# Chapter 26 — Qal–Hiphil Contrast Drill

BBH Chapter 26 · Hiphil Strong Verbs

For each Hiphil form below: (1) translate it into English, (2) name the semantic function (Causative / Declarative / Factitive / Simple Action), and (3) explain in one sentence why the Hiphil meaning follows from the Qal.

## Part A — Motion Verbs (Causative)

These roots describe motion in the Qal. The Hiphil makes someone else do the moving.

# | Root | Qal Meaning | Hiphil Form | Ref | Translation | Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | בּוֹא | to go in, come | יָּבֵא (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 2:19 |  |  |
he brought (them) — Causative — God caused the animals to come to Adam; Qal "to come" → Hiphil "to cause to come / bring"
2 | יָצָא | to go out | תּוֹצֵא (Wayyiqtol 3fs) | Gen 1:12 |  |  |
it brought forth — Causative — the earth caused vegetation to come out; Qal "to go out" → Hiphil "to cause to go out / bring forth"
3 | שׁוּב | to return | הֵשִׁיב (Weqatal 3ms) | Gen 14:16 |  |  |
he brought back — Causative — Abraham caused Lot to return; Qal "to return" → Hiphil "to cause to return / restore"
4 | עָלָה | to go up | הַעֲלֵה (Imperative 2ms) | Gen 22:2 |  |  |
offer up! — Causative — Abraham is to cause Isaac to go up as a burnt offering; Qal "to go up" → Hiphil "to bring up / offer"
5 | יָרַד | to go down | תֹּרֶד (Wayyiqtol 3fs) | Gen 24:18 |  |  |
she lowered (her jar) — Causative — Rebekah caused the jar to go down; Qal "to go down" → Hiphil "to bring down / lower"
6 | מוּת | to die | הָמִית (Inf. Construct) | Gen 18:25 |  |  |
to put to death / to kill — Causative — causing someone to die; Qal "to die" → Hiphil "to cause to die / kill"
7 | יָלַד | to give birth | יּוֹלֶד (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 5:3 |  |  |
he fathered / begat — Causative — Adam caused a son to be born; Qal "to give birth" → Hiphil "to cause to be born / beget"
8 | שָׁקָה | to drink | הִשְׁקָה (Perfect 3ms) | Gen 2:6 |  |  |
it watered — Causative — the mist caused the ground to receive water; Qal "to drink" → Hiphil "to give to drink / water"

## Part B — Stative Verbs (Factitive and Declarative)

These roots describe a state in the Qal. The Hiphil either causes that state (Factitive) or declares something to be in that state (Declarative).

Factitive vs. Declarative:

- Factitive — the Hiphil causes the state: כָּבֵד Qal "be heavy" → Hiphil "make heavy"
- Declarative — the Hiphil declares something as being in that state: רָשָׁע Qal "be wicked" → Hiphil "declare wicked / condemn"

# | Root | Qal Meaning | Hiphil Form | Ref | Translation | Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
9 | כָּבֵד | to be heavy, honored | יַּכְבֵּד (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Exo 8:28 |  |  |
he hardened (his heart) — Factitive — Pharaoh caused his heart to be in a state of heaviness/stubbornness
10 | גָּדַל | to be great | תַּגְדֵּל (Wayyiqtol 2ms) | Gen 19:19 |  |  |
you have made great (your kindness) — Factitive — caused kindness to be great; Qal "to be great" → Hiphil "to make great / magnify"
11 | רָשָׁע | to be wicked | הִרְשִׁיעוּ (Perfect 3cp) | Deu 25:1 |  |  |
they condemned (the guilty) / declared wicked — Declarative — a legal verdict declaring someone to be in the state of guilt (Deu 25:1 contrasts this with acquitting the innocent)

## Part C — Verbs with No Common Qal

Some roots are attested almost exclusively in the Hiphil. The Hiphil is their "base" form in terms of usage frequency.

# | Root | Qal Situation | Hiphil Form | Ref | Translation | Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
12 | נָכָה | no Qal in BH | הַכּוֹת (Inf. Construct) | Gen 4:15 |  |  |
to strike / smite — Simple Action — Hiphil is the primary form; no causative "extra layer" since there is no Qal counterpart
13 | שָׁמַד | no Qal in BH | הִשְׁמַדְתִּי (Perfect 1cs) | Lev 26:30 |  |  |
I will destroy — Simple Action — Hiphil is the primary form; the Niphal of this root means "to be destroyed"
14 | נָגַד | rare Qal | יַּגֵּד (Wayyiqtol 3ms) | Gen 9:22 |  |  |
he told / reported — Simple Action — the Hiphil is the standard form; the root idea is "to place before / face" someone; Hiphil = to put information before someone

## Discussion Questions

1. For the motion verbs in Part A, describe the pattern in one sentence: what does the Hiphil consistently do to the Qal meaning?
2. Which of Part B's three verbs is Factitive and which is Declarative? How did you decide?
3. Does the lack of a Qal counterpart (Part C) affect how you translate the Hiphil? Why or why not?