prefers to use co-ordinate clauses, prefixing וַיְהִי and it was. Gen. 4:3 וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ יָמִים וַיָּבֵא קַיִן and it was in course of time that (and) Cain brought; 4:8 וַיְהִי בִּֽהְיוֹתָם בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיָּֽקָם ק׳ and it was when they were in the field that C. rose up. This construction is the usual one in prose narrative. See for variety of usage Gen. 12:11, 14; 19:34; 21:22; 22:20; 24:52; 26:8; 27:1; 29:13; 41:8, Jud. 1:14; 11:4, 1 S. 10:11; 11:11 end, 2 S. 2:23.
Rem. 1. Such a sentence as and when they saw her they praised her may be made in various ways. 1. וַיְהִי כִּרְאֹתָם ··· וַיְהַֽלֲלוּ ···. 2. וַיְהַֽלֲלוּ ··· כִּרְאֹתָם ···. 3. וַיִּרְאוּ ··· וַיְהַֽלֲלוּ ···. The first is usual; the second with inf. back in the clause is classical, e.g. Gen. 32:26; 34:7 (35:9); the third not unusual with see, hear, and finish כִּלָּה (24:19; 30:1; 37:21, Ex. 34:33, 2 S. 11:27), but also in other cases. Other forms are rarer, e.g. Gen. 27:34 כִּרְאֹתָם ··· וַיְהַֽלֲלוּ without and (cf. 2 S. 15:10); or mainly late, as וְכִרְאֹתָם ··· וַיְהללו or וְכִרְ׳ ··· הִֽלֲלוּ with and at the beginning.
The secution to ויהי is not always vav impf., though this is usual. These forms appear 1. וַיְהִי ··· וַיָּבֵא ק׳. 2. ויהי ··· הֵבִיא ק׳. 3. ויהי ··· וְקַיִן הֵבִיא. 4. ויהי ··· וְּהִנֵּה ק׳. Exx. of 2, Gen. 40:1, Ex. 16:27, Deu. 9:11, Jos. 10:27, 1 S. 18:30, 1 K. 11:4; 14:25; 15:29; 17:17. Of 3, Gen. 7:10; 15:12; 22:1, Ex. 12:29, 1 S. 18:1, 2 S. 3:6, 2 K. 2:9. In 4 הנה is usually followed by ptcp. or nominal sent.
Rem. 2. Ex. of vav impf. after stative verb, Is. 3:16, are haughty and walk; Ps. 16:9. The impf. after אָז, &c. referring to the past (§ 45) is also continued by vav impf. Jos. 8:30, 31; 10:12; 22:1, 1 K. 3:16; 11:7 perf., 2 K. 12:18. On the other hand, the secution of fut. perf. (§ 41 c) is usually vav perf. or simple impf., Jud. 9:9, 1 S. 26:9, Is. 4:4; 55:10, 11, Gen. 26:10; 43:9. So very often the proph. perf. (§ 41 b) and perf. of confidence is continued by vav perf., the ideal position not being maintained. Gen. 9:13; 17:20, Nu. 24:17, Deu. 15:6, 2 K. 5:20, Is. 2:11; 43:14.
Rem. 3. In the brief language of poetry vav impf. some-