# BBH Chapter 26 — Hiphil Strong Verbs (הִפְעִיל)

## Files

### Reference Files

File | Description
--- | ---
hiphil-paradigms.md | Full conjugation paradigms (Perfect through Participle) with PGN tables and key-marker notes

### Exercises

Exercise | Description
--- | ---
exercises/ch26-passage-exercise/ | "Spot the Hiphil" — 16 verbs from the flood narrative to parse and classify by function type
exercises/ch26-function-sort/ | Semantic function sorting — classify Hiphil verbs by function type (causative, declarative, factitive, simple)
exercises/ch26-qal-hiphil-contrast/ | Qal vs. Hiphil contrast — spot the difference in form and meaning
exercises/ch26-hiphil-paradigm-drill/ | Paradigm drill — write all 30 inflected forms of קטל (Hiphil) from memory
exercises/ch26-stem-id-drill/ | Stem identification drill — 24 forms from Qal/Niphal/Hiphil; identify stem, conjugation, PGN, and root

### Flashcards

File | Format | Description
--- | --- | ---
ch26-morphology-deck.md | Markdown | 32-card morphology deck — Hiphil forms across 4 roots and 8 conjugations
ch26-morphology-deck.txt | Anki import | Morphology deck — tab-separated, ready for Anki File → Import (32 cards)
ch26-morphology-deck-fd.txt | Flashcards Deluxe | Morphology deck — tab-separated, ready for Flashcards Deluxe import (32 cards)
ch26-vocab-deck.md | Markdown | Vocabulary deck — 15 words (11 verbs, 1 noun, 3 adjectives) with POS tags and frequency
ch26-vocab-deck.txt | Anki import | Vocabulary deck — tab-separated, ready for Anki File → Import (15 cards)
ch26-vocab-deck-fd.txt | Flashcards Deluxe | Vocabulary deck — tab-separated, ready for Flashcards Deluxe import (15 cards)

### Notebooks

Notebook | What it shows
--- | ---
Hiphil Stem | Hiphil stem: complete morphological profile, causative semantic categories, dominant roots

Basics of Biblical Hebrew, Pratico & Van Pelt
Data: MACULA Hebrew WLC (9,409 OT Hiphil tokens)

> Context: The Hiphil is the second most productive derived stem in Biblical Hebrew (12.9% of all OT verb tokens). See OT Verb Stems Overview for how it compares to the Qal, Niphal, Piel, and other stems.

## 1. Function (BBH §26.2)

The Hiphil is the primary causative stem in Biblical Hebrew. A verb that is intransitive in the Qal becomes transitive in the Hiphil: the subject causes someone or something to perform the action.

Function | Description | Example
--- | --- | ---
Causative | Subject causes another to perform the action | הֵבִיא "he brought" ← בּוֹא "to come/go"
Declarative | Subject declares or treats the object as something | הִצְדִּיק "he declared righteous" ← צָדַק "to be righteous"
Factitive | Subject causes a state to come into existence | הֶחֱזִיק "he strengthened" ← חָזַק "to be strong"
Simple action | No causative force; Hiphil is the standard lexical form | הִגִּיד "he told / declared" ← נָגַד (Hiphil-only)
Denominative (not in BBH) | Action derived from a noun | הִמְטִיר "he caused to rain" ← מָטָר "rain"

> Key diagnostic: Ask, "Is the subject doing the action, or causing someone else to do it?" If causing — it is likely Hiphil.

## 2. Form

### Diagnostic Markers

- Perfect: הִ prefix + chiriq under first root letter → הִקְטִיל
- Imperfect: patach under prefix consonant + chiriq in final syllable → יַקְטִיל
- Wayyiqtol: וַיַּ prefix + tsere in final syllable → וַיַּקְטֵל
- Imperative: הַ prefix + tsere → הַקְטֵל
- Infinitive Construct: הַ prefix + chiriq → הַקְטִיל
- Infinitive Absolute: הַ prefix + tsere → הַקְטֵל
- Participle: מַ prefix + chiriq → מַקְטִיל

