BBH Chapter 20 — Qal Infinitive Construct¶
Learn the Qal infinitive construct form, its use with the prepositions לְ and כְּ to express purpose, temporal, or complementary relationships, and how it takes pronominal suffixes as either its subject or object. Distinguish the infinitive construct from the imperative (identical form in most roots) by context and syntactic function. Weak-root variations (III-ה, I-י, hollow) are introduced alongside the strong pattern.
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Basics of Biblical Hebrew, Pratico & Van Pelt Data: MACULA Hebrew WLC (~4,029 Qal Infinitive Construct tokens OT-wide)
1. Function (BBH §20.2)¶
The Infinitive Construct (IC) is a verbal noun — it has the properties of both a verb (it takes subjects, objects, and aspect) and a noun (it can be governed by prepositions). It never inflects for person, number, or gender on its own; those are expressed by suffixes (see Ch19).
| Function | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Complementary (verbal object) | Completes another verb: "he was able to…", "he began to…" | לֹ֣א יָכֹ֔ל לְ/דַבֵּ֥ר — "he was not able to speak" |
| Purpose / result (לְ + IC) | "in order to…", "so as to…" | לִ/רְאֹ֥ת — "to see / in order to see" |
| Temporal — when (בְּ + IC) | "when…", "while…" | בְּ/צֵ֥את — "when he went out" |
| Temporal — as/when (כְּ + IC) | "as…", "when…" | כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ — "when he heard" |
| Temporal — until (עַד + IC) | "until…" | עַד שׁוּב — "until he returned" |
| After / from (מִ/מֵ + IC) | "from…", "after…", "too… to…" | מֵ/עֲשׂ֖וֹת — "from doing / too… to do" |
| Epexegetical (לְ + IC after noun) | Explains or specifies the noun | עֵ֥ת לָ/מוּת — "a time to die" (Qoh 3:2) |
| Gerundive / abstract noun | Functions as a subject or object | טוֹב שֶׁ֖בֶת — "dwelling is good" |
Key diagnostic: Look for a preposition (לְ, בְּ, כְּ, מִ, עַד) before a form that looks like a verb but has no prefix — that is the Infinitive Construct. The most common signal in narrative is לֵ/אמֹ֑ר ("saying") after a verb of speech (over 800 times in the Torah alone).
2. Form — Diagnostic Markers (BBH §20.3–20.5)¶
The Qal Infinitive Construct resembles the Qal Imperative 2ms in most strong roots:
- Strong root (A-class): שְׁמֹר — identical to Imperative 2ms (context distinguishes)
- Strong root (B-class): שְׁמֹעַ — patach before guttural R3 (but holem on R2)
- With לְ prefix (most common): לִ/שְׁמֹר — hireq under lamed; shewa under R1
- III-ה roots: רְאוֹת / לִ/רְאוֹת — ה replaced by וֹת (holem-waw + taw)
- Biconsonantal roots: שׁוּב / בֹּא / קוּם — full long vowel preserved; bare IC = same as imperative
- I-י roots: לֶ/כֶת (הלך) / צֵאת (יצא) / שֶׁ/בֶת (ישב) — irregular contracted forms
- I-נ roots: סְפֹר (ספר, I-נ behaves normally in IC) / but נְסֹ֣עַ — some I-נ verbs are irregular
- I-aleph roots: אֱמֹר / אֱכֹל — hateph-seghol under aleph (same as Imperative)
3. Paradigm¶
Full paradigm tables are in the paradigm reference file.
| Form | BBH § | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Strong Root (שמר) | §20.3 | Identical to Imperative 2ms |
| With לְ prefix | §20.4 | Most common pattern; hireq under ל |
| III-ה roots | §20.5 | וֹת ending: רְאוֹת, עֲשׂוֹת, הֱיוֹת |
| Biconsonantal roots | §20.6 | Full vowel: בֹּא, שׁוּב, קוּם |
| I-י roots | §20.7 | Contracted: לֶ/כֶת, צֵאת, שֶׁ/בֶת |
| I-נ roots | §20.7 | Nun assimilates in some: תֵּת (נתן) |
| I-aleph roots | §20.7 | Hateph: אֱמֹר, אֱכֹל |
4. Real Forms — שָׁמַר (to keep/guard)¶
| Form | Hebrew | Gloss | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect 3ms | שָׁמַר | "he kept" | |
| Imperfect 3ms | יִשְׁמֹר | "he will keep" | |
| Wayyiqtol 3ms | וַיִּשְׁמֹר | "and he kept" | |
| Imperative 2ms | שְׁמֹר | "Keep!" | Identical form to IC |
| Inf. Construct (bare) | שְׁמֹר | "to keep / keeping" | Same form as Imperative; context distinguishes |
| Inf. Construct + לְ | לִ/שְׁמֹר | "to keep / in order to keep" | Most common pattern |
| Inf. Construct + בְּ | בְּ/שָׁמְר/וֹ | "when he kept" | + 3ms subject suffix |
| Participle ms | שֹׁמֵר | "keeping / one who keeps" |
Critical distinction: שְׁמֹר alone is ambiguous between Imperative 2ms and Inf.Construct. Context resolves: if the form is the subject or object of another verb, or follows a preposition, it is the IC. If it is addressed to a second person with command force, it is the Imperative.
