי announcing fulfilment, joined by maqaf to כֵן: וַיְהִי־כֵן (“and it was so”). The י = “it” — what was spoken. The same words as on Day Two (1:7) and Day Three (1:9, 11). The stroke in וַֽ is a meteg (lengthening mark).
כֵֽןkhenso
YLVAnd God made the two great lights — the great light for the rule of the day, and the small light for the rule of the night — and the stars.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?One verb (וַיַּעַשׂ) with a run of objects: [the two great lights] = [the great light · the small light] + [the stars].
- What comes first?The wayyiqtol וַיַּעַשׂ → pattern 1. Verb → subject → object.
- The objectsאֶת four times: first “the two great lights” together, then after the atnach “the great light” and “the small light” one by one (apposition). The adjectives follow their nouns and match them in gender, number and article (pattern 12).
- ‹לְ› + a nounלְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַיּוֹם (“for the rule of the day”) is לְ on a noun in the construct, not an infinitive. In verse 18 the same root appears as the infinitive לִמְשֹׁל (“to rule”).
- Why is it written this way?The narrative takes up the “lights” of verses 14–15 as “the two great lights” and assigns each its share. “The stars” are added briefly at the end — objects of the same verb.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on הַגְּדֹלִים divides it: [he made — the two great lights | the great one · the small one · the stars].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God made the two great lights —
Why?The fulfilment is unfolded with a narrative verb: wayyiqtol וַיַּעַשׂ → subject → object אֶת־שְׁנֵי הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדֹלִים. Inside the object the adjective הַגְּדֹלִים follows its noun and matches it in gender, number and article (pattern 12).
YLVthe great light for the rule of the day, and the small light for the rule of the night — and the stars.
Why?Not a new clause: the objects of the same verb וַיַּעַשׂ continue. “The two great lights” are spelled out one by one (אֶת twice), each with “for the rule of” (לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת). The final וְאֵת הַכּוֹכָבִים (“and the stars”) is a further object. The adjectives הַגָּדֹל and הַקָּטֹן again follow their nouns (pattern 12).
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on הַגְּדֹלִים divides it: [God made the two great lights | the great one, the small one, the stars]. The second half falls into three pieces at the two zaqefs (◌֔) on הַיּוֹם and הַלַּיְלָה and the tipcha on וְאֵת: the great light’s share | the small light’s share | the stars.
Word by word
וַיַּ֣עַשׂva-yaasand he made
Wayyiqtol of asah “to make, do”: וַ + יּ (dagesh); the י = “he” — Elohim, who follows. The root ends in ה, so the imperfect יַעֲשֶׂה loses its ending in the short form יַּעַשׂ (as יִרְאֶה → יַּרְא in 1:4). Because of the guttural ע the prefix vowel is patach יַ (ya). After the speech of verses 14–15 a narrative verb stands again — the same וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים as in 1:7 and 25.
אֱלֹהִ֔יםElohimGod
The one who made — the subject after the verb. Zaqef (◌֔) — a pause after “God made.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H430
אֶתet(object marker)
אֶת־ pointing to the first object, “the two great lights.” Joined by maqaf, it loses its stress and its vowel shortens (אֵת → אֶת).
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
שְׁנֵ֥יsheneithe two (of)
“Two,” שְׁנַיִם, is a dual (the form meaning “a pair”), ending ־ַיִם. The ending ־ֵי is the construct — “the two of,” bound to the next word: “the two of the lights” = “the two lights.” Hebrew places “two” before its noun in this construct form. שְׁנֵיהֶם (“the two of them”) in 2:25 is the same construct with “them” attached. Merkha (◌֥).
הַמְּאֹרֹ֖תha-meorotthe lights
מְאֹרֹת of verse 14 with the article הַ and a dagesh in מְּ. It now has the article because these are the lights spoken of in verses 14–15. Tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- מְאֹרֹת + article הַ → מְּ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H3974
הַגְּדֹלִ֑יםha-gedolimgreat
The masculine plural גְּדֹלִים of the adjective גָּדוֹל (“great”). It follows its noun, “the lights,” and matches it in gender, number and article — masculine plural with הַ (pattern 12). מָאוֹר is masculine despite its ־וֹת ending, so the adjective takes masculine ־ִים. In the plural the first vowel גָּ reduces to גְּ, and the “o” is written without vav. Atnach (◌֑) — verse 16 divides here.