### Paradigm — Model Root קטל

Conjugation | 3ms Form | BBH § | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
Perfect (qatal) | הִקְטִיל | §26.3 | הִ prefix; chiriq vowel
Wayyiqtol | וַיַּקְטֵל | — | sequential narrative; doubled prefix + tsere
Imperfect (yiqtol) | יַקְטִיל | §26.5 | patach under prefix; chiriq final
Weqatal | וְהִקְטִיל | — | sequential future; וְ + perfect form
Imperative 2ms | הַקְטֵל | §26.7 | הַ prefix; tsere final
Infinitive Construct | הַקְטִיל | §26.9 | הַ prefix; chiriq
Infinitive Absolute | הַקְטֵל | §26.11 | הַ prefix; tsere
Participle ms | מַקְטִיל | §26.13 | מַ prefix; chiriq

### Real Forms from the Pentateuch — Root בּוֹא ("bring")

Conjugation | Pointed Form | Reference
--- | --- | ---
Perfect 3ms | הֵבִיא | Exo 23:23
Wayyiqtol 3ms | וַיָּבֵא | Gen 2:19
Imperfect 3ms | יָבִיא | Exo 13:5
Imperative 2ms | הָבֵא | Gen 27:4
Participle ms | מֵבִיא | Gen 6:17

> Note on weak roots: בּוֹא is a I-י/ו verb; its Hiphil forms show vowel contraction. Chapter 27 covers weak Hiphil roots in detail. For now, focus on recognizing the הִ/הַ/מַ prefix pattern.

## 3. Most Common Hiphil Lemmas (Pentateuch)

Frequency counts from Genesis–Deuteronomy only. The Hiphil gloss is given, not the Qal.

Root | Lemma | Torah (×) | Hiphil Meaning | Function Type
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
בוא | בּוֹא | 179 | bring, lead | Causative
קרב | קָרַב | 149 | present, offer | Causative
יצא | יָצָא | 111 | bring out, lead out | Causative
נכה | נָכָה | 90 | strike, smite | Causative
ילד | יָלַד | 64 | beget, father | Causative
שוב | שׁוּב | 63 | bring back, restore | Causative
עלה | עָלָה | 60 | offer up, bring up | Causative
נגד | נָגַד | 48 | tell, declare | Declarative
קטר | קָטַר | 43 | burn incense, cause to smoke | Causative
קום | קוּם | 41 | establish, set up | Factitive
יסף | יָסַף | 40 | do again, add | Causative
רבה | רָבָה | 37 | multiply, increase | Causative
רום | רוּם | 29 | lift up, exalt | Causative
שקה | שָׁקָה | 28 | water, give to drink | Causative
סור | סוּר | 27 | remove, take away | Causative

> Lexically Hiphil verbs: נָגַד (tell/declare) occurs almost exclusively in the Hiphil — the Qal is rare. These "built-in causatives" have no real Qal counterpart; the Hiphil form is the standard lexical form.

## 4. Example Passages

One example per semantic function × conjugation form. Torah passages preferred; Psalms, Proverbs, and Samuel used where Torah has no example of that combination.

### Causative

The subject causes another person or thing to perform the action. The eight major conjugation forms are all attested in Genesis–Deuteronomy.

Perfect (qatal) — Gen 2:6 — וְאֵד֙ יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה … וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה
"A mist went up … and it watered."
→ שָׁקָה Hiphil perfect 3ms; the mist causes the ground to drink (Hiphil of an intransitive root).

Wayyiqtol — Gen 2:19 — וַיָּבֵ֨א אֹתָ֜ם אֶל־הָֽאָדָ֗ם
"And he brought them to the man."
→ בּוֹא Hiphil wayyiqtol 3ms; God causes the animals to come (sequential narrative action).

Imperfect (yiqtol) — Gen 3:16 — הַרְבָּ֤ה אַרְבֶּה֙ עִצְּבוֹנֵ֣ךְ
"I will greatly increase your pain."
→ רָבָה Hiphil imperfect 1cs; preceded by infinitive absolute for emphasis (see Inf. Absolute below).

Weqatal — Gen 4:4 — וְהֵבִ֥יא מִבְּכֹרֹ֖ות צֹאנ֑וֹ
"And Abel brought from the firstborn of his flock."
→ בּוֹא Hiphil weqatal 3ms; sequential future/narrative continuation.

Imperative — Gen 8:17 — הַיְצֵ֣א אִתָּ֗ךְ
"Bring out with you…"
→ יָצָא Hiphil imperative 2ms; God commands Noah to cause the animals to come out (הַ prefix + tsere).

Infinitive Construct — Gen 2:10 — לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת
"to water [the garden]"
→ שָׁקָה Hiphil infinitive construct with לְ; expressing purpose.