5. Most Common Lemmas — Qal Infinitive Construct in the Torah¶
Corpus: Genesis–Deuteronomy · ~1,081 Qal IC tokens (including connector morphemes)
| Root | IC Form | Torah (×) | Meaning | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אמר | לֵ/אמֹר | ~800+ | say, speak | לֵאמֹר after verbs of speech = "saying" (quotative formula) |
| הלך | לֶ/כֶת / הֲלֹ֣ךְ | 12 | go, walk | Purpose and temporal |
| בוא | בֹּא / לָ/בוֹא | 11 | come, enter | לָבוֹא = "to come/enter" |
| עבר | לַ/עֲבֹ֣ר | 9 | pass, cross | Purpose clauses |
| ראה | לִ/רְאוֹת | 6 | see | Purpose: "in order to see" |
| נתן | תֵּת | 6 | give | IC of I-נ; very short form |
| עשה | לַ/עֲשׂוֹת | 5 | do, make | Complementary and purpose |
| מלא | מְלֹאת | 5 | be full, complete | Temporal: "when days were complete" |
| שוב | שׁוּב / לָ/שׁוּב | 5 | return | Purpose and temporal |
| אכל | לֶ/אֱכֹל | 3 | eat | Complementary after verbs of permission/prohibition |
| שלח | שְׁלֹחַ | 2 | send | Purpose |
| שמע | שְׁמֹ֣עַ | 2 | hear | Temporal: כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ |
| שנא | שְׂנֹ֥א | 2 | hate | Verbal noun use |
| ירד | לָ/רֶדֶת | 2 | go down | לְ + I-י IC |
| נסע | בְּ/נְסֹ֣עַ | 2 | set out | בְּ + IC temporal |
| ידע | לָ/דַ֥עַת | — | know | III-ה IC; common in Deu |
| היה | הֱי֥וֹת | 2 | be, become | III-ה IC: הֱיוֹת |
6. Example Passages¶
Complementary Infinitive (after modal verb)¶
Complementary — Gen 2:16–17 — מִכֹּ֛ל עֵ֥ץ הַ/גָּן אָכֹ֖ל תֹּאכֵֽל "From every tree of the garden you may surely eat." → אכל Qal IC (Infinitive Absolute as intensifier here — but note next verse): וּמֵ/עֵ֗ץ הַ/דַּ֤עַת טוֹב֙ וָ/רָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ — "you shall not eat from it"; מֵ/עֵץ = "from the tree" — preposition + noun + IC follows.
Complementary — Gen 19:22 — מַהֵ֣ר הִמָּלֵ֣ט שָׁ֑מָּה כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לַ/עֲשׂ֣וֹת דָּבָ֔ר "Hurry, escape there! For I am not able to do anything…" → עשה Qal IC (לַ/עֲשׂוֹת); complementary after יכל; the angel's limitation before Sodom.
Purpose / Result (לְ + IC)¶
Purpose — Gen 11:5 — וַ/יֵּ֣רֶד יְהוָ֔ה לִ/רְאֹ֥ת אֶת-הָ/עִ֖יר "And the LORD came down to see the city." → ראה Qal IC (לִ/רְאוֹת → III-ה; וֹת ending); לְ + IC = purpose clause; divine descent to Babel.
Purpose — Exo 3:8 — וָ/אֵרֵ֞ד לְ/הַ/צִּיל֣/וֹ מִ/יַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם "And I came down to deliver him from the hand of Egypt." → נצל Hiphil IC (לְ/הַ/צִּיל); purpose; God's self-declaration of intent.
Purpose — Deu 6:18 — לְמַ֣עַן יִיטַב֙ לָ֔/ךְ וּ/בָ֕אתָ וִ/ירַשְׁתָּ֖ אֶת-הָ/אָ֣רֶץ הַ/טֹּבָ֑ה "…so that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land…" → ירש Qal IC implied in context; לְמַעַן introduces a purpose clause with finite verb following.
Temporal — When (בְּ + IC)¶
Temporal bᵉ — Gen 19:17 — וַ/יְהִ֕י כְ/הוֹצִיאָ֥ם אֹתָ֖ם הַ/ח֑וּצָה "And when they had brought them outside…" → יצא Hiphil IC (כְּ/הוֹצִיאָ֥ם) + 3mp subject suffix; temporal clause opening narrative.