אֶתet(object marker)
אֶת־ pointing to one of the two, “the great light.” The “two great lights” are now spelled out one by one (apposition).
- Parsing
- object marker
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
הַמָּא֤וֹרha-maorthe light
The singular מָאוֹר with the article הַ + dagesh in מּ. In the singular the first vowel מָ (ma) stays, and the “o” is written with vav. Mahpakh (◌֤), conjunctive.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- מָאוֹר (“light”) + article הַ → מּ
- Accent
- Mahpakh conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H3974
הַגָּדֹל֙ha-gadolgreat
The masculine singular of גָּדוֹל with the article (dagesh in גּ) — “the light, the great” = “the great light.” Following its noun, it matches even the article (pattern 12). Hebrew has no separate comparative form (“greater”); placing two side by side and calling one “the great” and the other “the small” is enough to show the difference. Here the “o” is written without vav (גָּדֹל). Pashta (◌֙).
לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶתle-memsheletfor the rule of
The construct מֶמְשֶׁלֶת of the noun מֶמְשָׁלָה (“rule, dominion”), built from the root מ-שׁ-ל “to rule” with the prefix מ and a feminine ending — the ending ־ָה becomes ־ֶת in the construct. So it is bound to “the day”: “the rule of the day.” לְ means “for.” Here לְ is on a noun, not an infinitive; the same root appears in verse 18 as the infinitive לִמְשֹׁל (“to rule”). Munach (◌֣), conjunctive.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine or feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- root מ-שׁ-ל → מֶמְשָׁלָה (“rule”) → construct מֶמְשֶׁלֶת + prefix לְ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H4475
הַיּ֔וֹםha-yomthe day
Bound to “rule”: “the rule of the day.” Article הַ + יּ. Zaqef (◌֔) — the great light’s share ends here.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- יוֹם (“day”) + article הַ → יּ
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H3117
וְאֶתve-etand (object marker)
וְ + אֶת־, short אֶת because of the maqaf. It points to the other of the two, “the small light.”
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + object marker
- Grammar
- conjunction wawobject marker אֵתmaqqefaccents
- Form
- וְ + אֵת → before maqaf אֶת־
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H853
הַמָּא֤וֹרha-maorthe light
The second light — the same הַמָּאוֹר (article + מּ). Mahpakh (◌֤), conjunctive.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- מָאוֹר (“light”) + article הַ → מּ
- Accent
- Mahpakh conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H3974
הַקָּטֹן֙ha-qatonsmall
The masculine singular of קָטֹן (“small”) with the article הַ + dagesh in קּ, matching its noun even in the article (pattern 12). It pairs with הַגָּדֹל — “the great” and “the small.” The text does not use the names “sun” and “moon” here; it says only “light.” Pashta (◌֙).
לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶתle-memsheletfor the rule of
The second “for the rule of” — the same construct לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת, joined by munach (◌֣) to “the night” that follows.