Infinitive Absolute — Gen 3:16 — הַרְבָּ֤ה אַרְבֶּה֙
"I will surely increase…"
→ רָבָה Hiphil infinitive absolute + imperfect; the infinitive absolute before the finite verb creates an emphatic, certain assertion.

Participle — Gen 6:17 — הִנְנִ֤י מֵבִיא֙ אֶת־הַמַּבּ֔וּל
"Behold, I am bringing the flood."
→ בּוֹא Hiphil participle ms; God as agent causing the flood to come (participial predicate with הִנֵּה).

### Declarative

The subject declares, communicates, or causes knowledge to be known. נָגַד occurs almost exclusively in the Hiphil (90%+ of all its OT tokens); it is a "built-in causative."

Perfect (qatal) — Gen 45:13 — וְהִגַּדְתֶּ֣ם לְאָבִ֗י
"And you will tell my father."
→ נָגַד Hiphil perfect 2mp; Joseph instructs his brothers to declare everything to Jacob.

Wayyiqtol — Gen 9:22 — וַיַּגֵּ֥ד לִשְׁנֵֽי־אֶחָ֖יו
"And he told his two brothers."
→ נָגַד Hiphil wayyiqtol 3ms; standard narrative verb of speech.

Imperfect (yiqtol) — Gen 46:31 — אֶגְּלֶ֨ה וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לְפַרְעֹ֗ה
"I will go up and tell Pharaoh."
→ נָגַד Hiphil imperfect 1cs cohortative; Joseph announces his plan.

Weqatal — Gen 12:18 — מַדּ֖וּעַ לֹא־הִגַּ֣דְתָּ לִּ֑י
"Why did you not tell me?"
→ נָגַד Hiphil weqatal 2ms (rhetorical question); Pharaoh rebukes Abram for concealing that Sarai was his wife. (The "we" prefix functions as a simple conjunction here.)

Imperative — Gen 4:23 — הַאְזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י
"Give ear to my speech!"
→ אָזַן Hiphil imperative 2fp; Lamech demands his wives listen — the Hiphil of אָזַן "to have ears" means "lend an ear / pay attention."

Infinitive Construct — Gen 32:6 (Eng. 32:5) — לִהַגִּ֥יד לַֽאדֹנִ֖י
"to tell my lord"
→ נָגַד Hiphil infinitive construct with לְ; purpose clause explaining why Jacob sent messengers ahead.

Infinitive Absolute — Gen 43:3 — הָעֵ֣ד הֵעִ֤יד בָּ֙נוּ֙
"The man solemnly warned us."
→ עוּד Hiphil infinitive absolute + perfect 3ms; the doubled root emphasizes the gravity of Joseph's warning.

> Note: No Hiphil imperative of a purely declarative root with zero causative overlap exists in the OT. Gen 4:23 (אָזַן "give ear") is the closest Torah example and is representative of this type.

Participle — Gen 41:24 — אֵ֥ין מַגִּ֖יד לִ֑י
"There is no one to tell me."
→ נָגַד Hiphil participle ms; Pharaoh laments the absence of an interpreter/announcer.

### Factitive

The subject causes a state or condition to come into existence (often from an intransitive stative root).

Perfect (qatal) — Gen 9:11 — הֲקִמֹתִ֤י אֶת־בְּרִיתִי֙
"I have established my covenant."
→ קוּם Hiphil perfect 1cs; God causes the covenant to stand/come into existence.

Wayyiqtol — Exo 40:18 — וַיָּ֨קֶם מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙
"And Moses set up the tabernacle."
→ קוּם Hiphil wayyiqtol 3ms; Moses causes the tabernacle to stand upright.

Imperfect (yiqtol) — Gen 17:21 — אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָקִ֣ים
"which I will establish"
→ קוּם Hiphil imperfect 1cs; the covenant God will bring into being with Isaac.

Weqatal — Gen 6:18 — וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י
"But I will establish…"
→ קוּם Hiphil weqatal 1cs; sequential future: after the flood, God will confirm his covenant with Noah.

Imperative — Gen 21:18 — הַחֲזִ֥יקִי אֶת־יָדֵ֖ךְ בּ֑וֹ
"Hold him up with your hand."
→ חָזַק Hiphil imperative 2fs; the angel tells Hagar to strengthen (cause to be firm) her grip on Ishmael.

Infinitive Construct — Num 7:1 — בְּיוֹם֩ כַּלּ֨וֹת מֹשֶׁ֜ה לְהָקִ֣ים
"On the day when Moses finished setting up…"
→ קוּם Hiphil infinitive construct with לְ; the action of causing the tabernacle to stand.

