BBA Chapter 16 — Peal Infinitive Construct

Basics of Biblical Aramaic, Van Pelt
Chapter 16: Peal Infinitive Construct

Files

Reference Files

(No separate reference files for this chapter — full content is in this README.)

Vocabulary Decks

Exercises

Notebooks

1. Introduction — The Peal Infinitive Construct

Chapters 13–15 introduced the finite verbal forms of the Peal stem: the perfect, the imperfect, and the imperative. All of those forms are finite — they are inflected for person, gender, and number and have a definite subject. Chapter 16 introduces the Peal infinitive construct, a non-finite verbal form that behaves more like a verbal noun than a conjugated verb.

What Infinitives Do

The infinitive construct is a verbal noun — it carries the lexical meaning of the verb but functions syntactically as a noun. Like a noun, the infinitive can serve as:

• The subject of a clause: "To write is difficult."
• The object of a finite verb: "He commanded [him] to write."
• The complement of verbs of beginning, finishing, continuing, being able, or wanting: "He began to write."
• A temporal clause with כְּ: "When he wrote…" / "When the writing happened…"
• A purpose clause with לְ: "in order to write" / "for the purpose of writing"

Because the infinitive is a verbal noun, it does not indicate tense, person, gender, or number by itself. Context, and especially the prefix attached to it, determines its syntactic role.

The Infinitive Construct vs. Other Infinitives

Biblical Aramaic (like Biblical Hebrew) has two infinitive types: the infinitive construct and the infinitive absolute. The infinitive absolute functions adverbially — it intensifies or underscores a finite verb. The infinitive construct is the workhorse form — it takes prefixes, pronominal suffixes, and governs objects. This chapter covers the infinitive construct exclusively; this is the form you will encounter throughout Daniel and Ezra.

2. Form — The Peal Infinitive Construct

2.1 The מִקְטַל Pattern

The Peal infinitive construct of strong verbs is built on the pattern מִקְטַל:

• מִ- prefix: a characteristic mem with hireq
• קְ-: the first root consonant with a vocal shewa
• טַ: the second root consonant with patach (a-class vowel)
• ל: the third root consonant

This pattern is often summarized as the מִקְטַל pattern. The mem prefix is the defining feature of the Peal infinitive construct in Aramaic — it distinguishes it immediately from the corresponding Hebrew form (see §4 below).

2.2 The Strong Verb Model — מִכְתַּב (to write)

Using the root כתב (to write):

2.3 Additional Strong-Verb Examples

3. The לְ Prefix — The Most Common Infinitive Construction

3.1 לְ + Infinitive

In the overwhelming majority of Biblical Aramaic infinitive constructions, the infinitive is prefixed with לְ (the preposition "to / for"). The resulting form is לְמִכְתַּב — "to write" (purpose or complement):

לְמִכְתַּב = לְ + מִכְתַּב = "to write"

The לְ prefix is the most reliable signal that you are looking at an infinitive construct in context. When you see לְמִ- at the beginning of a word, you can immediately identify it as a Peal infinitive construct with the purpose/complement prefix.

3.2 Semantic Range of לְ + Infinitive

3.3 Other Prefixes

The כְּ prefix with the infinitive creates a common temporal construction in Daniel: "when X happened." See §8 for examples.

4. Comparison to the Hebrew Qal Infinitive Construct

You know the Hebrew Qal infinitive construct well. The key comparison:

Key Observations

1. The biggest difference is the מִ- prefix. Hebrew Qal infinitive constructs have no characteristic prefix (they begin directly with the root consonant). The Aramaic מִקְטַל pattern always starts with מִ-. This mem is the first thing to look for when identifying Aramaic infinitives.

2. Both forms appear with the same prepositions. The לְ prefix (purpose/complement) and the כְּ prefix (temporal "when") work identically in both languages. Hebrew לִכְתֹּב and Aramaic לְמִכְתַּב are functionally parallel.

3. The Hebrew student's biggest risk: mistaking the Aramaic מִ- prefix for a Hebrew mem prefix on a noun (like מִכְתָּב in Hebrew — "a letter/document"!). In Aramaic, מִכְתַּב is the Peal infinitive construct of כתב. Careful attention to the patach (not qamets) on the second syllable, and context, will resolve any ambiguity.

5. Weak Verb Infinitives

5.1 I-Aleph Verbs — מֵאמַר (to say)

The root אמר (to say) is I-aleph. When the מִ- prefix is added, the aleph of the root interacts with the hireq of the prefix. The standard strong-verb form would be מִאמַר, but the aleph causes vowel lengthening: the hireq (ִ) lengthens to tsere (ֵ)* in compensation:

מִאמַר → מֵאמַר (with tsere under mem due to I-aleph)

This vowel lengthening (hireq → tsere before aleph) is the characteristic signature of I-aleph infinitives. The aleph is not pronounced separately — it is quiescent — but it affects the preceding vowel.