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine or feminine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- root מ-שׁ-ל → מֶמְשָׁלָה (“rule”) → construct מֶמְשֶׁלֶת + prefix לְ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H4475
הַלַּ֔יְלָהha-laylahthe night
Article הַ + dagesh in לּ. Not at the atnach pause, so the first vowel is short לַּ — compare the pausal הַלָּיְלָה in verse 14. Bound to “rule”: “the rule of the night.” Zaqef (◌֔).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- לַיְלָה (“night”) + article הַ → הַלַּיְלָה
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H3915
וְאֵ֖תve-etand (object marker)
וְאֵת pointing to the last object, “the stars.” This time it has no maqaf and carries its own accent (tipcha ֖), so the vowel is long אֵת — compare אֶת־ with maqaf above. “The stars” are also objects of וַיַּעַשׂ (“he made”).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + object marker
- Grammar
- conjunction wawobject marker אֵתaccents
- Form
- וְ + אֵת
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H853
הַכּוֹכָבִֽיםha-kokhavimthe stars
The plural כּוֹכָבִים of כּוֹכָב (“star”) with the article הַ + dagesh in כּ. The second כ and the ב follow vowels and have no dagesh, so they are soft: ko-kha-vim. Silluq at the verse end.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- כּוֹכָב (“star”) → plural כּוֹכָבִים + article הַ
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H3556
YLVAnd God set them in the firmament of the heavens, to give light upon the earth,
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Two: [God set them in the firmament of the heavens] [to give light upon the earth].
- What comes first?The wayyiqtol וַיִּתֵּן → pattern 1.
- The rest of the orderverb → object אֹתָם → subject → place. A pronoun object is short and attaches right after the verb.
- The purposeלְהָאִיר עַל־הָאָרֶץ — pattern 13. With the two infinitives of verse 18, three purposes hang on this “he set.”
- Why is it written this way?The לְהָאִיר עַל־הָאָרֶץ commanded in verse 15 returns word for word in the fulfilment — the combination for a word being fulfilled.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on the pausal הַשָּׁמָיִם divides it: [he set — in the firmament of the heavens | to give light — upon the earth].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd God set them in the firmament of the heavens,
Why?Wayyiqtol וַיִּתֵּן → object אֹתָם → subject Elohim → place. The order is not “verb → subject” because the object is a short pronoun (a suffix) — light pronouns cling to the verb.
YLVto give light upon the earth,
Why?The purpose of setting them: לְהָאִיר עַל־הָאָרֶץ (“to give light upon the earth”). The very words of the command in verse 15 return in the fulfilment. This infinitive is the first of three purposes running into verse 18.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on the pausal הַשָּׁמָיִם divides it: [he set — in the firmament of the heavens | to give light — upon the earth]. Within the first half, tevir (◌֛) falls on אֹתָם and tipcha (◌֖) on אֱלֹהִים.
Word by word
וַיִּתֵּ֥ןva-yittenand he set
Wayyiqtol of natan “to give, set”: וַ + יּ (dagesh); the י = “he” — God. The first root letter נ has vanished and the next letter ת has a dagesh (תּ): the נ, having a shewa, assimilated into the following consonant and doubled it (יִנְתֵּן → יִתֵּן). In the perfect נָתַתִּי of 1:29 (“I have given”) the first נ is visible. “Give” with a place phrase (בִּרְקִיעַ) means “set in.” Merkha (◌֥).
אֹתָ֛םotamthem
When the object marker אֵת takes the pronoun suffix ־ָם (“them,” 3rd masculine plural), it becomes אֹתָם — the vowel changes from אֵ to אֹ. “Them” are what he made in verse 16 (masculine plural — the lights). A short pronoun object often comes right after the verb, before the subject (verb → object → subject). Pronoun suffixes are treated in pattern 18. Tevir (◌֛), a small pause.
- Parsing
- object marker + pronominal suffix · 3rd masculine plural
- Grammar
- object marker אֵתpronominal suffixaccents
- Form
- אֵת + suffix ־ָם (“them”) → אֹתָם
- Accent
- Tevir a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H853
אֱלֹהִ֖יםElohimGod
The one who set them — the subject, after the object אֹתָם. Tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H430
בִּרְקִ֣יעַbi-rqiain the firmament of
The same “in the firmament of the heavens” as in verses 14 and 15 — he set them in the very place spoken of. בְּ → בִּ, construct רְקִיעַ. Munach (◌֣).
- Parsing
- preposition + noun · masculine · singular · construct
- Grammar
- prepositiongender and numberconstruct stateaccents
- Form
- רָקִיעַ (“firmament”) → construct רְקִיעַ · prefix בְּ → בִּ
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H7549
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִםha-shamayimthe heavens
At the atnach (◌֑) pause the second vowel lengthens — the pausal הַשָּׁמָיִם (מַ → מָ). Compare הַשָּׁמַיִם in verses 14 and 15. Verse 17 divides here.
