Genesis 18:27:10Gen.18.27.W10TAB
וָאֵֽפֶר׃
vaefer
“and ashes”
- Transliteration
- va-E-fer
- Extended
- vah-EH-fer
- IPA
- /waː.ˈʔeː.fɛr/
Meaning by language
- English
- and ashes
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Vav | v as in vine; marks long ō / ū | |
| Qamets | long 'ah' | |
| Aleph | silent — a glottal stop; holds vowel points | |
| Tsere | long 'ey' as in they | |
| Pe | p with dagesh; f without | |
| Seghol | short 'eh' as in met | |
| Resh | r guttural, like the French r |
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The word
Word in context
- word
va-E-fer
- phraseyour reading level
a-FAR va-E-fer
- clause
hin-ne-NA ho-AL-ti le-da-BER el-a-do-NAI ve-a-no-KHI a-FAR va-E-fer
- sentence
va-YA-an av-ra-HAM va-yo-MAR hin-ne-NA ho-AL-ti le-da-BER el-a-do-NAI ve-a-no-KHI a-FAR va-E-fer
Exegesis
The predicate nominal pair afar va'efer {עָפָר וָאֵפֶר | ʿā-p̄ār wā-ʾē-p̄er} ‘dust and ashes’ forms a compact expression of extreme human insignificance, likely functioning as a kind of hendiadys for mortal frailty. In English, this structure is rendered as a main assertion followed by a concessive clause (“though I am…” / “even though I am…”), preserving both Abraham’s bold initiative and his deep humility in approaching the divine Judge.
Root and etymology
ʾ-p-rAleph–Pe–Resh
“ashes, residue”
In context — Genesis 18:27
And Abraham answered and said, “Behold now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord , though I am dust and ashes.”
About this coordinate
Genesis 18:27:10 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 10 of Genesis 18:27, so the Hebrew word וָאֵֽפֶר׃ (vaefer) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Gen.18.27.W10, which extends further down to each syllable (Gen.18.27.W10.S1) and character.