Vav is a gate to a host of possibilities

Vav is a hook. It's what keeps the pieces of the tabernacle together. When I was dabbling in grammar for my own learning last season, I didn't attempt to summarize this most important enclitic Hebrew consonant. Vav attaches itself to all sorts of things. It's a prefix with a great variety of uses and a suffix also. This is where its hook nature thrives. There are other hooks in the Hebrew Scripture: fishing hooks, pruning hooks, and grappling hooks. Vav as hook occurs in Exodus only in 13 verses. E.g.

וְהָאֲדָנִ֣ים לָֽעַמֻּדִים֮ נְחֹשֶׁת֒ וָוֵ֨י הָֽעַמּוּדִ֜ים וַחֲשׁוּקֵיהֶם֙ כֶּ֔סֶף וְצִפּ֥וּי רָאשֵׁיהֶ֖ם כָּ֑סֶף וְהֵם֙ מְחֻשָּׁקִ֣ים כֶּ֔סֶף כֹּ֖ל עַמֻּדֵ֥י הֶחָצֵֽר		17 And the sockets for the pillars, brass. The hooks of the pillars and their attachments, silver, and the overlaying of their tops, silver. And they were attached with silver, all the pillars of the court.
iz vhadnim lymudim nkowt vvi hymudim vkwuqihm csf vxipui rawihm csf vhm mkuwqim csf col ymudi hkxr	33 15	vh/adn\im l/ymd\im nkw\t vv\i h/ymvd\im v/kwvq\ihm csp v/xp\vi raw\ihm csp v/hm m/kwq\im csp cl ymd\i h/kxr

And the music:

Exodus 38:17

BDB describes vav as a conjunction and its use in the verbal system when it is a prefix for the verb form. The opening paragraph indicates that it is not "a merely copulative conj., but that it possessed a demonstrative force... ו is used very freely and widely in Heb., but also with much delicacy, to express relations and shades of meaning which Western languages would usually indicate by distinct particles... thus in AV, RV, words like or, then, but, notwithstanding, howbeit, so, thus, therefore, that, constantly appear, where the Heb. has simply ְו ."

Structurally BDB has five sections in the 6 pages.

1. And, connecting both words and sentences

2. The ו consecutive 

3. To express an intention, that or so that 

4. It expresses often an informal inference, or consequence, so, then

5. ו introduces the predicate or apodosis

BDB begins with a verse illustrating 'thus and so' or similar construction.

וַיִּ֤פֶן כֹּה֙ וָכֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖רְא כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֔י וַֽיִּטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בַּחֽוֹל		12 And he faced thus and thus, and saw that there was no person, and he struck the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.
ib viipn ch vch vira ci ain aiw viç at-hmxri vi'tmnhu bkol	11 13	vi/pn ch v/ch vi/ra ci ain aiw v/ic at hm/xr\i vi/'tmn\hv b/kvl

This verse illustrates five prefixed vavs (red), the first, third, fourth, and fifth all introduce the narrative form of the verb (type 2 above) and are translated in the past tense rather than the imperfect. The third might have been rendered so based on the prior phrase.

Vav is also a pronoun - third person masculine singular, e.g. lv (to or for him / it etc) pronounced as lo and written as lo in SimHebrew (so distinguishing it from the negative la pronounced the same as lo), and vav as suffix plays an important role in verb forms., such as the first, second, and third person plural. 

These uses can be confusing. Here's an example of the confusion of not (la pronounced lo) and his (lv also pronounced lo - this is the preposition l with a pronoun suffix his = belonging to or for or of or to him) .