Temporal bᵉ — Gen 39:19 — וַ/יְהִ֣י כִ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ אֲדֹנָ֗יו אֶת-דִּבְרֵ֤י אִשְׁתּ֙/וֹ֙ "And when his master heard the words of his wife…" → שמע Qal IC (כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ); B-class; כְּ + IC = temporal; standard Hebrew narrative technique.
Temporal — As / When (כְּ + IC)¶
Temporal kᵉ — Gen 37:18 — וַ/יִּרְא֥וּ אֹת֖/וֹ מֵ/רָחֹ֑ק וּ/בְ/טֶ֗רֶם יִקְרַ֤ב אֲלֵי/הֶם֙ "They saw him from a distance, and before he came near them…" → Context for בְּטֶרֶם + imperfect (not IC here, but common temporal pairing with IC).
Temporal kᵉ — Exo 19:1 — בְּ/יוֹם֙ הַ/זֶּ֔ה בָּ֖אוּ מִ/דְבַּ֣ר סִינָ֑י … לְ/צֵ֥את בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵ/אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם "…in their going out from the land of Egypt." → יצא Qal IC (לְ/צֵ֥את); I-י IC form (צֵאת = going out); temporal + origin.
Quotative Formula (לֵאמֹר)¶
Quotative — Gen 1:22 — וַ/יְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛/ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵ/אמֹ֑ר "And God blessed them, saying:" → אמר Qal IC (לֵ/אמֹ֑ר); I-aleph; the quotative לֵאמֹר follows verbs of speech to introduce direct discourse; ~2,600× OT-wide — the single most common IC form.
Until (עַד + IC)¶
Until — Gen 26:13 — וַ/יֵּ֤לֶךְ הָ/אִישׁ֙ הָלֹ֣ךְ וְ/גָדֵ֔ל עַ֥ד כִּֽי-גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד "The man grew and grew until he became very great." → גדל Qal Perfect — עַד כִּי + finite verb (IC also used: עַד + IC = "until [action]").
7. Conjugation Distribution — Qal (OT-wide)¶
| Conjugation | Count | % of Qal |
|---|---|---|
| Consecutive Perfect (Weqatal) | 10,979 | 23.7% |
| Perfect (Qatal) | 9,245 | 19.9% |
| Imperfect (Yiqtol) | 7,914 | 17.0% |
| Participle | 5,078 | 10.9% |
| Infinitive Construct | 4,029 | 8.7% |
| Consecutive Imperfect (Wayyiqtol) | 3,987 | 8.6% |
| Imperative | 2,531 | 5.5% |
| Participle Passive | 914 | 2.0% |
| Jussive | 740 | 1.6% |
| Infinitive Absolute | 489 | 1.1% |
Teaching note: The Infinitive Construct (4,029 tokens, 8.7% of Qal) ranks fifth among Qal conjugations — more common than the Wayyiqtol! This reflects the heavy use of לְ-infinitives as purpose/complementary clauses, temporal constructions (בְּ/כְּ + IC), and especially the quotative לֵאמֹר (~2,600 tokens), which follows almost every verb of speech in Hebrew narrative. Mastering the IC unlocks the structure of most Hebrew temporal clauses and speech formulas.
8. Parsing Quick Reference¶
| Form | Root | Class | Gloss | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לִ/שְׁמֹר | שמר | Strong | "to keep" | לְ + IC; hireq under ל |
| לִ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ | שמע | B-class | "to hear" | לְ + IC; gutt. patach at R3 |
| לִ/רְאוֹת | ראה | III-ה | "to see" | וֹת ending |
| לַ/עֲשׂוֹת | עשה | III-ה + I-gutt. | "to do" | I-gutt. chateph + וֹת |
| לָ/בֹא / לָ/בוֹא | בוא | Biconsonantal | "to come" | Full long vowel |
| לָ/שׁוּב | שוב | Biconsonantal | "to return" | Full shureq |
| לָ/קוּם | קום | Biconsonantal | "to arise" | Full shureq |
| לֶ/כֶת | הלך | I-י | "to go" | Contracted: ל + כ + seghol-taw |
| שֶׁ/בֶת | ישב | I-י | "to dwell" | IC without ל; seghol-taw |
| צֵאת | יצא | I-י + III-א | "to go out" | Tsere + aleph + taw |
| תֵּת | נתן | I-נ | "to give" | Both nuns drop; very short |
| לֵ/אמֹר | אמר | I-aleph | "saying" | Quotative; ~2,600× OT |
| לֶ/אֱכֹל | אכל | I-aleph | "to eat" | Hateph under aleph |
| הֱיוֹת | היה | III-ה | "to be" | הֱ + יוֹת |
| לָ/דַ֥עַת | ידע | I-י | "to know" | I-י + dagesh in ד |
| בְּ/שָׁמְר/וֹ | שמר | Strong | "when he kept" | בְּ + IC + 3ms subject suffix |
| כִּ/שְׁמֹ֣עַ | שמע | B-class | "when he heard" | כְּ + IC temporal |