# Chapter 27 — Semantic Function Sorting (Weak Roots)

*BBH Chapter 27 · Hiphil Weak Verbs*

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## Instructions

Below are 24 Hiphil verb forms drawn from the OT, all from **weak roots**. Each item gives you the Hebrew form, its reference, and a contextual gloss.

**For each item, classify the Hiphil as one of the five semantic functions:**

| Label | Function | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| **C** | Causative | Does the subject *cause* something or someone else to do/experience the action? |
| **F** | Factitive | Does the subject *cause* an object to be in a certain state? (Often from a stative root.) |
| **D** | Declarative | Does the subject *declare or treat* something as being in a state? |
| **SA** | Simple Action | Is the Hiphil the standard form of the verb with no obvious Qal counterpart? |
| **DN** | Denominative | Is the Hiphil derived from a **noun**, performing an action related to that noun? |

> **Tip:** All roots in this exercise are weak (I-י, I-נ, Hollow, III-ה, Biconsonantal, Geminate). Focus on the *semantic* label — the weak-root morphology doesn't change the function categories.

Write your answer (C / F / D / SA / DN) in the blank column.

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## Exercise Table

| # | Hebrew Form | Conjugation | Ref | Contextual Gloss | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1  | הוֹצִיא | Perfect 3ms | Gen 15:7 | "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur" | |
| 2  | הוֹשִׁיב | Wayyiqtol 3ms | Gen 47:11 | "Joseph settled his father and brothers in Egypt" | |
| 3  | הוֹדִיעַ | Perfect 3ms | Deu 4:9 | "make them known to your children and grandchildren" | |
| 4  | הֵבִיא | Perfect 3ms | Gen 43:17 | "the man brought Joseph's brothers into Joseph's house" | |
| 5  | הֵשִׁיב | Wayyiqtol 3ms | Gen 42:25 | "Joseph commanded that each man's money be returned" | |
| 6  | הֵקִים | Wayyiqtol 3ms | Gen 6:18 | "I will establish my covenant with you" | |
| 7  | יָמִית | Imperfect 3ms | Deu 17:12 | "that man shall be put to death" | |
| 8  | הִפִּיל | Wayyiqtol 3ms | Gen 2:21 | "the LORD caused a deep sleep to fall on the man" | |
| 9  | הִגִּישׁ | Wayyiqtol 3ms | Gen 43:31 | "Joseph set the meal before them" | |
| 10 | הֶעֱלָה | Perfect 3ms | Gen 46:4 | "I will also bring you up again" | |
| 11 | הֶרְאָה | Perfect 3ms | Deu 34:1 | "the LORD showed him all the land" | |
| 12 | הִטָּה | Wayyiqtol 3ms | Exo 10:13 | "Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt" | |
| 13 | הִגְלָה | Perfect 3ms | 2 Kgs 17:6 | "the king of Assyria exiled Israel to Assyria" | |
| 14 | הֵרַע | Perfect 3ms | Gen 19:9 | "now we will deal worse with you than with them" | |
| 15 | הֶחֱיָה | Wayyiqtol 3ms | Gen 47:25 | "you have saved our lives!" | |
| 16 | הִשְׁחִית | Wayyiqtol 3ms | Gen 6:12 | "for all flesh had corrupted its way on earth" | |
| 17 | הֵרִים | Wayyiqtol 3ms | Gen 22:10 | "Abraham reached out his hand and lifted the knife" | |
| 18 | הֵשִׁיב | Perfect 3ms | Num 23:20 | "I have received a command to bless" | |
| 19 | הֵמִיר | Perfect 3ms | Lev 27:10 | "he shall not exchange it or substitute it" | |
| 20 | יַשְׁמִיעַ | Imperfect 3ms | Deu 4:36 | "from heaven he made you hear his voice" | |
| 21 | הֵבִין | Perfect 3ms | Neh 8:8 | "they gave the sense so that the people understood" | |
| 22 | הִרְבָּה | Perfect 3ms | Gen 22:17 | "I will greatly multiply your offspring" | |
| 23 | הִגְדִּיל | Perfect 3ms | Joel 2:21 | "for the LORD has done great things" | |
| 24 | הִכְשִׁיל | Perfect 3ms | Lam 1:14 | "he made my strength fail / he caused me to stumble" | |

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## Discussion Questions

1. Items 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 13 are all Causative. What do the underlying Qal roots have in common — motion, state, or position — that makes the Causative reading natural?
2. Item 6 (קוּם, "to rise / stand") classifies as Causative: God caused the covenant to stand/be established. How is this different from saying הֵקִים is Factitive? (Hint: what is the "object" being caused, and is it a state or an action?)
3. Items 21 (הֵבִין, "to understand") and 22 (הִרְבָּה, "to multiply") are both Causative. Identify the Qal meaning for each root and explain how the Hiphil extends it.

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## Answer Key

| # | Root | Function | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1  | יָצָא | **C** | Qal = go out; Hiphil = cause to go out / bring out |
| 2  | יָשַׁב | **C** | Qal = sit/dwell; Hiphil = cause to dwell / settle |
| 3  | יָדַע | **C** | Qal = know; Hiphil = cause to know / make known |
| 4  | בּוֹא | **C** | Qal = come; Hiphil = cause to come / bring |
| 5  | שׁוּב | **C** | Qal = return; Hiphil = cause to return / give back |
| 6  | קוּם | **C** | Qal = rise; Hiphil = cause to stand / establish |
| 7  | מוּת | **C** | Qal = die; Hiphil = cause to die / put to death |
| 8  | נָפַל | **C** | Qal = fall; Hiphil = cause to fall / cast down |
| 9  | נָגַשׁ | **C** | Qal = draw near; Hiphil = cause to draw near / set before |
| 10 | עָלָה | **C** | Qal = go up; Hiphil = cause to go up / bring up |
| 11 | רָאָה | **C** | Qal = see; Hiphil = cause to see / show |
| 12 | נָטָה | **C** | Qal = extend/stretch; Hiphil = cause to extend / stretch out |
| 13 | גָּלָה | **C** | Qal = go into exile; Hiphil = cause to go into exile / exile |
| 14 | רָעַע | **F** | Qal = be bad/evil; Hiphil = make worse / deal badly |
| 15 | חָיָה | **C** | Qal = live; Hiphil = cause to live / save alive |
| 16 | שָׁחַת | **SA** | Hiphil = destroy/corrupt; Niphal = be destroyed; primary usage |
| 17 | רוּם | **C** | Qal = be high/rise; Hiphil = cause to rise / lift up |
| 18 | שׁוּב | **C** | Qal = return; Hiphil = receive back / cause to return (blessing) |
| 19 | מוּר | **SA** | To exchange/substitute; Hiphil is primary form for this meaning |
| 20 | שָׁמַע | **C** | Qal = hear; Hiphil = cause to hear / proclaim |
| 21 | בִּין | **C** | Qal = understand; Hiphil = cause to understand / give understanding |
| 22 | רָבָה | **C** | Qal = be many; Hiphil = cause to be many / multiply |
| 23 | גָּדַל | **F** | Qal = be great; Hiphil = cause greatness / do great things |
| 24 | כָּשַׁל | **C** | Qal = stumble; Hiphil = cause to stumble / make strength fail |

### Function summary

| Function | Items | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Causative | 1–13, 15, 17–18, 20–22, 24 | 19 |
| Factitive | 14, 23 | 2 |
| Simple Action | 16, 19 | 2 |
| Declarative | — | 0 |
| Denominative | — | 0 |
