There are moments when the biblical writer will arrest the reader’s attention by featuring literary closural devices in the narrative. By these devices, the narrator signals much more than a plot climax that leads to a reader’s sense of “closure” in the narrative unit. Through closural devices, the author highlights critical actions of the biblical characters, slowing down the reader’s pace and directs the reader to reflect on theology that surfaces in the text.
A prominent literary device throughout the Old Testament is the “wayyiqtol clausal cluster,” a series of short wayyiqtol clauses that appear in rapid succession at the end of a narrative unit. In this session, I will walk through a sampling of these clusters in select narratives from the literary divisions of the Hebrew Bible and will explore the literary and theological significance within their respective texts.
Torah: Exodus 4:31
In this verse, the author marks the climax of the episode (3:1-4:31) by a series of wayyiqtol clauses. This staccato-like sequence of verbs brings the narrative to a dramatic pause before Moses and Aaron’s first official audience with Pharaoh (5:1-9). After Moses and Aaron present YHWH’s words and their accompanying signs to the elders (4:29-30), the people respond in faith and action (4:31).
Clausal Layout
V# Hebrew Text (MT) Clause English Translation
4:31a וַיַּאֲמֵן הָעָם wayyiqtol (And) The people believed.
4:31b וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כִּי־פָקַד יְהוָה אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכִי רָאָה אֶת־עָנְיָם wayyiqtol When they heard that YHWH had paid attention to the sons of Israel and that he had seen their affliction,
4:31c וַיִּקְּדוּ wayyiqtol (and) they bowed down
4:31d וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ׃ wayyiqtol and worshipped.
They believe, hear of YHWH’s care for them and awareness of their situation, and then bow down and worship YHWH (4:31). The verbal succession exhibits the people’s deliberate movements toward YHWH.
Some forty years earlier, Moses expressed his reservations to YHWH that Israel’s elders would believe in his call from YHWH or give him an audience (4:1). As YHWH revealed his plan for Israel’s deliverance, he was clearly concerned about his servant Moses. While demonstrating his sovereignty over all people and events in his promises related to the mission itself, YHWH condescended by making personal promises to Moses that allayed his fears and doubts. YHWH’s specific promise to Moses about a positive outcome with the elders of Israel had not yet come to fruition (3:16–18; 4:1–9). This concluding scene of the episode (4:29-31) affirms YHWH’s promise to Moses that the divine signs would lead Israel’s elders to “believe” (אמן) that YHWH had sent him and they would “listen” (שׁמע) to his voice (4:8-9). YHWH is faithful in fulfilling his promises.
Note: In the forthcoming paper, I will examine the remainder of the passages below with a similar approach to Exodus 4:31.
Former Prophets: Judges 2:11-13
Clausal Layout
V# Hebrew Text (MT) Clause English Translation
2:11a וַיַּעֲשׂ֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה wayyiqtol (Now) The sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of YHWH
2:11b וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ אֶת־הַבְּעָלִֽים׃ wayyiqtol (and) they served the Baals.
2:12a וַיַּעַזְב֞וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹותָ֗ם הַמֹּוצִ֣יא אֹותָם֮ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַיִם֒ wayyiqtol (And) they abandoned YHWH, the God of their fathers, the One who brought them out of Egypt
2:12b וַיֵּלְכ֞וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י׀ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֗ים מֵאֱלֹהֵ֤י הָֽעַמִּים֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ סְבִיבֹ֣ותֵיהֶ֔ם wayyiqtol (and) they went after other gods from the gods of the peoples which surrounded them.
2:12c וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם wayyiqtol (and) they bowed down to them
2:12d וַיַּכְעִ֖סוּ אֶת־יְהוָֽה wayyiqtol (and) they provoked YHWH to anger
2:13a וַיַּעַזְב֖וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה wayyiqtol (and) they abandoned YHWH
2:13b וַיַּעַבְד֥וּ לַבַּ֖עַל וְלָעַשְׁתָּרֹֽות׃ wayyiqtol (and) they served Baal and Ashteroths
Latter Prophets: Jonah 1:17
Clausal Layout
V# Hebrew Text (MT) Clause English Translation
2:15a וַיִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־יֹונָ֔ה wayyiqtol (Then) They lifted Jonah
2:15b וַיְטִלֻ֖הוּ אֶל־הַיָּ֑ם וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד הַיָּ֖ם מִזַּעְפֹּֽו׃ wayyiqtol (and) they hurled him into the sea
2:15c וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד הַיָּ֖ם מִזַּעְפֹּֽו׃ wayyiqtol (and) the sea stopped its raging
2:16a aאֶת־יְהוָ֑הa וַיִּֽירְא֧וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים יִרְאָ֥ה גְדֹולָ֖ה wayyiqtol (and) the men feared (YHWH) with a great fear
2:16b וַיִּֽזְבְּחוּ־זֶ֨בַח֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה wayyiqtol (and) they offered a sacrifice to YHWH
2:16c וַֽיִּדְּר֖וּ נְדָרִֽים׃ wayyiqtol (and) they made vows (to YHWH)
Former Writings: Ruth 2:3
Clausal Layout
V# Hebrew Text (MT) Clause English Translation
2:3a וַתֵּ֤לֶךְ wayyiqtol (Then) She went
2:3b וַתָּבֹוא֙ wayyiqtol (and) she entered (a field)
2:3c וַתְּלַקֵּ֣ט בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֖י הַקֹּצְרִ֑ים wayyiqtol (and) she gleaned in the field after the harvesters
2:3d וַיִּ֣קֶר מִקְרֶ֔הָ חֶלְקַ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ לְבֹ֔עַז אֲשֶׁ֖ר מִמִּשְׁפַּ֥חַת אֱלִימֶֽלֶךְ׃ wayyiqtol (and) ‘she chanced upon’ the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who (was) from the clan of Elimelech.
Latter Writings: Esther 8:3
Clausal Layout
V# Hebrew Text (MT) Clause English Translation
8:3a וַתֹּ֣וסֶף אֶסְתֵּ֗ר wayyiqtol (Then) She did (it) again
8:3b וַתְּדַבֵּר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ wayyiqtol (and) she spoke before the king
8:3c וַתִּפֹּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י רַגְלָ֑יו wayyiqtol (and) she fell before his feet
8:3d וַתֵּ֣בְךְּ wayyiqtol (and) she wept
8:3e וַתִּתְחַנֶּן־לֹ֗ו לְהַֽעֲבִיר֙ אֶת־רָעַת֙ הָמָ֣ן הָֽאֲגָגִ֔י וְאֵת֙ מַֽחֲשַׁבְתֹּ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָשַׁ֖ב עַל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ wayyiqtol (and) she implored his favor to put away the evil of Haman the Agagite and his plan which plotted against the Jews