5.2 I-Nun Verbs — מִנְתַּן / מִנְפַּל

In most I-nun roots in the perfect and imperfect, the nun assimilates into the following consonant (דגש חזק). However, in the infinitive construct, the nun of I-nun roots typically does not assimilate — it is retained under the מִ- prefix:

• Root נתן (to give): infinitive מִנְתַּן (the nun is retained before the second radical)
• Root נפל (to fall): infinitive מִנְפַּל (nun retained)

This non-assimilation in the infinitive is a key distinguishing feature from the imperfect and is a reliable diagnostic when you see a form like מִנְפַּל — the nun tells you immediately that this is an infinitive, not an imperfect.

5.3 Hollow Verbs — מֵיקַם (to arise)

Hollow roots (II-waw/yod, like קום) form their infinitive with a distinctive pattern. The long internal vowel of the hollow root cannot easily occupy the middle position of the מִקְטַל pattern, so the infinitive is formed differently:

Root קום → Peal infinitive: מֵיקַם

Analysis: מֵ- (tsere under mem, as in I-aleph; here reflecting the hollow root's waw becoming a yod mater), יָ- / יַ- (root waw appears as yod), קַם (the final two radicals with patach):

The tsere under mem in hollow infinitives is analogous to what happens with I-aleph roots: the long internal vowel of the hollow root causes the prefix vowel to lengthen. Recognize מֵיקַם as the Peal infinitive of קום by the combination of tsere-under-mem + yod + patach vowel.

5.4 III-He Verbs — מִבְנֵא (to build)

In III-he roots (roots whose third radical is originally he/aleph), the final he of the root appears in the infinitive as aleph (אָ / אֵ). The standard form is מִבְנֵא for root בנה:

Root בנה → Peal infinitive: מִבְנֵא

The final aleph (א) with tsere (ֵ) is the characteristic ending of III-he infinitives. This parallels the III-he pattern seen in the perfect (בְּנָה) and elsewhere where the he contracts to aleph before a suffix.

5.5 I-Ayin Verbs — מֶעְבַּד (to do/make)

For I-ayin roots like עבד (to do, make, serve), the initial ayin (ע) is a guttural. The guttural under the מִ- prefix causes two adjustments:

1. The hireq under mem shifts to seghol (ֶ) due to the following guttural
2. The ayin takes a silent shewa or reduced vowel

Root עבד → Peal infinitive: מֶעְבַּד

The seghol (ֶ) under the initial mem (מֶ-) is the diagnostic for I-ayin infinitives. Compare: strong verb מִכְתַּב (hireq) vs. I-ayin מֶעְבַּד (seghol).

6. Infinitive with Pronominal Suffixes

The Peal infinitive construct can take pronominal suffixes, just as a noun can. These suffixes can function either as the subject of the infinitive action or as its object:

6.1 Subject Suffixes on the Infinitive

When the suffix represents who performs the infinitive action:

מִכְתְּבֵהּ — "his writing" / "when he wrote" (lit. "the writing of him")

The suffix ֵהּ (3ms) functions as the understood subject. This construction is typical in temporal clauses: "at the writing of him" = "when he wrote."

6.2 Object Suffixes on the Infinitive

When the suffix represents what is affected by the infinitive action:

מִקְטְלֵהּ — "the killing of it/him" / "to kill it/him"

Here the suffix represents the object of the verbal action. Context determines whether the suffix is subject or object of the infinitive — just as in Hebrew.

6.3 Common Infinitive + Suffix Forms

When suffixes are attached, the vowel pattern shifts slightly: the patach under the second radical often becomes a vocal shewa (שְׁוָא נָע) to accommodate the suffix syllable.

7. Syntactic Uses — The Infinitive in Context

7.1 Subject of a Clause

The infinitive as subject is less common but occurs:

מִסְגַּד לְצַלְמָא לָא אִפְשַׁר — "To bow down to the statue is not permitted."

Here מִסְגַּד (to bow down) is the grammatical subject of the clause.

7.2 Object / Complement of a Finite Verb

The most frequent use: the infinitive as the object or complement of a controlling finite verb:

יָכִל לְמֵאמַר — "He was able to say" (lit. "he was able to-say")

The finite verb יָכִל (he was able) governs the infinitive לְמֵאמַר.

שָׁרִי לְמִבְנֵא — "He began to build" (lit. "he began to-build")

The finite verb שָׁרִי (he began) governs לְמִבְנֵא.

