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