BBH Chapter 20 — Qal Infinitive Construct¶
Files¶
Reference Files¶
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| infinitive-construct-paradigms.md | Full paradigm tables: Strong A/B, III-ה, Biconsonantal, I-י, I-נ, I-aleph; summary table |
Exercises¶
| Exercise | Description |
|---|---|
| exercises/ch20-parsing-drill/ | 25-item drill: Parts A/B (IC recognition by root class and preposition) and Part C (disambiguation vs. Imperative, Imperfect, Perfect) |
| exercises/ch20-passage-exercise/ | 15-item passage exercise: Gen 2, Gen 11, Gen 19, Gen 37, Gen 39, Exo 3, Exo 19, Ecc 3, Gen 45 — full range of IC functions in context |
| exercises/ch20-qal-ic-paradigm-drill/ | Paradigm drill — write the Infinitive Construct and לְ form for 6 root classes |
Flashcards¶
| File | Format | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ch20-morphology-deck.md | Markdown | 32-card morphology deck — Qal Infinitive Construct with root class groupings |
| ch20-morphology-deck.txt | Anki import | Morphology deck — tab-separated, ready for Anki File → Import (32 cards) |
| ch20-morphology-deck-fd.txt | Flashcards Deluxe | Morphology deck — tab-separated, ready for Flashcards Deluxe import (32 cards) |
| ch20-vocab-deck.md | Markdown | Vocabulary deck — 15 words (8 verbs, 5 nouns, 2 other) with POS tags and frequency |
| ch20-vocab-deck.txt | Anki import | Vocabulary deck — tab-separated, ready for Anki File → Import (15 cards) |
| ch20-vocab-deck-fd.txt | Flashcards Deluxe | Vocabulary deck — tab-separated, ready for Flashcards Deluxe import (15 cards) |
Notebooks¶
| Notebook | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Qal Stem | Qal stem: infinitive construct distribution and top roots |
| Verbal Syntax | Infinitive construct usage and governing preposition analysis |
| Hebrew Prepositions | Governing prepositions on infinitive constructs (לְ, בְּ, כְּ, מִן) |
Basics of Biblical Hebrew, Pratico & Van Pelt Data: MACULA Hebrew WLC (~4,029 Qal Infinitive Construct tokens OT-wide)
1. Function (BBH §20.2)¶
The Infinitive Construct (IC) is a verbal noun — it has the properties of both a verb (it takes subjects, objects, and aspect) and a noun (it can be governed by prepositions). It never inflects for person, number, or gender on its own; those are expressed by suffixes (see Ch19).
| Function | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Complementary (verbal object) | Completes another verb: "he was able to…", "he began to…" | לֹ֣א יָכֹ֔ל לְ/דַבֵּ֥ר — "he was not able to speak" |
| Purpose / result (לְ + IC) | "in order to…", "so as to…" | לִ/רְאֹ֥ת — "to see / in order to see" |
| Temporal — when (בְּ + IC) | "when…", "while…" | בְּ/צֵ֥את — "when he went out" |
| Temporal — as/when (כְּ + IC) | "as…", "when…" | כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ — "when he heard" |
| Temporal — until (עַד + IC) | "until…" | עַד שׁוּב — "until he returned" |
| After / from (מִ/מֵ + IC) | "from…", "after…", "too… to…" | מֵ/עֲשׂ֖וֹת — "from doing / too… to do" |
| Epexegetical (לְ + IC after noun) | Explains or specifies the noun | עֵ֥ת לָ/מוּת — "a time to die" (Qoh 3:2) |
| Gerundive / abstract noun | Functions as a subject or object | טוֹב שֶׁ֖בֶת — "dwelling is good" |
Key diagnostic: Look for a preposition (לְ, בְּ, כְּ, מִ, עַד) before a form that looks like a verb but has no prefix — that is the Infinitive Construct. The most common signal in narrative is לֵ/אמֹ֑ר ("saying") after a verb of speech (over 800 times in the Torah alone).
