Chapter 21 — Haphel vs. Peal Contrast Drill

Basics of Biblical Aramaic, Van Pelt — Ch21: Causative Haphel vs. Simple Peal

Instructions

For each numbered Aramaic verbal form from Daniel or Ezra, enter: Stem (Peal or Haphel), Conjugation, PGN, Root, and Translation (note the causative meaning shift where present). Click ▶ Answer to reveal the answer row.

Haphel Perfect 3ms: הַ‑ prefix + CvCēC (tsere under R2); I-yod/hollow roots → הוֹ‑ prefix.    Haphel Imperfect 3ms: יְהַ‑ prefix before R1.    Haphel 3mp: same prefix + ‑וּ.    Peal: no causative prefix.
# Form Stem (Peal/Haphel) Conjugation PGN Root Translation
1
עֲבַד
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: עבד  |  Trans: he did/made (no prefix; guttural ע)
2
הַעְבֵּד
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: עבד  |  Trans: he caused to do / he made (someone) do (הַ‑ prefix + tsere under R2)
3
עָל
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: עלל  |  Trans: he entered (geminate root; short contracted form עָל)
4
הֵעַל
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: עלל  |  Trans: he brought in / he made (someone) enter (הֵ‑ prefix before guttural ע)
5
נְפַל
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: נפל  |  Trans: he fell (I-nun root; no prefix = Peal)
6
הַפֵּל
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: נפל  |  Trans: he caused to fall / he felled (הַ‑ prefix; I-nun assimilated into dagesh in פּ)
7
יְדַע
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: ידע  |  Trans: he knew (I-yod root; yod dropped; no causative prefix)
8
הוֹדַע
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: ידע  |  Trans: he made known / he informed (הוֹ‑ prefix; I-yod: yod merges into הוֹ)
9
קוּם
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: קום  |  Trans: he arose / stood (hollow root; long shureq = contracted Peal Perfect 3ms)
10
הֲקֵים
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: קום  |  Trans: he caused to stand / he set up (הֲ‑ prefix; hollow root contracted)
11
אֲזַל
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: אזל  |  Trans: he went (I-aleph root; hateph-patach; no causative prefix)
12
הַנְפֵּק
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: נפק  |  Trans: he brought out / he caused to go out (הַ‑ prefix; I-nun assimilated into dagesh in פּ)
13
שְׁלַח
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: שׁלח  |  Trans: he sent (no causative prefix; guttural ח at R3)
14
הַשְׁלֵט
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: שׁלט  |  Trans: he gave authority / he made to rule (הַ‑ prefix + tsere under R2)
15
קְרָא
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: קרא  |  Trans: he called/read (III-aleph; no causative prefix)
16
יְהַחֲוֵה
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Imperfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: חוה  |  Trans: he will declare / he will show (יְהַ‑ = Haphel Impf prefix; III-he root: ‑ēh ending)
17
אֲמַר
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3ms  |  Root: אמר  |  Trans: he said (I-aleph; hateph-patach; no causative prefix)
18
הֲקֵימוּ
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 3mp  |  Root: קום  |  Trans: they set up / they caused to stand (הֲ‑ prefix; ‑וּ = 3mp Perf)
19
נְפַקְנָא
Stem: Peal  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 1cp  |  Root: נפק  |  Trans: we went out (I-nun root; ‑נָא = 1cp Perf suffix; no prefix)
20
הוֹדַעְנָּא
Stem: Haphel  |  Conj: Perfect  |  PGN: 1cp  |  Root: ידע  |  Trans: we made known / we informed (הוֹ‑ prefix; I-yod; ‑נָּא = 1cp)

Discussion Questions

  1. Compare Haphel (הַעְבֵּד, הֵעַל, הַפֵּל) with Hebrew Hiphil (הֶעֱבִיד, הֵבִיא, הִפִּיל). Both are causative stems. What is the key diagnostic prefix difference between Aramaic Haphel and Hebrew Hiphil? Is the underlying morphological process the same?
  2. Items 8 and 10 (הוֹדַע from יִדַע, and הֲקֵים from קוּם) use a הוֹ‑ prefix instead of הַ‑. Why? What root class causes this shift? Give the Hebrew Hiphil parallel for each root.
  3. Items 4 (הֵעַל "he brought in") and 12 (הַנְפֵּק "he brought out") are antonyms derived from causativizing motion verbs. Translate items 3+4 and 11+12 as contrasting pairs and explain the semantic relationship between Peal and Haphel for motion verbs.