Genesis 11:30

Summary

The verse states that Sarai was barren, using two parallel expressions: an adjective describing her state and a clause denying that a child belonged to her. This creates a doubled emphasis on the absence of offspring.

Key words

va-tehi ("and she was", H1961) — qal narrative verb form (vayyiqtol), the standard Hebrew construction for moving the story forward; it marks a simple statement of state within the narrative sequence.

Sarai ("Sarai", H8297) — proper name, feminine, the subject of the clause.

'aqarah ("barren", H6135) — feminine singular adjective agreeing with Sarai; it describes a physical condition directly attached to the subject.

'ein ("not", H0369) — construct-state negative existential noun, used to negate existence or possession ("there is no...") rather than a simple verbal negation; it introduces the second clause.

valad ("a child", H2056) — masculine singular noun, the object whose existence is denied in relation to Sarai via the preposition-plus-suffix lah ("to her", H9005+H9034).

What the text says

The Hebrew verse contains two distinct grammatical constructions describing the same reality. The first, va-tehi Sarai 'aqarah, is a standard verbal clause: subject (Sarai) plus predicate adjective ('aqarah), stating her condition directly — "Sarai was barren." The second clause, 'ein lah valad, does not use a verb at all; it relies on the existential negative particle 'ein ("there is not") combined with the prepositional phrase lah ("to her") and the noun valad ("child"). This is the standard Hebrew way of expressing possession or its absence — literally "there was no child to her" — rather than saying "she did not have a child" with a finite verb.

The juxtaposition of the two clauses — one adjectival, one existential-possessive — produces a doubling effect in the Hebrew that is somewhat redundant in meaning (barren / no child to her) but grammatically distinct: the first names her physical condition, the second states the practical outcome (no offspring exists that belongs to her).

Differences between versions

The LXX renders the second clause as ouk eteknopoiei ("she was not bearing children" / "did not produce children"), using a finite imperfect verb, where the Hebrew has the non-verbal existential construction 'ein lah valad ("no child to her"). The Vulgate's nec habebat liberos ("nor did she have children") similarly supplies a finite verb (habebat, "she had") to render what in Hebrew is expressed without any verb in that clause.