2. Form — Diagnostic Markers (BBH §20.3–20.5)¶
The Qal Infinitive Construct resembles the Qal Imperative 2ms in most strong roots:
- Strong root (A-class): שְׁמֹר — identical to Imperative 2ms (context distinguishes)
- Strong root (B-class): שְׁמֹעַ — patach before guttural R3 (but holem on R2)
- With לְ prefix (most common): לִ/שְׁמֹר — hireq under lamed; shewa under R1
- III-ה roots: רְאוֹת / לִ/רְאוֹת — ה replaced by וֹת (holem-waw + taw)
- Biconsonantal roots: שׁוּב / בֹּא / קוּם — full long vowel preserved; bare IC = same as imperative
- I-י roots: לֶ/כֶת (הלך) / צֵאת (יצא) / שֶׁ/בֶת (ישב) — irregular contracted forms
- I-נ roots: סְפֹר (ספר, I-נ behaves normally in IC) / but נְסֹ֣עַ — some I-נ verbs are irregular
- I-aleph roots: אֱמֹר / אֱכֹל — hateph-seghol under aleph (same as Imperative)
3. Paradigm¶
Full paradigm tables are in the paradigm reference file.
| Form | BBH § | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Strong Root (שמר) | §20.3 | Identical to Imperative 2ms |
| With לְ prefix | §20.4 | Most common pattern; hireq under ל |
| III-ה roots | §20.5 | וֹת ending: רְאוֹת, עֲשׂוֹת, הֱיוֹת |
| Biconsonantal roots | §20.6 | Full vowel: בֹּא, שׁוּב, קוּם |
| I-י roots | §20.7 | Contracted: לֶ/כֶת, צֵאת, שֶׁ/בֶת |
| I-נ roots | §20.7 | Nun assimilates in some: תֵּת (נתן) |
| I-aleph roots | §20.7 | Hateph: אֱמֹר, אֱכֹל |
4. Real Forms — שָׁמַר (to keep/guard)¶
| Form | Hebrew | Gloss | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect 3ms | שָׁמַר | "he kept" | |
| Imperfect 3ms | יִשְׁמֹר | "he will keep" | |
| Wayyiqtol 3ms | וַיִּשְׁמֹר | "and he kept" | |
| Imperative 2ms | שְׁמֹר | "Keep!" | Identical form to IC |
| Inf. Construct (bare) | שְׁמֹר | "to keep / keeping" | Same form as Imperative; context distinguishes |
| Inf. Construct + לְ | לִ/שְׁמֹר | "to keep / in order to keep" | Most common pattern |
| Inf. Construct + בְּ | בְּ/שָׁמְר/וֹ | "when he kept" | + 3ms subject suffix |
| Participle ms | שֹׁמֵר | "keeping / one who keeps" |
Critical distinction: שְׁמֹר alone is ambiguous between Imperative 2ms and Inf.Construct. Context resolves: if the form is the subject or object of another verb, or follows a preposition, it is the IC. If it is addressed to a second person with command force, it is the Imperative.