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- שָׁמַיִם + article הַ → pausal הַשָּׁמָיִם
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H8064
לְהָאִ֖ירle-hairto give light
The same Hiphil infinitive לְהָאִיר (“to give light”) as in verse 15 — now in the narrative, stating the purpose of “he set” (pattern 13). The word of the command (verse 15) returns unchanged in the fulfilment (verse 17). Tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- preposition + verb · Hiphil · infinitive construct
- Grammar
- prepositionHiphil steminfinitive constructaccents
- Form
- root א-ו-ר → Hiphil infinitive construct הָאִיר + prefix לְ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H215
עַלalupon
הָאָֽרֶץha-aretsthe earth
“Upon the earth” — the same עַל־הָאָרֶץ as in verse 15; the article is הָ before א. Silluq at the verse end (the stroke under אָֽ).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֶרֶץ (“earth”) + article הָ → הָאָרֶץ
- Accent
- Silluq the final pause of the verse
- Lexicon
- H776
YLVand to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide between the light and between the darkness; and God saw that it was good.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [and to rule over the day and the night] [and to divide between the light and the darkness] [God saw — that it was good].
- What comes first?The first two clauses begin not with a finite verb but with וְ + לְ + infinitive → pattern 13. No new event: the purposes of “he set” in verse 17 continue.
- The third clauseWayyiqtol וַיַּרְא → subject → כִּי + טוֹב → pattern 7 (without an object).
- Why is it written this way?Across verses 17–18 three purposes (to give light, to rule, to divide) hang on the single wayyiqtol וַיִּתֵּן. The “to divide” commanded in verse 14 is fulfilled here, and the combination for seeing and judging closes the work of Day Four.
- The accents matchThe atnach (◌֑) on הַחֹשֶׁךְ divides it: [to rule · to divide | God saw that it was good].
Clause by clause
YLVand to rule over the day and over the night,
Why?Verse 18 does not begin with a new finite verb. וְ + לִ + the infinitive מְשֹׁל attaches a second purpose to “he set” in verse 17: “and to rule.” What is ruled is marked with בְּ (בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה).
YLVand to divide between the light and between the darkness;
Why?The third purpose, וּלֲהַבְדִּיל (“and to divide”) + בֵּין … וּבֵין. The לְהַבְדִּיל of the command in verse 14 is fulfilled here. Between “the light and the darkness,” which God divided in 1:4, he now set the lights to divide.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
The atnach (◌֑) on הַחֹשֶׁךְ divides it: [to rule, to divide | God saw that it was good]. The first half is cut by two zaqefs (◌֔), on וּבַלַּיְלָה and וּלֲהַבְדִּיל, so the two purposes stand apart.
Word by word
וְלִמְשֹׁל֙ve-limsholand to rule
וְ + לְ + the Qal infinitive construct מְשֹׁל (“to rule”). The Qal infinitive construct has the shape קְטֹל — shewa on the first consonant, “o” after the second. Because of the shewa on מְ, לְ becomes לִ (li); and since ל then has no shewa, “and” stays וְ rather than וּ. It adds a second purpose to “he set,” after לְהָאִיר in verse 17 (pattern 13). מָשַׁל “rule” marks what is ruled with בְּ (מָשַׁל בְּ) — hence בַּיּוֹם. Same root as the noun מֶמְשֶׁלֶת (“rule”) in verse 16. Pashta (◌֙).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + verb · Qal · infinitive construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositionQal steminfinitive constructaccents
- Form
- root מ-שׁ-ל → Qal infinitive construct מְשֹׁל + לְ → לִ + prefix וְ
- Accent
- Pashta a smaller pause
- Lexicon
- H4910
בַּיּ֣וֹםba-yomover the day
בְּ + article הַ + יוֹם → בַּיּוֹם. When the preposition בְּ meets the article, the ה disappears, leaving its patach and the dagesh in the next letter (the same rule as לָאוֹר in 1:5, where before א it is לָ with no dagesh). This בְּ marks what מָשַׁל rules: “to rule over the day.” Munach (◌֣).
