וְ, H000c
and, then, so; conjunction connecting clauses, sentences, or narrative sequences
Hebrew's most frequent word, this simple conjunction does far more than join words. It sequences narrative ('and then'), adds information ('and also'), contrasts ideas ('but'), introduces explanations ('for'), and marks consequential action ('so'). Ancient Hebrew storytelling relies heavily on this waw-consecutive pattern, where each action follows the previous with 'and.' The demonstrative force sometimes makes it emphatic—'and so it was that'—giving Hebrew narrative its distinctive rhythm. Context determines whether it means 'and,' 'but,' 'then,' 'so,' or 'for,' making it both ubiquitous and flexible.
Senses
BDB / Lexicon Reference
וְ, וּ, וָ demonstr. adv. and conj. so, then, and (Ph. Moab. Aramaic ו; Arabic وَ; Ethiopic ወ Assyrian u DlW (but between vbs. the usual connective is the enclitic ma KAT2 508, Dl§§ 82, 150). The use in Heb. shews that orig. וְ was not a merely copulative conj., but that it possessed a demonstrative force (cf. Dr§ 122), which is often perceptible as such, though in other cases, from its being…