Infinitive Absolute — Deu 22:4 — הָקֵ֥ם תָּקִ֖ים עִמּ֑וֹ
"You shall surely raise it up with him."
→ קוּם Hiphil infinitive absolute + imperfect; emphatic command to help a neighbor lift a fallen animal.

Participle — Gen 9:9 — הִנְנִ֕י מֵקִ֛ים אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י
"Behold, I am about to establish my covenant."
→ קוּם Hiphil participle ms; participial predicate with הִנֵּה expressing imminence.

### Simple Action (Hiphil-Only / Denominative)

Some roots occur almost exclusively in the Hiphil — the Hiphil form is the standard lexical form. There is no separate Qal meaning to contrast.

Perfect (qatal) — Exo 4:15 — וְאָנֹכִ֕י אֶהְיֶ֥ה עִם־פִּ֖יךָ … וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֗ם
"I will be with your mouth … and I will teach you."
→ יָרָה Hiphil perfect 1cs; God promises to guide both Moses and Aaron (יָרָה Hiphil = "teach, instruct" — a Hiphil-only meaning derived from "to throw/point").

Wayyiqtol — Gen 2:15 — וַיַּנִּחֵ֛הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֖דֶן
"And he placed/set him in the garden of Eden."
→ נוּחַ Hiphil wayyiqtol 3ms + 3ms suffix; God causes man to rest/settle in the garden (נוּחַ "to rest" → Hiphil "to set, place").

Imperfect (yiqtol) — Exo 17:11 — כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָנִ֛יחַ יָד֖וֹ
"But whenever he lowered his hand…"
→ נוּחַ Hiphil imperfect 3ms; Moses lowers/rests his hand (יָנִ֛יחַ "he set down/rested").

Weqatal — Gen 19:2 — וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֖ם
"and you will rise early."
→ שָׁכַם Hiphil weqatal 2mp; Lot urges the angels to stay the night and resume their journey early. שָׁכַם Hiphil = "to rise early, set out early" — always Hiphil.

Imperative — Exo 8:16 (Eng. 8:20) — הַשְׁכֵּ֤ם בַּבֹּ֙קֶר֙
"Rise early in the morning."
→ שָׁכַם Hiphil imperative 2ms; God tells Moses to confront Pharaoh at dawn.

Infinitive Construct — Exo 3:6 — כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א מֵהַבִּ֖יט
"for he was afraid to look."
→ נָבַט Hiphil infinitive construct with מִ; Moses averts his gaze from God. נָבַט Hiphil = "to look, gaze" — occurs almost exclusively in the Hiphil.

Infinitive Absolute — 1 Sam 17:16 — וַיַּגֵּ֤שׁ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי֙ הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם וְהַעֲרֵ֔ב
"And the Philistine came forward, morning and evening."
→ שָׁכַם Hiphil infinitive absolute used adverbially ("early-rising and late-rising"), a fixed idiom for relentless daily repetition. (Closest Torah equivalent: Jer 7:13 uses the same idiom; Samuel is the earliest narrative attestation.)

Participle — Jos 1:13 — יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ מֵנִ֣יחַ לָכֶ֔ם
"The LORD your God is giving you rest."
→ נוּחַ Hiphil participle ms; Joshua reminds the Transjordan tribes that God is the one causing them to rest/settle.

## 5. Conjugation Distribution (OT-wide)

Conjugation | Count | % of all Hiphil
--- | --- | ---
Imperfect (yiqtol) | 2,020 | 21.5%
Perfect (qatal) | 1,797 | 19.1%
Wayyiqtol | 1,750 | 18.6%
Infinitive Construct | 941 | 10.0%
Weqatal | 870 | 9.2%
Participle (active) | 820 | 8.7%
Imperative | 736 | 7.8%
Infinitive Absolute | 220 | 2.3%
Jussive | 176 | 1.9%
Cohortative | 79 | 0.8%

Total OT Hiphil tokens: 9,409 across 39 books.

> The yiqtol and wayyiqtol together account for over 40% of all Hiphil tokens — reflecting heavy use in narrative action sequences. The high imperative count (7.8%) reflects Hiphil commands to bring, deliver, or act on behalf of others.

Sources: MACULA Hebrew WLC (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · BBH = Pratico & Van Pelt, Basics of Biblical Hebrew, 3rd ed.