Psalm 100:3

דְּע֗וּ כִּֽי יְהוָה֮ ה֤וּא אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים הֽוּא־עָ֭שָׂנוּ וְל֣וֹ אֲנַ֑חְנוּ עַ֝מּ֗וֹ וְצֹ֣אן מַרְעִיתֽוֹ		3 Know, for Yahweh he is God. He, he made us, and his we are, his people and the sheep of his pasture.
g dyu ci ihvh hua alohim hua-ywnu vlo anknu ymo vxan mryito	9 9 7	dy\v ci ihvh hva alh\im hva yw\nv v/l\v anknv ym\v v/xan m/ry\itv

The first vav, a suffixed u is the imperative, second person masculine plural, the second is the verb to make with a pronoun suffix us, nu, the third is the same nu but it is part of the standalone form of the first person plural pronoun. The third, I am reading what is written: lv = lo and not what is read, la - lamed-alpha לֹא.

You may think of this verse as requiring the phrase 'not we ourselves'. That requires reading lv as la. It is given in the manuscripts as what is to be read, but I have read diverse opinions as to the right sense. I think of this verse as reflecting the Song of Songs -- my Beloved is mine and I am his.

Song 2:16 

At some distant ancient time, I was working on this section to set it for woodwinds and voices -- looks like I set only the first poem to 1:1 to 2:7. If you are interested, there is a mechanical version here.

דּוֹדִ֥י לִי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י ל֔וֹ הָרֹעֶ֖ה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים		16 My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies.
'tz dodi li vani lo hroyh bwownim	14	dvd\i l\i v/ani l\v h/ryh b/wvwn\im

BDB also mentions conjunctive and disjunctive accents. The music includes rhythm and might well ornament grammar. When I was first given the music, the notions of conjunctive and disjunctive as well as continuous dichotomy gradually disappeared from my vocabulary. They are both unnecessary concepts, vaguely defined and positively misleading. The music will never mislead you and it is defined in its design. This is the design of the whole tabernacle, temple, and upholding its fortification -- perhaps we could look at that verse Ezekiel 43:11 and its 36 vavs.

We could pick almost any verse and find a vav in it. Of the 305 thousand odd words, over a third of them have vav as part of the prefix, and over 25% if them have a vav as part of the suffix. How could we summarize the uses of vav among these many examples.

Vav is represented in SimHebrew as v or o or u depending on various contexts (see the highlights below).

Ezekiel 43:11

וְאִֽם־נִכְלְמ֞וּ מִכֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֗וּ צוּרַ֣ת הַבַּ֡יִת וּתְכוּנָת֡וֹ וּמוֹצָאָ֡יו וּמוֹבָאָ֣יו וְֽכָל־צֽוּרֹתָ֡ו וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־חֻקֹּתָיו֩ וְכָל־צ֨וּרֹתָ֤יו וְכָל־תּוֹרֹתָיו֙ הוֹדַ֣ע אוֹתָ֔ם וּכְתֹ֖ב לְעֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם וְיִשְׁמְר֞וּ אֶת־כָּל־צוּרָת֛וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־חֻקֹּתָ֖יו וְעָשׂ֥וּ אוֹתָֽם		11 And if they are humiliated from all that they have done, the fortification of the house, and its stability, and its exeunts and its entrances, and all its fortifications and all its statutes, and all its fortifications and all its instructions, make known to them, and write for their eyes, that they may keep all its fortification and all its statutes and do them.
ia vam-nclmu mcol awr-ywu xurt hbit utcunto umoxaiv umobaiv vcl-xurotiv vat cl-kuqotiv vcl-xurotiv vcl-torotiv hody aotm uctob lyinihm viwmru at-cl-xurto vat-cl-kuqotiv vywu aotm	59 20	v/am n/clm\v m/cl awr yw\v xvr\t h/bit v/tcvn\tv vmv/xa\iv vmv/ba\iv v/cl xvr\tv v/at cl kq\tiv v/cl xvr\tiv v/cl tvr\tiv hv/dy avt\m v/ctb l/yin\ihm vi/wmr\v at cl xvr\tv v/at cl kq\tiv v/yw\v avt\m

Vav also appears in the middle of roots and words. In this context, it is a weak letter and may appear or disappear or even change to an i. This is outside the scope of prefixes and suffixes.

