Chapter 30 — Qal–Piel Contrast Drill

BBH Chapter 30 · Piel Strong Verbs

Each item gives you a root with its Qal meaning and an attested Piel form. For each item: (1) translate the Piel, (2) name the function (Intensive / Factitive / Declarative / Simple Action / Denominative), (3) click ▶ Answer to check.

Key test: Does the subject do the action more forcefully or completely? → Intensive. Does the subject cause an object to enter a state (stative root)? → Factitive. Does the subject pronounce/treat something as being in a state? → Declarative. No common Qal to intensify? → Simple Action. Verb built on a noun? → Denominative.

Part A — Intensive Roots

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

#	Root	Qal Meaning	Piel Form	Ref
1	שָׁבַר	to break	שִׁבֵּר (Perfect 3ms)	Exo 32:19
Intensive · he smashed to pieces · Moses shattered the tablets completely; not merely "broke" but dashed them into fragments — an emphatic, total breaking
2	כָּסָה	to cover	יְכַסּוּ (Wayyiqtol 3mp)	Gen 9:23
Intensive · they covered (their father's nakedness) thoroughly · Shem and Japheth covered Noah completely; the Piel emphasizes the completeness of the covering
3	שָׁלַח	to send	יְשַׁלַּח (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 8:7
Intensive · he sent out / released (the raven) · The Piel = let go completely, dispatch definitively; the bird is released from its confinement on the ark
4	גָּרַשׁ	to drive out	יְגָרֶשׁ (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 3:24
Intensive · he drove out forcibly (the man) · The Piel = expel emphatically and completely; Adam is banished definitively from Eden
5	שָׁחַת	to ruin, be corrupt	שַׁחֵת (Inf. Construct)	Gen 6:17
Intensive · to destroy utterly · Not mere ruin but total, cosmic annihilation; the flood is a thorough destruction of all flesh
6	נָגַע	to touch, strike	יְנַגַּע (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 12:17
Intensive · he afflicted (Pharaoh and his house) with plagues · Not a single touch but repeated, sustained divine striking; the Piel intensifies both the force and duration
7	כָּבַס	to wash (garments)	וְכִבְּסוּ (Weqatal 3cp)	Exo 19:10
Intensive · they shall wash (their garments) thoroughly · Ritual preparation requires complete, thorough laundering; the Piel is the standard form for washing garments in a cultic context

Root

Qal Meaning

Piel Form

Ref

Translation

Function

שָׁבַר

to break

שִׁבֵּר (Perfect 3ms)

Exo 32:19

Intensive · he smashed to pieces · Moses shattered the tablets completely; not merely "broke" but dashed them into fragments — an emphatic, total breaking

כָּסָה

to cover

יְכַסּוּ (Wayyiqtol 3mp)

Gen 9:23

Intensive · they covered (their father's nakedness) thoroughly · Shem and Japheth covered Noah completely; the Piel emphasizes the completeness of the covering

שָׁלַח

to send

יְשַׁלַּח (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 8:7

Intensive · he sent out / released (the raven) · The Piel = let go completely, dispatch definitively; the bird is released from its confinement on the ark

גָּרַשׁ

to drive out

יְגָרֶשׁ (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 3:24

Intensive · he drove out forcibly (the man) · The Piel = expel emphatically and completely; Adam is banished definitively from Eden

שָׁחַת

to ruin, be corrupt

שַׁחֵת (Inf. Construct)

Gen 6:17

Intensive · to destroy utterly · Not mere ruin but total, cosmic annihilation; the flood is a thorough destruction of all flesh

נָגַע

to touch, strike

יְנַגַּע (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 12:17

Intensive · he afflicted (Pharaoh and his house) with plagues · Not a single touch but repeated, sustained divine striking; the Piel intensifies both the force and duration

כָּבַס

to wash (garments)

וְכִבְּסוּ (Weqatal 3cp)

Exo 19:10

Intensive · they shall wash (their garments) thoroughly · Ritual preparation requires complete, thorough laundering; the Piel is the standard form for washing garments in a cultic context

Part B — Stative Roots (Factitive)

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

Factitive vs. Intensive: Ask "does the Piel cause an object to be in a state?" (Factitive) or "does it do the Qal action more intensely?" (Intensive). Stative roots (to be holy, great, alive) almost always yield Factitive Piels.

