# Chapter 30 — Qal–Piel Contrast Drill

*BBH Chapter 30 · Piel Strong Verbs*

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## Instructions

Each item below gives you a root with its **Qal meaning** and an attested **Piel form** from the OT. For each item:

1. **Translate** the Piel form into English.
2. **Name the semantic function** (Intensive / Factitive / Declarative / Simple Action / Denominative).
3. **Explain in one sentence** *why* the Piel meaning follows from — or departs from — the Qal meaning.

The answer key is at the bottom.

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## Part A — Intensive Roots

The Qal describes a basic action. The Piel performs that action more forcefully, completely, or repeatedly.

| # | Root | Qal Meaning | Piel Form | Ref | Translation | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | שָׁבַר | to break | שִׁבֵּר (Perfect 3ms) | Exo 32:19 | | |
| 2 | כָּסָה | to cover | יְכַסּוּ (Wayyiqtol 3mp) | Gen 9:23 | | |
| 3 | שָׁלַח | to send | יְשַׁלַּח (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 8:7 | | |
| 4 | גָּרַשׁ | to drive out | יְגָרֶשׁ (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 3:24 | | |
| 5 | שָׁחַת | to ruin, be corrupt | שַׁחֵת (Inf. Construct) | Gen 6:17 | | |
| 6 | נָגַע | to touch, strike | יְנַגַּע (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 12:17 | | |
| 7 | כָּבַס | to wash (garments) | וְכִבְּסוּ (Weqatal 3cp) | Exo 19:10 | | |

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## Part B — Stative Roots (Factitive)

These roots describe a *state* in the Qal. The Piel **causes** an object to enter that state.

| # | Root | Qal Meaning | Piel Form | Ref | Translation | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8  | קָדַשׁ | to be holy | יְקַדֵּשׁ (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 2:3 | | |
| 9  | גָּדַל | to be great | אֲגַדְּלָה (Yiqtol 1cs) | Gen 12:2 | | |
| 10 | חָיָה | to live, be alive | חַיּוֹת (Inf. Construct) | Gen 7:3 | | |
| 11 | חָלַל | to be profane | יְחַלֵּל (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Lev 21:12 | | |
| 12 | כָּלָה | to be complete | יְכַל (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 2:2 | | |

> **Note — Factitive:** The Qal stative describes a *state* (to be holy, great, alive). The Piel *causes an object to enter* that state: sanctify = cause to be holy; magnify = cause to be great; preserve alive = cause to be in the state of living.

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## Part C — Declarative, Denominative, and Simple Action

| # | Root | Qal Meaning | Piel Form | Ref | Translation | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | קָלַל | to be small, light | מְקַלֵּל (Participle ms) | Gen 12:3 | | |
| 14 | כָּפַר | to cover, wipe | לְכַפֵּר (Inf. Construct) | Lev 4:20 | | |
| 15 | בָּרַךְ | (Qal: to kneel/bless — rare) | יְבָרֶךְ (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 1:22 | | |
| 16 | דָּבַר | (Qal: to speak — rare) | יְדַבֵּר (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 8:15 | | |
| 17 | הָלַל | (Qal: to shine — rare) | יְהַלֲלוּ (Wayyiqtol 3mp) | Gen 12:15 | | |

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## Discussion Questions

1. For Part A items 1–7, what single English test helps you identify whether a Piel is Intensive? (Hint: ask "does the subject *cause an object to become X*, or does the subject *do X more forcefully/completely*?") Apply the test to שִׁבֵּר and חַיּוֹת — what different functions emerge?

2. Items 8–12 (Factitive, Part B): for each root, write the stative Qal meaning and the Piel meaning side by side. What grammatical object does the Piel require that the Qal stative does not?

3. Items 13, 14, and 15–17 are respectively Declarative, Denominative, and Simple Action. For each category, explain in one sentence why "Intensive" doesn't fit, even though all five are Piels.

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## Answer Key

### Part A — Intensive

| # | Root | Qal Meaning | Piel Meaning | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | שָׁבַר | to break | he smashed to pieces | Intensive | Moses shattered the tablets completely; more than a simple break |
| 2 | כָּסָה | to cover | they covered thoroughly | Intensive | Shem and Japheth covered their father completely; emphatic covering |
| 3 | שָׁלַח | to send | he sent out / released | Intensive | The raven was let go; Piel = send away definitively |
| 4 | גָּרַשׁ | to drive out | he drove out forcibly | Intensive | Adam was expelled emphatically; Piel = expel completely |
| 5 | שָׁחַת | to ruin, be corrupt | to destroy utterly | Intensive | Total, cosmic destruction of all flesh; far beyond ordinary ruin |
| 6 | נָגַע | to touch, strike | he afflicted with plagues | Intensive | Repeated divine striking; not one blow but sustained affliction |
| 7 | כָּבַס | to wash | they shall wash thoroughly | Intensive | Ritual preparation requires complete, thorough laundering |

### Part B — Factitive

| # | Root | Qal Meaning | Piel Meaning | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8  | קָדַשׁ | to be holy | he sanctified / set apart as holy | Factitive | God caused the Sabbath to enter the state of holiness |
| 9  | גָּדַל | to be great | I will make great | Factitive | God will cause Abram's name to enter the state of greatness |
| 10 | חָיָה | to live, be alive | to preserve alive | Factitive | Noah is to cause animals to enter/remain in the state of living |
| 11 | חָלַל | to be profane | he would profane | Factitive | Priest would cause the sanctuary to enter the state of profaneness |
| 12 | כָּלָה | to be complete | he completed / finished | Factitive | God caused his work to enter the state of completion |

### Part C — Other Functions

| # | Root | Piel Meaning | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | קָלַל | to curse / treat as accursed | Declarative | Not "make someone small" (Factitive) but "pronounce/treat as accursed"; verbal declaration |
| 14 | כָּפַר | to make atonement | Denominative | From noun כֹּפֶר "ransom, covering"; the Piel performs the act of the noun |
| 15 | בָּרַךְ | to bless | Simple Action | Blessing is the Piel's own standard function; no Qal to intensify in ordinary usage |
| 16 | דָּבַר | to speak | Simple Action | Speaking is the Piel's standard function; Qal is functionally absent |
| 17 | הָלַל | to praise | Simple Action | Praising is the Piel's standard function; Qal "shine" is semantically unrelated |
