וָ/אֵקַ֖ל

𐤅/𐤀𐤒𐤋

vaeqal

I was despised

a primitive root; to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.); abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make, re-) vile, whet.

H7043

Genesis 16:5 · Word #14

Lexicon H7043

Lemmaקָלַל
Lemma (Paleo)𐤒𐤋𐤋
Transliterationqâlal
Strong'sH7043
In-contextI was despised

Morphology HC/Vqw1cs All morphology codes

Part of Speech V — Verb — An action or state
Binyan q — Qal — Simple active
Conjugation w — Sequential Imperfect — Imperfect with waw-consecutive, narrating past events
Person 1 — 1st person — First person ("I" / "we")
Gender c — Common — Common (both genders)
Number s — Singular — Singular

SIBI-P1 H7043-37

and I became of little weight

Rootקלל (q-l-l)
Core Meaningslightness, smallness, swiftness, insignificance, contempt
Semantic Rangeto be light in weight, to be swift, to be slight or insignificant, to be treated with contempt, to be of little account
Conceptual SignificanceThe imagery of "lightness" in Hebrew thought contrasts with "weight" as a metaphor for honor or glory (כבד). Thus, to become "light" can imply dishonor or diminished status, highlighting themes of shame, humility, or social reversal within the biblical narrative.
Morphological NotesVerb in Qal stem, wayyiqtol (waw-consecutive imperfect) 1st person common singular; narrative past sequence, simple stem (not causative or intensive).
Rendering RationaleThe root קלל conveys the idea of lightness or smallness, which metaphorically extends to insignificance or contempt. In the Qal wayyiqtol 1st person common singular form (וָאֵקַל), the verb expresses a simple active or stative sense in past narrative sequence, hence "and I became of little weight," preserving both the root imagery of lightness and the first-person singular form.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Words from Root קלל (lightness, smallness, swiftness, insignificance, contempt)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H4731-02 bamaqelot among the staffs
H7043-01 beqalelo when he made-light of him
H7043-02 hameqalel the one who makes-light-of

Word Usage (82 occurrences of H7043)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Genesis 8:8 הֲ/קַ֣לּוּ haqalu had receded
Genesis 8:11 קַ֥לּוּ qalu had subsided
Genesis 8:21 לְ/קַלֵּ֨ל leqalel to curse