5. Most Common Lemmas — Qal Infinitive Construct in the Torah¶
Corpus: Genesis–Deuteronomy · ~1,081 Qal IC tokens (including connector morphemes)
| Root | IC Form | Torah (×) | Meaning | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אמר | לֵ/אמֹר | ~800+ | say, speak | לֵאמֹר after verbs of speech = "saying" (quotative formula) |
| הלך | לֶ/כֶת / הֲלֹ֣ךְ | 12 | go, walk | Purpose and temporal |
| בוא | בֹּא / לָ/בוֹא | 11 | come, enter | לָבוֹא = "to come/enter" |
| עבר | לַ/עֲבֹ֣ר | 9 | pass, cross | Purpose clauses |
| ראה | לִ/רְאוֹת | 6 | see | Purpose: "in order to see" |
| נתן | תֵּת | 6 | give | IC of I-נ; very short form |
| עשה | לַ/עֲשׂוֹת | 5 | do, make | Complementary and purpose |
| מלא | מְלֹאת | 5 | be full, complete | Temporal: "when days were complete" |
| שוב | שׁוּב / לָ/שׁוּב | 5 | return | Purpose and temporal |
| אכל | לֶ/אֱכֹל | 3 | eat | Complementary after verbs of permission/prohibition |
| שלח | שְׁלֹחַ | 2 | send | Purpose |
| שמע | שְׁמֹ֣עַ | 2 | hear | Temporal: כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ |
| שנא | שְׂנֹ֥א | 2 | hate | Verbal noun use |
| ירד | לָ/רֶדֶת | 2 | go down | לְ + I-י IC |
| נסע | בְּ/נְסֹ֣עַ | 2 | set out | בְּ + IC temporal |
| ידע | לָ/דַ֥עַת | — | know | III-ה IC; common in Deu |
| היה | הֱי֥וֹת | 2 | be, become | III-ה IC: הֱיוֹת |
6. Example Passages¶
Complementary Infinitive (after modal verb)¶
Complementary — Gen 2:16–17 — מִכֹּ֛ל עֵ֥ץ הַ/גָּן אָכֹ֖ל תֹּאכֵֽל "From every tree of the garden you may surely eat." → אכל Qal IC (Infinitive Absolute as intensifier here — but note next verse): וּמֵ/עֵ֗ץ הַ/דַּ֤עַת טוֹב֙ וָ/רָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ — "you shall not eat from it"; מֵ/עֵץ = "from the tree" — preposition + noun + IC follows.
Complementary — Gen 19:22 — מַהֵ֣ר הִמָּלֵ֣ט שָׁ֑מָּה כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לַ/עֲשׂ֣וֹת דָּבָ֔ר "Hurry, escape there! For I am not able to do anything…" → עשה Qal IC (לַ/עֲשׂוֹת); complementary after יכל; the angel's limitation before Sodom.
Purpose / Result (לְ + IC)¶
Purpose — Gen 11:5 — וַ/יֵּ֣רֶד יְהוָ֔ה לִ/רְאֹ֥ת אֶת-הָ/עִ֖יר "And the LORD came down to see the city." → ראה Qal IC (לִ/רְאוֹת → III-ה; וֹת ending); לְ + IC = purpose clause; divine descent to Babel.
Purpose — Exo 3:8 — וָ/אֵרֵ֞ד לְ/הַ/צִּיל֣/וֹ מִ/יַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם "And I came down to deliver him from the hand of Egypt." → נצל Hiphil IC (לְ/הַ/צִּיל); purpose; God's self-declaration of intent.
Purpose — Deu 6:18 — לְמַ֣עַן יִיטַב֙ לָ֔/ךְ וּ/בָ֕אתָ וִ/ירַשְׁתָּ֖ אֶת-הָ/אָ֣רֶץ הַ/טֹּבָ֑ה "…so that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land…" → ירש Qal IC implied in context; לְמַעַן introduces a purpose clause with finite verb following.
Temporal — When (בְּ + IC)¶
Temporal bᵉ — Gen 19:17 — וַ/יְהִ֕י כְ/הוֹצִיאָ֥ם אֹתָ֖ם הַ/ח֑וּצָה "And when they had brought them outside…" → יצא Hiphil IC (כְּ/הוֹצִיאָ֥ם) + 3mp subject suffix; temporal clause opening narrative.
Temporal bᵉ — Gen 39:19 — וַ/יְהִ֣י כִ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ אֲדֹנָ֗יו אֶת-דִּבְרֵ֤י אִשְׁתּ֙/וֹ֙ "And when his master heard the words of his wife…" → שמע Qal IC (כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ); B-class; כְּ + IC = temporal; standard Hebrew narrative technique.
Temporal — As / When (כְּ + IC)¶
Temporal kᵉ — Gen 37:18 — וַ/יִּרְא֥וּ אֹת֖/וֹ מֵ/רָחֹ֑ק וּ/בְ/טֶ֗רֶם יִקְרַ֤ב אֲלֵי/הֶם֙ "They saw him from a distance, and before he came near them…" → Context for בְּטֶרֶם + imperfect (not IC here, but common temporal pairing with IC).