- Parsing
- preposition + article + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- prepositiondefinite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- בְּ + הַ + יוֹם → בַּיּוֹם
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H3117
וּבַלַּ֔יְלָהu-va-laylahand over the night
וּ + בַּ (בְּ + article) + לַּיְלָה. “And” is וּ (u) before the lip-sound ב; after the vowel the ב loses its dagesh: va. The dagesh in לּ remains from the article. Zaqef (◌֔) — the purpose “to rule” ends here.
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + article + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositiondefinite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- וּ + בְּ + הַ + לַיְלָה → וּבַלַּיְלָה
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H3915
וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔ילu-la-havdiland to divide
וּ (“and”) attached to לְהַבְדִּיל (Hiphil infinitive construct + לְ) of verse 14. Note the letter: under ל stands not a shewa (ְ) but a hataf patach (ֲ, a very short “a”): וּֽלֲהַבְדִּיל. This is exactly what the Masoretic text (Leningrad Codex) has — a rare spelling, explained as a sign to pronounce the shewa here after the meteg (vertical stroke) of וּ. “And” is וּ because ל carries a shewa-type short vowel. It is the third purpose, after לְהָאִיר (verse 17) and וְלִמְשֹׁל (pattern 13). Zaqef (◌֔).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition + verb · Hiphil · infinitive construct
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositionHiphil steminfinitive constructaccents
- Form
- root ב-ד-ל → Hiphil infinitive construct הַבְדִּיל + לֲ (hataf patach) + וּ
- Accent
- Zaqef qatan a major pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H914
בֵּ֥יןbeinbetween
בֵּין … וּבֵין — the structure of 1:4. In 1:4 God divided between the light and the darkness; here he set the lights to divide. Merkha (◌֥).
- Parsing
- preposition
- Grammar
- prepositionaccents
- Form
- unchanging
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H996
הָא֖וֹרha-orthe light
The same הָאוֹר as in 1:4 — the article הָ before א. Tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine or feminine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- אוֹר + article הָ
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H216
וּבֵ֣יןu-veinand between
“And between.” וּ before the lip-sound ב; after the vowel the ב loses its dagesh. Munach (◌֣).
- Parsing
- conjunction “and” + preposition
- Grammar
- conjunction wawprepositionaccents
- Form
- וּ + בֵּין → dagesh drops: בֵין
- Accent
- Munach conjunctive — joins to the next word
- Lexicon
- H996
הַחֹ֑שֶׁךְha-choshekhthe darkness
ח cannot take a dagesh, yet the article stays הַ (implied doubling before ח). Atnach (◌֑) — verse 18 divides here: [the two purposes | the seeing].
- Parsing
- article “the” + noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- definite articlegender and numberaccents
- Form
- חֹשֶׁךְ + article הַ
- Accent
- Atnach the main pause in mid-verse — divides the verse in two
- Lexicon
- H2822
וַיַּ֥רְאva-yarand he saw
Wayyiqtol of ra’ah “to see” (the short form with final ה dropped); the י = “he” — God. Unlike 1:4 there is no object (אֶת…); כִּי follows directly: “God saw that it was good.” Merkha (◌֥).
אֱלֹהִ֖יםElohimGod
The one who saw — the subject after the verb. Tipcha (◌֖).
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · plural
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- אֱלוֹהַּ (“god”) with the plural ending ־ִים
- Accent
- Tipcha a pause within a half-verse
- Lexicon
- H430
כִּיkithat
כִּי introducing what he saw, joined to טוֹב by maqaf. This time there is no object before it, so what he saw is the כִּי clause alone.