7.3 Purpose Clause with לְ

שַׁדַּר מַלְאֲכֵהּ לְמֵיקַם — "He sent his messenger in order to arise / to stand"

The לְ prefix on the infinitive makes the purpose explicit.

7.4 Temporal Clause with כְּ

כְּמִשְׁמַע כָּל-עַמְמַיָּא — "When all the peoples heard…" (lit. "at the hearing of all the peoples")

This temporal construction — כְּ + infinitive + subject (in genitive) — is very common in Daniel, particularly in the account of Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue (Daniel 3).

8. The Temporal Infinitive with כְּ — The Daniel 3 Construction

One of the most important infinitive constructions in all of Biblical Aramaic appears repeatedly in Daniel 3:5, 7, 10, 15 — the herald's announcement about the musical signal to bow before the statue. The structure is:

כְּ + מִשְׁמַע + קָל + [instruments] → "When you hear the sound of the [instruments]…"

Daniel 3:5:

בְּעִדָּנָא דִּי-תִשְׁמְעוּן קָל קַרְנָא שׁוֹפָרָא קִיתָרֹס שַׂבְּכָא פְּסַנְתֵּרִין וְסוּמְפֹּנְיָה וְכֹל זְנֵי זְמָרָא תִּפְּלוּן וְתִסְגְּדוּן לְצַלְמָא דַהֲבָא

"At the time when you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trigon, the harp, the bagpipe, and every kind of music, you shall fall down and worship the golden statue."

While Daniel 3:5 uses a finite subordinate clause rather than the infinitive, the parallel temporal formulas throughout Daniel 3 employ the כְּמִשְׁמַע construction. In Daniel 3:7:

בֵּהּ-זִמְנָא כְּמָא דִּי-שְׁמַעוּ כָּל-עַמְמַיָּא…

The כְּ + infinitive pattern generalizes the temporal idea: "at the time of hearing" = "when they heard." This is the standard biblical formula for temporal sequence.

Daniel 6:11 (Aramaic):

וְדָנִיֵּאל כְּמָא דִּי יְדַע דִּי-רְשִׁים כְּתָבָא עַל לְבֵיתֵהּ

"And Daniel, when he knew that the document was signed, went to his house…"

The כְּמָא דִּי construction introduces a temporal/circumstantial clause. The pure כְּ + infinitive form appears in closely parallel constructions throughout.

9. Examples from Daniel and Ezra

Daniel 3:15 — לְמִסְגַּד (to bow down / to worship)

כְּעַן הֵן אִיתֵיכוֹן עֲתִידִין דִּי בְעִדָּנָא דִּי-תִשְׁמְעוּן קָל קַרְנָא… תִּפְּלוּן וְלִסְגְּדָה לְצַלְמָא דִּי-עֲבַדֵּת

"Now, if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn… to fall down and to worship the statue that I have made…"

לִסְגְּדָה: Peal infinitive of סגד with לְ prefix. The form סְגְּדָה represents the infinitive + third-person suffix or the bare infinitive with final he mater. Functions as complement of the ready-construction.

Daniel 6:8 — לְהַחֲוָיָה (to show — Haphel infinitive; preview of Ch21)

כְּעַן מַלְכָּא תְּקִים אֱסָרָא … וְלִשְׂתָּא לָא לְהַשְׁנָיָה

"Now, O king, establish the decree… and so that it cannot be changed."

לְהַשְׁנָיָה: Haphel infinitive of שׁנה (to change) with לְ. The Haphel infinitive uses a לְהַ- prefix pattern (לְ + הַ- causative prefix). This foreshadows the Haphel stem you will study in Ch21.

Ezra 4:12 — לְמִבְנֵא (to build)

יְדִיעַ לֶהֱוֵא לְמַלְכָּא דִּי יְהוּדָיֵא דִּי סְלִקוּ מִן-לְוָתָךְ עֲלֵינָא אֲתוֹ לִירוּשְׁלֶם קִרְיְתָא מָרֶדְתָּא וּבִאישְׁתָּא בָּנַיִן וְשׁוּרַיָּא שַׁכְלִילוּ וְאֻשַּׁיָּא יַחִיטוּ

"Be it known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city; they are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations."

The Ezra correspondence is filled with infinitives expressing purpose (why the enemies fear the rebuilding) and complement constructions (what the Persian officials are requesting the king do).