You will notice that I have rendered every one of the starting letter v (or u) except the one after the atnah as and. In this case, the text looks like a list. But the vav may be rendered as some other conjunction as noted above. Now notice the final vavs sometimes u or o or v. The first two are verbs and the form ending with the u sound is third person plural, so rendered as they. The third is an o sound, the pronoun its - third person singular appended to the singular noun. KJV renders these as the archaic thereof. The same pronoun when applied to a plural noun has the v rather than the o sound. This form occurs 7 times in this verse.

One more example -- in case the music would help us interpret informal inference, or predicates calling for a rendering of then for vav.

Genesis 3:5 -- turns out this is an example where I didn't translate the vav at all.

The music shows how the verse is connected to the prior verse, and the ornament preceding the first vav allows the singer to hear and interpret without any gloss for it. But one could still make an argument for a sound on the vav -- it is its own syllable in the recitative.

כִּ֚י יֹדֵ֣עַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֗י בְּיוֹם֙ אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וִהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים יֹדְעֵ֖י ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע		5 ♪C Because God knows that in the day you eat from it, your eyes will be given sight, and you will become as God knowing good and evil.
h ci iody alohim ci biom acolcm mmnu vnpqku yinicm vhiitm calohim iodyi 'tob vry	23 11	ci idy alh\im ci b/ivm acl\cm m/mn\v vn/pqk\v yin\icm vh/i\itm c/alh\im idy\i 'tvb v/ry

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 150:6

 Ponder how things might change.

breath-bearing, נשׁם (nshm), panting, used of a woman in childbirth (also Psalm 18:16, where the breath-bearing is used of God again implying a birthing process).

כֹּ֣ל הַ֭נְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּ֥ל יָ֗הּ הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ		6 ♪B All the breath-bearing praise Yah. Hallelu Yah.
v col hnwmh thll ih hllu-ih	11	cl h/nwm\h t/hll ih hll\v ih

Performance here. (General access should be available here.)

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 149:1

 

Remember that new song?

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ שִׁ֣ירוּ לַֽ֭יהוָה שִׁ֣יר חָדָ֑שׁ תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ בִּקְהַ֥ל חֲסִידִֽים		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. Sing to Yahweh a new song. His praise in the congregation of the-many who are under mercy.
a hllu-ih wiru lihvh wir kdw thilto bqhl ksidim	10 9	hll\v ih wir\v l/ihvh wir kdw t/hl\tv b/qhl ksid\im

the-many who are under mercy - ksidim - or more commonly in non-reversible transcriptions, Hasidim. But this is not the movement that originated in the 18th century CE and that has retrenched in reaction to modernity. Is it mystical? The word is from ksd kindness, KJV loving-kindness (a verbal overreach). I have used kindness and mercy as my glosses leading me to long-winded phrases at times. Is it as Elie Wiesel says, "difficult to be a mystic these days"? Yet in a later chapter he writes that "Hasidism teaches how to build on ruins".

This root ksd is used of Ruth and her character - she is kind in all her actions. She is also determined and strong. These are aspects of ksd (חסד). The purpose of the Psalms is to create such persons in community of reliable character and witness. Just look at how often (click the link to my concordance above) it and its related word ksh (refuge) are used in the Psalter.

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 148:1

 

Praise from the heights

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ הַֽלְל֣וּ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֑יִם הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בַּמְּרוֹמִֽים		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. Praise Yahweh from the heavens. Praise him on the high ground.
a hllu-ih hllu at-ihvh mn-hwmiim hlluhu bmromim	12 6	hll\v ih hll\v at ihvh mn h/wmim hll\vhv bm/rvm\im

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 147:1

 

Praise is lovely

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ כִּי־ט֭וֹב זַמְּרָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־נָ֝עִים נָאוָ֥ה תְהִלָּֽה		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah, for it is good to sing a psalm to our God, for it is pleasant. Praise is lovely.
a hllu-ih ci-'tob zmrh alohinu ci-nyim navh thilh	11 7	hll\v ih ci 'tvb zmr\h alh\inv ci nym navh t/hl\h

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 146:1

 The beginning of the final doxology - five psalms of praise.

