וְהָרָעָ֣ב הָיָ֔הplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigהָיָה

hebrew

The word הָיָה means “to exist” or “to be” or “to become” or “to come into being” and occurs 3561 times in the Old Testament.

This is the foundational verb of existence, identity, becoming and occurrence.

* It is used in the creation narrative of Genesis 1, represented by the English words Genesis 1:3Exodus 3:12Ruth 1:1Isaiah 2:2 עַ֖ל כָּל פְּנֵ֣יplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigפָנִים

hebrew

Meaning:

* Face * Presence * Front or surface

Noun. Masculine. Although it looks plural in form (ending in -ים), it is almost always used as a singular in meaning - a type of plural of intensity or plural of form common in Hebrew for body parts that come in pairs or have multiple aspects. הָאָ֑רֶץplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigאֶרֶץ

hebrew

Meaning:

* Earth (e.g. Genesis 1:1) or world * Land * Countries or country

The word אֶרֶץ can designate the whole of planet earth, or the inhabitable world or the national territory or ground.

When coupled with heavens (שָׁמַיִם), the phrase indicates the entire created order.Genesis 12:1 וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח יוֹסֵ֜ף אֶֽתplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigאֵת

hebrew

The Hebrew אֵת word does not have a corresponding word in English. In Hebrew, it is a marker of the accusative, i.e. the word following it is the object of the sentence. It only ever occurs in conjunction with nouns associated with the definite article הַ.Genesis 1:1 כָּל אֲשֶׁ֤ר בָּהֶם֙ וַיִּשְׁבֹּ֣ר לְמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָֽרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigאֶרֶץ

hebrew

Meaning:

* Earth (e.g. Genesis 1:1) or world * Land * Countries or country

The word אֶרֶץ can designate the whole of planet earth, or the inhabitable world or the national territory or ground.

When coupled with heavens (שָׁמַיִם), the phrase indicates the entire created order.Genesis 12:1 מִצְרָֽיִם