Berachah Bible Institute Hebrew Grammar I Chapter 12: Introduction to Hebrew Verbs

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Verbal Root “Lowest Common Denominator” Carries Base Meaning Slide 1 of 12 Ex) %l{àm.yII = “he will rule” Root = %lm Ex) tWkïl.m; = “kingdom”

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Slide 2 of 12 StemFormExample* QalSimple ActiveEat NiphalSimple PassiveWas eaten PielIntensive ActiveDevour PualIntensive PassiveBe devoured HithpaelIntensive ReflexiveDevour oneself HiphilCausative ActiveFeed HophalCausative PassiveBe fed * Examples use idea of “eating”

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Verbal Action Active – Subject does the action (Ed hit) Slide 3 of 12 Passive – Subject receives the action (Ed was hit)  Transitive – Takes direct object (Ed hit the ball)  Intransitive – No direct object (Ed swims) Reflexive – Subject does & receives the action (Ed hit himself)  Reciprocal – Plural case of reflexive (They hit each other) Stative – No action done (Ed is kind)

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Verbal Terms “Intensive” perhaps misleading. A better description? Slide 4 of 12 Some verbs do not occur in the qal. Thus, no nuance. Denominative – From (de) a noun (nominative) (e.g., rbd ) Causative – Subject causes action to occur (he made him king) Factitive – Bring into a state (“be great” vs. “exalt”) Frequentative – Do repeatedly (“go” vs. “go about”) Other (Resultative, performative, privative, …)

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Example #1: lka, “eat” Qal = “eat” (simple active, transitive) Slide 5 of 12 Hiphil = “feed” (active, causative) Niphal = “be eaten” (passive)

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Example #2: twm, “die” Qal = “die” (simple active, intransitive) Slide 6 of 12 Hiphil = “have someone killed” (active, causative) Piel = “kill” (active, factitive) [*really polel] Hophal – “be killed” (passive, causative)

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Example #3: rbd, “speak” From (de) noun (nominative) rb"D" Slide 7 of 12 Pual = “be spoken” (simple passive) Piel = “speak” (simple active, rarely occurs in qal)

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Example #4: dly, “bear” (i.e., children) Qal = “bear” (simple active, transitive) Slide 8 of 12 Piel = “help at birth, serve as midwife” (causative, one way) Niphal = “be born” (simple passive) Hiphil = “become the father of” (causative, another way)

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Example #5: ldg, “be great” Qal = “be great” (stative) Slide 9 of 12 Hiphil = “make great” (causative) Piel = “exalt” (factitive)

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Example #6: har, “see” Qal = “see” (simple active, transative) Slide 10 of 12 Hiphil = “show” (active, causative) Niphal = “appear” (simple passive) Hophal = “be shown” (passive, causative) Hithpael – “look at each other” (reciprocal)

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Example #7: hwc, “command” Does not appear in the Qal! Slide 11 of 12 Pual = “receive a command” (simple passive) Piel = “command” (simple active) [no nuance!]

BBI Hebrew Grammar I Hebrew Verbs Example #8: ~xl, “fight” Rarely appears in the Qal! Slide 12 of 12 Niphal = “fight” (simple active) [not passive!]