Individual praise

הַֽלְלוּ־יָ֡הּ הַלְלִ֥י נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י אֶת־יְהוָֽה		1 Hallelu Yah. Praise Yahweh, O my being.
a hllu-ih hlli npwi at-ihvh	10	hll\v ih hll\i npw\i at ihvh

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 145

 

The final acrostic - a praise of David

תְּהִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ אֱלוֹהַ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַאֲבָרֲכָ֥ה שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד		1 A praise of David. I will exalt you my God the king, and I will bless your name forever and ever.
a thilh ldvid arommç alohii hmlç vabrch wmç lyolm vyd	6 10 12	t/hl\h l/dvd a/rvm\mc alvh\i h/mlc va/brc\h wm\c l/yvlm v/yd

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 144:3

Remember Psalm 8?

יְֽהוָ֗ה מָה־אָ֭דָם וַתֵּדָעֵ֑הוּ בֶּן־אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ וַֽתְּחַשְּׁבֵֽהוּ		3 Yahweh, what is this humanity that you know it, a mortal child that you devised it?
g ihvh mh-adm vtdyhu bn-anow vtkwbhu	10 7	ihvh mh adm vt/dy\hv bn anvw vt/kwb\hv

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 143:1

 

A prayer of David - a tricolon with an interesting and unique shape

מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֤ה ׀ שְׁמַ֬ע תְּפִלָּתִ֗י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥ עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ		1 A psalm of David. Yahweh hear my prayer. Give ear to my supplication. In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness.
a mzmor ldvid ihvh wmy tpilti hazinh al-tknunii bamuntç ynni bxdqtç	5 17 13	m/zmr l/dvd ihvh wmy t/pl\ti h/azn\h al t/knvn\i b/amn\tc yn\ni b/xdq\tc

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 142:2

 

An insight -- and a prayer. Of David.

ק֭וֹלִי אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֶזְעָ֑ק ק֝וֹלִ֗י אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֶתְחַנָּֽן		2 ♪g My voice to Yahweh I will appeal. My voice to Yahweh I will supplicate.
b qoli al-ihvh azyq qoli al-ihvh atknn	7 8	qvl\i al ihvh a/zyq qvl\i al ihvh at/knn

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 141:3

 

A wise prayer

שִׁיתָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה שָׁמְרָ֣ה לְפִ֑י נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה עַל־דַּ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽי		3 Set, Yahweh, a guard on my mouth. Preserve the gateway of my lips.
g with ihvh womrh lpi nixrh yl-dl wptii	8 7	wit\h ihvh wmr\h l/p\i nxr\h yl dl wp\ti

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 140:2

 

May the anointed today have such a prayer answered

חַלְּצֵ֣נִי יְ֭הוָה מֵאָדָ֣ם רָ֑ע מֵאִ֖ישׁ חֲמָסִ֣ים תִּנְצְרֵֽנִי		2 Rescue me Yahweh from human evil, from violent persons preserve me,
b klxni ihvh madm ry maiw kmsim tnxrni	9 9	klx\ni ihvh m/adm ry m/aiw kms\im t/nxr\ni

Note the word kms - in Hebrew חמס Hamas. A coincidence?

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 139:14

 

Yahweh you have examined me and you know.