Ezra 5:3 — לְמִבְנֵא (to build) in interrogative context

אֱדַיִן אֲתָא עֲלֵיהוֹן תַּתְּנַי פַּחַת עֲבַר-נַהֲרָה … וְכֵן אֲמַרוּ לְהוֹן מַן שָׂם לְכוֹן טְעֵם בַּיְתָא דְנָה לְמִבְנֵא וְאֻשַּׁרְנָא דְנָה לְשַׁכְלָלָה

"Then Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River … came and asked them: 'Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?'"

לְמִבְנֵא: Peal infinitive of בנה (III-he root) with לְ prefix. The ending ֵא is the III-he infinitive ending (cf. מִבְנֵא). Functions as the complement of the question "who authorized [you] to build?"

Daniel 2:9 — כְּמֵיקַם (when arising / when it comes to pass)

הֵן לָא תְהוֹדְעוּנַּנִי חֶלְמָא חֲלָמֵת פִּתְגָמָא חַד אִיתֵיכוֹן וּפִתְגָמָא כְדִבָא וְשַׁחִיתָא הִזְמַנְתּוּן לְמֵאמַר קָדָמַי עַד דִּי עִדָּנָא יִשְׁתַּנֵּא

"If you do not tell me the dream, there is one sentence for you … you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the times change."

לְמֵאמַר: Peal infinitive of אמר (I-aleph) with לְ prefix. The tsere under mem (מֵ-) is the I-aleph signature. Complement of "prepared" (הִזְמַנְתּוּן): "you prepared [words] to say."

Daniel 3:6 — לְמִסְגַּד and purpose

וּמַן-דִּי-לָא יִפֵּל וְיִסְגֻּד בַּהּ-שַׁעֲתָא יֶתְרְמֵא לְגוֹא-אַתּוּן נוּרָא יָקִדְתָּא

"And whoever does not fall down and worship shall at that moment be thrown into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."

The infinitives of purpose and complement surround this verse as Nebuchadnezzar's command is stated: the financial/command language is built around Peal infinitives indicating what the peoples are and are not to do.

10. Summary Table

Peal Infinitive Construct — Form Summary

Infinitive with Common Prefixes

Comparison: Hebrew Qal vs. Aramaic Peal Infinitive Construct

11. Key Points for Hebrew Students — Summary

1. The מִ- prefix is the defining feature. Unlike Hebrew, which has no characteristic prefix on the Qal infinitive construct, Aramaic always prefixes מִ- (mem + hireq) to the Peal infinitive. This is the single most important diagnostic.

2. The stem vowel is patach (a-class). The second radical takes patach (מִקְטַּ-). Hebrew Qal uses holem (קְטֹל). This is consistent with Aramaic's general preference for a-class vowels in verbal paradigms.

3. לְ + infinitive is the standard form. Just as Hebrew לִ + infinitive construct is the dominant construction, Aramaic לְמִ- is the signature of infinitives in complement and purpose contexts. When you see לְמִ- in Aramaic, think: "infinitive."

4. I-aleph roots lengthen the prefix vowel. הireq (מִ) → tsere (מֵ) before a quiescent aleph. מֵאמַר (to say) vs. מִכְתַּב (to write). Same lengthening principle as hollow roots.

5. I-nun roots retain their nun. Unlike the imperfect (where nun assimilates: תִּנְפַּל → תִּפַּל), the infinitive keeps the nun: מִנְפַּל (to fall). This is a key diagnostic — a nun after the מִ- prefix often signals an I-nun infinitive.

6. Hollow roots use מֵיקַם pattern. The medial waw of hollow roots appears as yod in the infinitive, with tsere under the prefix mem. Memorize: מֵיקַם = "to arise" from קום.

7. III-he roots end in אֵ-. The infinitive of בנה is מִבְנֵא — the final aleph + tsere ending is the III-he signature for infinitives. Compare the perfect (בְּנָה) and the other conjugations.

8. I-ayin roots use seghol, not hireq. The guttural ayin causes the prefix hireq to lower to seghol: מֶעְבַּד (to do/make). Compare: מִכְתַּב (hireq, strong) vs. מֶעְבַּד (seghol, I-ayin).

9. Pronominal suffixes function as subject or object. The infinitive takes suffixes the way a noun does. Whether the suffix is subject or object is determined by context — "his writing" (subject) or "writing him" (object) are both possible analyses.

10. כְּ + infinitive = temporal "when." כְּמִשְׁמַע = "when (one) hears / upon hearing." This construction appears dozens of times in Daniel 3 and elsewhere. It is one of the most productive infinitive constructions in the entire corpus.

12. Practice

The exercise for this chapter presents twenty infinitive construct forms drawn from the Peal stem and a preview of the Haphel infinitive (anticipating Ch21). For each form, identify the root, identify any prefix (לְ, כְּ, בְּ) and its semantic contribution, and provide a translation of the infinitive phrase.