Temporal kᵉ — Exo 19:1 — בְּ/יוֹם֙ הַ/זֶּ֔ה בָּ֖אוּ מִ/דְבַּ֣ר סִינָ֑י … לְ/צֵ֥את בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵ/אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם "…in their going out from the land of Egypt." → יצא Qal IC (לְ/צֵ֥את); I-י IC form (צֵאת = going out); temporal + origin.
Quotative Formula (לֵאמֹר)¶
Quotative — Gen 1:22 — וַ/יְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛/ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵ/אמֹ֑ר "And God blessed them, saying:" → אמר Qal IC (לֵ/אמֹ֑ר); I-aleph; the quotative לֵאמֹר follows verbs of speech to introduce direct discourse; ~2,600× OT-wide — the single most common IC form.
Until (עַד + IC)¶
Until — Gen 26:13 — וַ/יֵּ֤לֶךְ הָ/אִישׁ֙ הָלֹ֣ךְ וְ/גָדֵ֔ל עַ֥ד כִּֽי-גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד "The man grew and grew until he became very great." → גדל Qal Perfect — עַד כִּי + finite verb (IC also used: עַד + IC = "until [action]").
7. Conjugation Distribution — Qal (OT-wide)¶
| Conjugation | Count | % of Qal |
|---|---|---|
| Consecutive Perfect (Weqatal) | 10,979 | 23.7% |
| Perfect (Qatal) | 9,245 | 19.9% |
| Imperfect (Yiqtol) | 7,914 | 17.0% |
| Participle | 5,078 | 10.9% |
| Infinitive Construct | 4,029 | 8.7% |
| Consecutive Imperfect (Wayyiqtol) | 3,987 | 8.6% |
| Imperative | 2,531 | 5.5% |
| Participle Passive | 914 | 2.0% |
| Jussive | 740 | 1.6% |
| Infinitive Absolute | 489 | 1.1% |
Teaching note: The Infinitive Construct (4,029 tokens, 8.7% of Qal) ranks fifth among Qal conjugations — more common than the Wayyiqtol! This reflects the heavy use of לְ-infinitives as purpose/complementary clauses, temporal constructions (בְּ/כְּ + IC), and especially the quotative לֵאמֹר (~2,600 tokens), which follows almost every verb of speech in Hebrew narrative. Mastering the IC unlocks the structure of most Hebrew temporal clauses and speech formulas.
8. Parsing Quick Reference¶
| Form | Root | Class | Gloss | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לִ/שְׁמֹר | שמר | Strong | "to keep" | לְ + IC; hireq under ל |
| לִ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ | שמע | B-class | "to hear" | לְ + IC; gutt. patach at R3 |
| לִ/רְאוֹת | ראה | III-ה | "to see" | וֹת ending |
| לַ/עֲשׂוֹת | עשה | III-ה + I-gutt. | "to do" | I-gutt. chateph + וֹת |
| לָ/בֹא / לָ/בוֹא | בוא | Biconsonantal | "to come" | Full long vowel |
| לָ/שׁוּב | שוב | Biconsonantal | "to return" | Full shureq |
| לָ/קוּם | קום | Biconsonantal | "to arise" | Full shureq |
| לֶ/כֶת | הלך | I-י | "to go" | Contracted: ל + כ + seghol-taw |
| שֶׁ/בֶת | ישב | I-י | "to dwell" | IC without ל; seghol-taw |
| צֵאת | יצא | I-י + III-א | "to go out" | Tsere + aleph + taw |
| תֵּת | נתן | I-נ | "to give" | Both nuns drop; very short |
| לֵ/אמֹר | אמר | I-aleph | "saying" | Quotative; ~2,600× OT |
| לֶ/אֱכֹל | אכל | I-aleph | "to eat" | Hateph under aleph |
| הֱיוֹת | היה | III-ה | "to be" | הֱ + יוֹת |
| לָ/דַ֥עַת | ידע | I-י | "to know" | I-י + dagesh in ד |
| בְּ/שָׁמְר/וֹ | שמר | Strong | "when he kept" | בְּ + IC + 3ms subject suffix |
| כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ | שמע | B-class | "when he heard" | כְּ + IC temporal |