- Parsing
- conjunction
- Grammar
- conjunction wawmaqqefaccents
- Form
- unchanging · joined by maqaf
- Accent
- Maqaf joined to the next word by maqaf (־)
- Lexicon
- H3588a
טֽוֹבtovgood
A verbless clause, “(it was) good” — adjective, masculine singular. Silluq at the verse end (the stroke under טֽ). כִּי טוֹב occurs in 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25 (in 1:4 after the object אֶת־הָאוֹר).
YLVAnd there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
How this sentence is built — and why
- How many clauses?Three: [there was evening] [there was morning] [a fourth day].
- What comes first?The wayyiqtol וַיְהִי twice, then the day’s name without a verb — pattern 8.
- The day’s nameיוֹם רְבִיעִי — an ordinal without the article. Unlike the cardinal אֶחָד of Day One, from Day Two on the text uses ordinals.
- Why is it written this way?The day closes with the same sentence as 1:5, 8 and 13. Here too evening comes first, then morning — the Bible counts the day from evening (Lev 23:32, “from evening to evening”).
- The accents matchA short verse with no atnach. The tipcha (◌֖) on בֹקֶר divides it: [evening · morning | a fourth day].
Clause by clause
YLVAnd there was evening
Why?The closing sentence: wayyiqtol וַיְהִי + the subject “evening.” Day Four, too, puts evening first.
YLVand there was morning,
Why?The same וַיְהִי + the subject “morning.”
YLVa fourth day.
Why?“A fourth day” (יוֹם רְבִיעִי), standing without a verb. From Day Two on the text uses ordinals — here רְבִיעִי, without the article.
Verbs — who did it?
How the accents divide it
The bigger the box, the bigger the pause. Read from right to left.
A short verse with no atnach. The tipcha (◌֖) on בֹקֶר divides it: [evening · morning | a fourth day]. Both וַיְהִי are joined to the next word by maqaf.
Word by word
וַֽיְהִיva-yehiand there was
עֶ֥רֶבerevevening
Day Four, too, names evening first — the same order as 1:5, 8, 13. Lev 23:32, “from evening to evening” (מֵעֶרֶב עַד־עֶרֶב), also counts the day from evening. Merkha (◌֥), conjunctive.
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- עֶרֶב (“evening”)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H6153
וַֽיְהִיva-yehiand there was
The same וַיְהִי again. The “it” (yod) is the morning; joined to “morning” by maqaf.
בֹ֖קֶרvoqermorning
י֥וֹםyomday
“Day,” without the article, joined by merkha (◌֥) to “fourth.”
- Parsing
- noun · masculine · singular
- Grammar
- gender and numberaccents
- Form
- יוֹם (“day”)
- Accent
- Merkha conjunctive
- Lexicon
- H3117
רְבִיעִֽיreviifourth
The ordinal “fourth,” from אַרְבַּע (“four”). Ordinals are formed from the root (ר-ב-ע) with the ending ־ִי (masculine singular) — like שֵׁנִי “second” and שְׁלִישִׁי “third.” It is masculine singular to agree with יוֹם, and neither has the article: “a fourth day” (YLV). The fourth river in 2:14, הָרְבִיעִי, does take the article. Silluq at the verse end (עִֽ).
All the sentence patterns of this page in one table, and the places where views differ.
2-1Sentence patterns on this page
Which patterns build the clauses of this page, in one table.
| Pattern | On this page |
|---|---|
| 1. The wayyiqtol narrative sentence | 1:14 And God said,1:15 and it was so.1:16 And God made the two great lights —1:16 the great light for the rule of the day, and the small light for the rule of the night — and the stars.1:17 And God set them in the firmament of the heavens,1:19 And there was evening1:19 and there was morning, |
| 6. “Let there be → there was”: word and fulfilment | 1:14 "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens,1:15 and it was so. |
| 7. “Saw … that it was good” — see + object + כִּי | 1:18 and God saw that it was good. |
| 8. The sentence that closes a day | 1:19 And there was evening1:19 and there was morning,1:19 a fourth day. |
| 12. Participles and adjectives that modify a noun | 1:16 And God made the two great lights —1:16 the great light for the rule of the day, and the small light for the rule of the night — and the stars. |
| 13. לְ + infinitive construct, “to …” | 1:14 to divide between the day and between the night;1:15 to give light upon the earth";1:17 to give light upon the earth,1:18 and to rule over the day and over the night,1:18 and to divide between the light and between the darkness; |
| 14. The weqatal — what is to follow, inside speech | 1:14 and let them be for signs (ot) and for appointed times (moadim), and for days and years;1:15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens, |
2-2Going deeper
Verse 14, “לְאֹתֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים וּלְיָמִים וְשָׁנִים” — how do the four words belong together?
