Genesis 15:20

Summary

This verse continues a list of peoples whose land is promised, naming the Chitti ("Hittite", H2850), the Perizzi ("Perizzite", H6522), and the Repha'im ("Rephaites", H7497B). Each name is preceded by the direct object marker, showing these are objects of a verb from the preceding context (Genesis 15:18-19), where God specifies the peoples inhabiting the land granted.

Key words

ha.chi.Ti ("the Hittite", H2850) — singular gentilic noun with definite article, referring collectively to the Hittite people as a single named group.

'Et ("", H0853) — direct object marker, appearing three times, each time signaling that the following named people-group is a grammatical object of an implied verb (governing the whole list from earlier in the verse sequence).

ha.pe.ri.Zi ("the Perizzite", H6522) — singular gentilic noun with definite article, structurally parallel to ha.chi.Ti.

ha.re.fa.'Im ("the Rephaites", H7497B) — plural gentilic noun with definite article; unlike the other two names in this verse, it is grammatically plural in form.

ve. ("and", H9002) — coordinating conjunction attached to each of the three items, linking them as a continuous enumerated series.

What the text says

The verse consists of three coordinated noun phrases, each built identically: conjunction ve ("and", H9002) + direct object marker 'Et (H0853) + definite article ha (H9009) + gentilic noun. This repeated three-part structure (conjunction–object marker–article–name) creates a rhythmic, list-like cadence typical of Biblical Hebrew enumerations of peoples or territories. The repeated use of 'Et before each name marks all three as direct objects of a governing verb located earlier in the sentence (outside this segment), rather than as subjects or independent clauses.

Grammatically, ha.chi.Ti (H2850) and ha.pe.ri.Zi (H6522) are both singular gentilic forms, a common Hebrew convention for referring to an entire people by a singular collective name. ha.re.fa.'Im (H7497B) breaks this pattern by appearing in plural form, which the data marks explicitly as "masculine plural" rather than singular. This morphological shift is visible only in the Hebrew; it is not distinguishable in the translations provided, which render all three names as plural nation-names in the target languages.

Differences between versions

The Hebrew marks re.fa.'Im (H7497B) as morphologically plural, distinct from the singular gentilic forms of the other two names. The Vulgate (VULCLEM) renders it as "Raphaim" and sets it apart with "quoque" ("also"), slightly separating it from the first two names, which are joined by "et... et...". The Spanish versions (RV1909, SBLIBRE) and BSB present all three names in parallel plural form without indicating this internal grammatical distinction found in the Hebrew.