#	Root	Qal Meaning	Piel Form	Ref
8	קָדַשׁ	to be holy	יְקַדֵּשׁ (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 2:3
Factitive · he sanctified / set apart as holy (the Sabbath) · Qal = to be holy; Piel = cause the day to enter the state of holiness = sanctify
9	גָּדַל	to be great	אֲגַדְּלָה (Yiqtol 1cs)	Gen 12:2
Factitive · I will make great / magnify (your name) · Qal = to be great; Piel = cause a name to enter the state of greatness = make great
10	חָיָה	to live, be alive	חַיּוֹת (Inf. Construct)	Gen 7:3
Factitive · to preserve alive / keep alive · Qal = to be alive; Piel = cause animals to enter/remain in the state of living = preserve alive
11	חָלַל	to be profane, common	יְחַלֵּל (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Lev 21:12
Factitive · he would profane / desecrate (the sanctuary) · Qal = to be profane; Piel = cause the sanctuary to enter the state of profaneness = desecrate
12	כָּלָה	to be complete, finished	יְכַל (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 2:2
Factitive · he finished / completed (all his work) · Qal = to be complete; Piel = cause the work to enter the state of completion; God brought his creative work to its finished state

Root

Qal Meaning

Piel Form

Ref

Translation

Function

קָדַשׁ

to be holy

יְקַדֵּשׁ (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 2:3

Factitive · he sanctified / set apart as holy (the Sabbath) · Qal = to be holy; Piel = cause the day to enter the state of holiness = sanctify

גָּדַל

to be great

אֲגַדְּלָה (Yiqtol 1cs)

Gen 12:2

Factitive · I will make great / magnify (your name) · Qal = to be great; Piel = cause a name to enter the state of greatness = make great

חָיָה

to live, be alive

חַיּוֹת (Inf. Construct)

Gen 7:3

Factitive · to preserve alive / keep alive · Qal = to be alive; Piel = cause animals to enter/remain in the state of living = preserve alive

חָלַל

to be profane, common

יְחַלֵּל (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Lev 21:12

Factitive · he would profane / desecrate (the sanctuary) · Qal = to be profane; Piel = cause the sanctuary to enter the state of profaneness = desecrate

כָּלָה

to be complete, finished

יְכַל (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 2:2

Factitive · he finished / completed (all his work) · Qal = to be complete; Piel = cause the work to enter the state of completion; God brought his creative work to its finished state

Part C — Declarative, Denominative, and Simple Action

#	Root	Qal Meaning	Piel Form	Ref
13	קָלַל	to be small, light, of little account	מְקַלֵּל (Participle ms)	Gen 12:3
Declarative · one who curses / treats as accursed · The subject does not make someone small (Factitive) — the subject pronounces or treats someone as accursed; it is a verbal or behavioral declaration of contempt
14	כָּפַר	to cover, wipe	לְכַפֵּר (Inf. Construct)	Lev 4:20
Denominative · to make atonement · Derived from noun כֹּפֶר ("ransom, covering, pitch") — the Piel performs the action of ransoming/covering = make atonement; knowing the noun explains the Levitical theology
15	בָּרַךְ	to kneel / bless (Qal rare)	יְבָרֶךְ (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 1:22
Simple Action · he blessed (them) · Blessing is the Piel's own standard function; the Qal is not in active use; there is no Qal action to intensify — the Piel simply is the verb "to bless"
16	דָּבַר	to speak (Qal rare)	יְדַבֵּר (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 8:15
Simple Action · God spoke (to Noah) · Speaking is the Piel's standard function; the Qal of דָּבַר is functionally absent; the Piel simply means "to speak"
17	הָלַל	to shine, be bright (Qal rare)	יְהַלֲלוּ (Wayyiqtol 3mp)	Gen 12:15
Simple Action · they praised (her) · Praising is the Piel's standard function; the Qal "shine/be bright" is semantically remote and rarely used; "Intense shining" does not explain "to praise"

Root

Qal Meaning

Piel Form

Ref

Translation

Function

קָלַל

to be small, light, of little account

מְקַלֵּל (Participle ms)

Gen 12:3

Declarative · one who curses / treats as accursed · The subject does not make someone small (Factitive) — the subject pronounces or treats someone as accursed; it is a verbal or behavioral declaration of contempt

כָּפַר

to cover, wipe

לְכַפֵּר (Inf. Construct)

Lev 4:20

Denominative · to make atonement · Derived from noun כֹּפֶר ("ransom, covering, pitch") — the Piel performs the action of ransoming/covering = make atonement; knowing the noun explains the Levitical theology

בָּרַךְ

to kneel / bless (Qal rare)

יְבָרֶךְ (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 1:22

Simple Action · he blessed (them) · Blessing is the Piel's own standard function; the Qal is not in active use; there is no Qal action to intensify — the Piel simply is the verb "to bless"

דָּבַר

to speak (Qal rare)

יְדַבֵּר (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 8:15

Simple Action · God spoke (to Noah) · Speaking is the Piel's standard function; the Qal of דָּבַר is functionally absent; the Piel simply means "to speak"

הָלַל

to shine, be bright (Qal rare)

יְהַלֲלוּ (Wayyiqtol 3mp)

Gen 12:15

Simple Action · they praised (her) · Praising is the Piel's standard function; the Qal "shine/be bright" is semantically remote and rarely used; "Intense shining" does not explain "to praise"

Discussion Questions

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 שַׁחֵת (item 5) and חַיּוֹת (item 10) — what different functions emerge?
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?
Items 13, 14, and 15–17 are Declarative, Denominative, and Simple Action respectively. For each category, explain in one sentence why "Intensive" doesn't fit, even though all five forms are grammatically Piel.