BBH Chapter 18 — Qal Imperative

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Basics of Biblical Hebrew, Pratico & Van Pelt
Data: MACULA Hebrew WLC (~2,531 Qal Imperative tokens OT-wide)

1. Function (BBH §18.2)

The Qal Imperative is used exclusively for direct commands addressed to a second person (you singular or plural). It cannot express commands to first or third persons — those use the cohortative and jussive respectively.

Key diagnostic: The Qal Imperative has no prefix. It begins directly with the root consonants (or a vowel pattern from them). Positive commands only — for negative commands, use אַל + Jussive or לֹא + Imperfect.

2. Form — Diagnostic Markers (BBH §18.3–18.5)

The Qal Imperative is derived directly from the Qal Imperfect by removing the 2nd-person prefix (תּ–). What remains is the imperative stem.

• 2ms: Remove תּ from the 2ms imperfect → qal stem + holem (A-class) or patach (B-class) — e.g. תִּשְׁמֹר → שְׁמֹר
• 2fs: 2ms form + ִי (hireq-yod) suffix → שִׁמְרִי
• 2mp: 2ms form + וּ (shureq) suffix → שִׁמְרוּ
• 2fp: 2ms form + נָה suffix → שְׁמֹרְנָה

Negative commands never use the Imperative:
- Prohibitions: לֹא + Imperfect (permanent prohibition)
- Warnings/urgent prohibitions: אַל + Jussive (immediate prohibition)

3. Paradigm

Full paradigm tables are in the paradigm reference file.

4. Real Forms — שָׁמַר (to keep, guard)

Note: The 2ms imperative (שְׁמֹר) looks like the 2ms imperfect with the prefix removed. The shewa under the first root consonant is a characteristic feature of strong-root imperatives.

5. Most Common Lemmas — Qal Imperative in the Torah

Corpus: Genesis–Deuteronomy · 467 Qal Imperative tokens

6. Example Passages

Direct Command

Imperative 2ms — Gen 12:1 — לֶךְ\־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥
"Go from your land…"
→ הלך Qal Imperative 2ms; I-י short form (לֵךְ/לֶךְ); God's call to Abraham — the paradigmatic divine imperative in Genesis.

Imperative 2ms — Gen 22:2 — קַח\־נָ֠א אֶת\־בִּנְךָ֨
"Take now your son…"
→ לקח Qal Imperative 2ms; I-י short form (קַח); the binding of Isaac command; נָא adds urgency/entreaty.

Imperative 2ms — Gen 6:14 — עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ תֵּבַ֣ת עֲצֵי\־גֹ֔פֶר
"Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood."
→ עשה Qal Imperative 2ms; III-ה + I-gutt.; ה retained in 2ms; the ark-building command to Noah.

Urgent Request / Plea

Imperative 2ms — Gen 19:7 — אַל\־נָ֥א אַחַ֖י תָּרֵֽעוּ
"Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly."
→ Context: Lot pleads with the crowd; the positive imperative elsewhere in the speech contrasts with אַל + Jussive for the prohibition.

Imperative 2ms — Psa 86:1 — הַטֵּ֘ה\־יְהוָ֤ה אָזְנְךָ֨ עֲנֵ֗נִי
"Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me."
→ נטה Qal Imperative 2ms; III-ה: ה drops before nothing (2ms = base form); followed immediately by a second imperative — the imperative chain in prayer.

Invitation / Permission

Imperative 2ms — Gen 7:1 — בֹּֽא\־אַתָּ֤ה וְכָל\־בֵּיתְךָ֙ אֶל\־הַתֵּבָ֔ה
"Come, you and all your household, into the ark."
→ בוא Qal Imperative 2ms; Biconsonantal; aleph quiesces; waw + second imperative continues the divine invitation.

Command Chain (Imperative + Weqatal)

Imperative + Weqatal — Deu 6:4–5 —

שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל … וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔
"Hear, O Israel… and you shall love."
→ שמע Qal Imperative 2ms (B-class; patach); followed by וְאָהַבְתָּ (Weqatal) — the imperative launches the command chain; Weqatal continues it. Classic Ch17–18 intersection.

Imperative 2mp — Gen 1:28 — פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֖וּ
"Be fruitful and multiply."
→ פרה Qal Imperative 2mp (III-ה; ה drops before -וּ) + רבה Qal Imperative 2mp; the creation mandate in paired imperative form.

Imperative 2fs

Imperative 2fs — Gen 12:13 — אִמְרִי\־נָ֥א אֲחֹתִ֖י אָ֑תְּ
"Say, please, that you are my sister."
→ אמר Qal Imperative 2fs (אִמְרִי); I-aleph with hireq-yod suffix; Abraham's request to Sarai.

Negative Commands (Contrast)

Prohibition — Gen 22:12 — אַל\־תִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל\־הַנַּ֔עַר
"Do not lay your hand on the boy."
→ שלח Qal Jussive 2ms; note: negative command uses אַל + Jussive, never the Imperative; the angel's immediate prohibition to Abraham.

7. Conjugation Distribution — Qal (OT-wide)

Teaching note: The Imperative (2,531 tokens, 5.5% of Qal) is relatively rare compared to the Wayyiqtol and Perfect, but it clusters heavily in specific discourse contexts: divine commands (Genesis, Exodus), legal instructions (Deuteronomy), and prayers/psalms. When you see a verbless prefix form addressed to a second person, suspect the Imperative. The 2ms form is by far the most common (967 tokens), reflecting the prevalence of singular direct address in biblical narrative and law.

8. Parsing Quick Reference