# Ch18 Passage Exercise — Qal Imperative in Context

*For each highlighted form, give: (a) Form Type (Imperative / Imperfect / Jussive / Weqatal), (b) Person, (c) Number, (d) Gender, (e) Root (lexical form), (f) Usage Note (Direct Command / Prohibition / Invitation / Command Chain / etc.).*

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## Passage A — Genesis 12:1–3 (The Call of Abraham)

> **לֶךְ**\־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖
> **וַ/עֲזֹב**\־אֶת\־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ
> אֶל\־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃
> **וֶ/הְיֵ֖ה** בְּרָכָֽה׃

| # | Form | Form Type | Person | Number | Gender | Root | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לֶךְ | | | | | | |
| 2 | עֲזֹב | | | | | | |
| 3 | וֶהְיֵה | | | | | | |

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## Passage B — Genesis 22:1–2 (The Binding of Isaac)

> **קַח**\־נָ֠א אֶת\־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת\־יְחִֽידְךָ֤
> אֲשֶׁר\־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙ אֶת\־יִצְחָ֔ק
> **וְ/לֶךְ**\־לְךָ֔ אֶל\־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּ֑ה
> **וְ/הַעֲלֵ֤הוּ** שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה

| # | Form | Form Type | Person | Number | Gender | Root | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | קַח | | | | | | |
| 5 | וְלֶךְ | | | | | | |
| 6 | וְהַעֲלֵהוּ | | | | | | |

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## Passage C — Deuteronomy 6:4–9 (The Shema and Its Commands)

> **שְׁמַ֖ע** יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֶחָֽד׃
> **וְ/אָ֣הַבְתָּ֔** אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ
> **וְ/שִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם** לְבָנֶ֔יךָ
> **וְ/דִבַּרְתָּ֣** בָּ֔ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֥ בְבֵיתֶ֖ךָ

| # | Form | Form Type | Person | Number | Gender | Root | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | שְׁמַע | | | | | | |
| 8 | וְאָהַבְתָּ | | | | | | |
| 9 | וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם | | | | | | |
| 10 | וְדִבַּרְתָּ | | | | | | |

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## Passage D — Genesis 1:28 + Exodus 3:4–5 (Divine Commands)

> **פְּר֥וּ** וּ/**רְב֖וּ** וּ/**מִלְא֣וּ** אֶת\־הָאָ֑רֶץ
> **וְ/כִבְשֻׁ֖הָ** [Gen 1:28]
>
> וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֵלָ֤יו אֱלֹהִים֙ …
> **אַל**\־**תִּקְרַ֣ב** הֲלֹ֑ם
> **שַׁל**\־**נְעָלֶ֙יךָ֙** מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔יךָ [Exo 3:5]

| # | Form | Form Type | Person | Number | Gender | Root | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | פְּרוּ | | | | | | |
| 12 | רְבוּ | | | | | | |
| 13 | מִלְאוּ | | | | | | |
| 14 | אַל\־תִּקְרַב | | | | | | |
| 15 | שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ | | | | | | |

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## Passage E — Numbers 13:17–18 (Scouting Canaan)

> **עֲל֥וּ** זֶ֖ה בַּנֶּ֑גֶב
> **וַ/עֲלִיתֶם֙** אֶת\־הָהָ֔ר
> **וּ/רְאִיתֶ֤ם** אֶת\־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ מַה\־הִ֔וא
> **וְ/אֶת\־הָעָ֛ם** הַיֹּשֵׁ֥ב עָלֶ֖יהָ הֶחָזָ֣ק הוּא֒ הֲ**רָפֶ֥ה**

| # | Form | Form Type | Person | Number | Gender | Root | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | עֲלוּ | | | | | | |

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## Answer Key

| # | Form | Form Type | Pers. | Num. | Gen. | Root | Usage Note | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | לֶךְ | Imperative | 2nd | s | m | הלך | Direct Command | I-י short form; ה drops; "Go!" — God's call to Abraham |
| 2 | עֲזֹב | Imperative | 2nd | s | m | עזב | Direct Command | Strong A-class; "leave!" — part of the triple leave-command |
| 3 | וֶהְיֵה | Imperative | 2nd | s | m | היה | Direct Command | III-ה; וְ + imperative — not Weqatal; "and be a blessing" |
| 4 | קַח | Imperative | 2nd | s | m | לקח | Direct Command | I-י short form; נָא adds urgency; "Take now your son" |
| 5 | וְלֶךְ | Imperative | 2nd | s | m | הלך | Command Chain | וְ + Imperative (not Weqatal); continues the series of commands |
| 6 | וְהַעֲלֵהוּ | Imperative | 2nd | s | m | עלה | Direct Command | Hiphil Imperative 2ms + 3ms suffix; "offer him up" — not Qal; Hiphil of עלה |
| 7 | שְׁמַע | Imperative | 2nd | s | m | שמע | Direct Command | B-class; patach (gutt. R3); the Shema imperative — launches command chain |
| 8 | וְאָהַבְתָּ | Weqatal | 2nd | s | m | אהב | Command Chain | Weqatal continues the Shema; "and you shall love" |
| 9 | וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם | Weqatal | 2nd | s | m | שנן | Command Chain | Piel Weqatal; "and you shall teach them diligently" |
| 10 | וְדִבַּרְתָּ | Weqatal | 2nd | s | m | דבר | Command Chain | Piel Weqatal; "and you shall speak of them" |
| 11 | פְּרוּ | Imperative | 2nd | p | m | פרה | Direct Command | III-ה 2mp; ה drops before -וּ; creation mandate |
| 12 | רְבוּ | Imperative | 2nd | p | m | רבה | Direct Command | III-ה 2mp; paired with פְּרוּ; "multiply!" |
| 13 | מִלְאוּ | Imperative | 2nd | p | m | מלא | Direct Command | III-א 2mp; "fill!" |
| 14 | אַל\־תִּקְרַב | Jussive | 2nd | s | m | קרב | Prohibition | אַל + Jussive 2ms; NOT Imperative — negative command uses Jussive; "Do not come near!" |
| 15 | שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ | Imperative | 2nd | s | m | שלף/של | Direct Command | Imperative 2ms; "Remove your sandals!" — holy ground command |
| 16 | עֲלוּ | Imperative | 2nd | p | m | עלה | Direct Command | III-ה + I-gutt. 2mp; ה drops; "Go up! (into the Negev)" |

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## Reflection Questions

1. In Passage A (Gen 12:1), the three-part command לֶךְ … וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ … וּמִבֵּ֣ית ("go from your land, your kindred, and your father's house") uses repeated imperative force built on a single verb. How does this accumulation of forsaken relationships shape the theological weight of God's command? What grammatical structure would have expressed a weaker call?

2. Compare Passage C (Deu 6:4–9) with Passages A and B. The Shema opens with a single Imperative (שְׁמַע) then immediately switches to Weqatal forms (וְאָהַבְתָּ, וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם…). Why does the text use Weqatal rather than a series of imperatives? What does the Weqatal chain communicate about the relationship between hearing and the subsequent obligations?

3. In Passage D (Exo 3:5), the negative command "Do not come near" uses אַל + Jussive (אַל\־תִּקְרַב), not the Imperative. Hebrew never uses the Imperative for negative commands. What two constructions does Hebrew use for prohibitions (distinguish permanent from immediate), and why does the Jussive work for negative commands while the Imperative does not?