What the text makes clear — ① All four are plural nouns, and all depend on וְהָיוּ (“and let them be”), telling what the lights are to be for. ② לְ appears only three times — before אֹתֹת, מוֹעֲדִים and יָמִים. שָׁנִים has only וְ, no לְ, so “days and years” form a pair under a single לְ. ③ The accents divide at the zaqef (◌֔) on וּלְמוֹעֲדִים, reading two groups: [signs · appointed times | days and years]. ④ מוֹעֲדִים is the plural of מוֹעֵד (“something appointed” — a set time, place or meeting), from the root י-ע-ד, “to appoint.” In the Torah the word is used in Gen 17:21, “at this appointed time (moed),” and Lev 23:2, 4, “the appointed times (moadim) of YHWH” (מוֹעֲדֵי יְהוָה).
① Four uses side by side — signs, appointed times, days, years
- Evidence
- All four are joined by וְ, with לְ repeated. Most ancient and older versions read it so — the Septuagint “εἰς σημεῖα καὶ εἰς καιροὺς καὶ εἰς ἡμέρας καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτούς,” the KJV (1611) “for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.”
- Problems
- It does not explain why שָׁנִים alone lacks לְ, nor the two-group division of the accents. Taken on its own, “signs” has no stated content in the text. And rendering מוֹעֲדִים as “seasons” is said to obscure the sense the word carries in the Torah, “appointed times” (Lev 23:2, 4).
- Sources
- Septuagint · KJV · many versions
② One idea in two words (hendiadys) — “signs for the appointed times”
- Evidence
- It takes the first two words as one unit: “signs, that is, for appointed times” (an explicative waw, “namely”). The accents also keep these two together. Ps 104:19, “He made the moon for appointed times (moadim)” (לְמוֹעֲדִים), states a light’s purpose with the same לְ + מוֹעֲדִים. The ancient Jewish book of Jubilees (2:9) likewise calls the sun a “great sign” for days, sabbaths, months, feasts and years.
- Problems
- A hendiadys usually joins two nouns with a single וְ and does not repeat the preposition. Here לְ is repeated on וּלְמוֹעֲדִים, which makes the two look like separate items. The accents record the Masoretes’ reading tradition, one step removed from the words themselves. Jubilees is outside the Bible.
- Sources
- Ps 104:19 · Jubilees 2:9 · Masoretic accents · several modern commentaries
③ Two pairs — [signs and appointed times] [days and years]
- Evidence
- It follows both the two accent groups and the placement of לְ. “Days and years,” bound under one לְ, concern counting; “signs and appointed times” concern the times the lights make known. Since the first half of verse 14 has already said “to divide between the day and the night,” the second half adds, on top of that division, units of counting (days, years) and appointed times.
- Problems
- לְ is also attached separately to מוֹעֲדִים, so the placement of לְ alone does not show that “signs” and “appointed times” are a pair. This pairing rests mainly on the accents.
- Sources
- Masoretic accents · the placement of לְ in the text
Whichever reading is followed, what the grammar says plainly is that the lights are to be “for signs, appointed times, days and years,” and that מוֹעֲדִים is a word meaning “appointed times.” Ps 104:19 uses the same לְמוֹעֲדִים of the moon. The “days” are counted, as chapter 1 shows each time, from evening first (1:5, 8, 13, 19). The YLV English places its comma after וּלְמוֹעֲדִים, keeping the two accent groups: “for signs (ot) and for appointed times (moadim), and for days and years.”