אֽוֹדְךָ֗ עַ֤ל כִּ֥י נוֹרָא֗וֹת נִ֫פְלֵ֥יתִי נִפְלָאִ֥ים מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י יֹדַ֥עַת מְאֹֽד		14 I will thank you for fearfully I am reserved. Wonderful your deeds, as my self knows in full.
id aodç yl ci noraot npliti nplaim mywiç vnpwi iodyt maod	10 7 8	av/d\c yl ci nv/ra\vt n/pl\iti n/pla\im m/yw\ic v/npw\i idy\t mad

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 138:2

 

אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֨ה אֶל־הֵיכַ֪ל קָדְשְׁךָ֡ וְא֘וֹדֶ֤ה אֶת־שְׁמֶ֗ךָ עַל־חַסְדְּךָ֥ וְעַל־אֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ כִּֽי־הִגְדַּ֥לְתָּ עַל־כָּל־שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ אִמְרָתֶֽךָ		2 I will worship in your holy temple and give thanks to your name over your kindness, and over your truth, for you magnify your promise over all your name.
b awtkvvh al-hicl qodwç vaodh at-wmç yl-ksdç vyl-amitç ci-hgdlt yl-cl-wmç amrtç	27 12	a/wk\vh al hicl qdw\c vav/dh at wm\c yl ksd\c v/yl amt\c ci h/gdl\t yl cl wm\c amr\tc

Now here's a throwback from 15 years ago when I was just starting out to translate and this psalm was the subject of one of many diagrams I drew to learn Hebrew.

From 2008 - just looking around - no knowledge of the music till Oxford 2010.

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 137:1

 

A lecture by Susan Gillingham not to be missed at this link from 2021

עַ֥ל נַהֲר֨וֹת ׀ בָּבֶ֗ל שָׁ֣ם יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִ֑ינוּ בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ אֶת־צִיּֽוֹן		1 ♪f By the rivers of Babel - there we sat, yea we wept, when we remembered Zion.
a yl nhrot bbl wm iwbnu gm-bcinu bzocrnu at-xion	14 7	yl nhr\vt bbl wm iwb\nv gm bc\inv b/zcr\nv at xivn

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 136:5

 Give thanks to Yahweh ...

No conflict with science here - plenty of responsibility required though.
No one could operate in an inconsistent creation.

לְעֹשֵׂ֣ה הַ֭שָּׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָ֑ה כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ		5 For making the heavens with understanding, because forever is his kindness.
h lyowh hwmiim btbunh ci lyolm ksdo	9 6	l/ywh h/wmim bt/bvn\h ci l/yvlm ksd\v

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 135:1

 

Praise servants

הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ הַֽ֭לְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה הַֽ֝לְלוּ עַבְדֵ֥י יְהוָֽה		1 ♪f Hallelu Yah. Praise the name of Yahweh. Praise O servants of Yahweh,
a hllu-ih hllu at-wm ihvh hllu ybdi ihvh	9 6	hll\v ih hll\v at wm ihvh hll\v ybd\i ihvh

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 134:1

The last of the 15 songs of the ascents

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הִנֵּ֤ה ׀ בָּרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הָעֹמְדִ֥ים בְּבֵית־יְ֝הוָ֗ה בַּלֵּילֽוֹת		1 ♪~ A song of the ascents. Here! bless Yahweh, all servants of Yahweh, those standing in the house of Yahweh in the nights.
a wir hmylot hnh brcu at-ihvh cl-ybdi ihvh hyomdim bbit-ihvh blilot	5 13 10	wir hm/yl\vt hnh brc\v at ihvh cl ybd\i ihvh h/ymd\im b/bit ihvh b/lil\vt

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 133:1

 

like the precious oil ...

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הִנֵּ֣ה מַה־טּ֭וֹב וּמַה־נָּעִ֑ים שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים גַּם־יָֽחַד		1 ♪f A song of the ascents, of David. Here! How fine and how pleasant it is, for kin to sit as one.
a wir hmylot ldvid hnh mh-'tob umh-nyim wbt akim gm-ikd	8 8 7	wir hm/yl\vt l/dvd hnh mh 'tvb v/mh nym wb\t ak\im gm ikd

#Psalmtweet #Psalter 132:1

 

Poems of David are present in every book of the Psalms

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת זְכוֹר־יְהוָ֥ה לְדָוִ֑ד אֵ֝ת כָּל־עֻנּוֹתֽוֹ		1 ♪~ A song of the ascents. Yahweh, remember David, with all his afflictions.
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