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וַיָּבֹ֞א בֵּ֣ין מַחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֗יִם וּבֵין֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְהִ֤יplugin-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 הֶֽעָנָן֙ וְהַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וַיָּ֖אֶרplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigאוֹר

hebrew

Meaning:

* To be light * To shine * To give light * To illuminate

Verb occurring around 20 times in the Old Testament. It is sometimes used literally, and, at other times, figuratively.

Biblical Examples

Intransitive sense

Used when light itself shines or dawns.Isaiah 60:1Exodus 13:21 אֶתplugin-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 הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְלֹא קָרַ֥ב זֶ֛ה אֶל זֶ֖ה כָּל הַלָּֽיְלָה