Chapter 21 — Qal Infinitive Absolute in Context

For each highlighted IA form: (a) Root, (b) Root class, (c) Function (Emphatic / Imperatival / Manner / Progressive / Serial), (d) Full gloss. Click ▶ Answer to reveal.

Key patterns: Emphatic: IA + finite verb of same root (מ֥וֹת תָּמוּת). Imperatival: IA stands alone as command (זָכ֕וֹר). Manner/Progressive: two IAs paired with waw (הָל֣וֹךְ וְגָדֵ֔ל).

Passage 1 — Genesis 2:16–17 (Permission and Prohibition)

Gen 2:16–17

מִכֹּ֛ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל

"…from every tree of the garden you may freely eat."

וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֤עַת … לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל … מ֥וֹת תָּמוּת

"…but from the tree of the knowledge … you shall not eat … you shall surely die."

#	Form	Root	Root Class	Function	Gloss
1	אָכֹ֥ל
אכל · I-aleph · Emphatic — "freely eat"; IA + Imperfect 2ms of same root = emphatic permission; qamets under aleph
2	מ֥וֹת
מות · Biconsonantal · Emphatic — "surely die"; IA + Imperfect = certain death; no preposition before מ֥וֹת confirms IA (not IC)

Passage 2 — Exodus 3:7 (The Burning Bush)

Exo 3:7

רָאֹ֣ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת-עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם

"I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt…"

#	Form	Root	Root Class	Function	Gloss
3	רָאֹ֣ה
ראה · III-ה · Emphatic — "surely seen"; III-ה IA ends in ה (contrast IC: רְאוֹת); God's emphatic declaration of active concern at the burning bush

Passage 3 — Exodus 20:8 / Deuteronomy 5:12 (The Sabbath Command)

Exo 20:8 / Deu 5:12

זָכ֕וֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֖ת לְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exo 20:8)

שָׁמ֗וֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת לְקַדְּשׁ֑וֹ

"Keep/Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Deu 5:12)

#	Form	Root	Root Class	Function	Gloss
4	זָכ֕וֹר
זכר · Strong A · Imperatival — "Remember!"; IA stands as command; no paired finite verb; qamets + holem-waw
5	שָׁמ֗וֹר
שמר · Strong A · Imperatival — "Keep/Observe!"; same structure; Deu version of Sabbath command uses שמר instead of זכר

Passage 4 — Genesis 8:3, 5 (The Flood Waters Recede)

Gen 8:3 / Gen 8:5

וַיָּשֻׁ֧בוּ הַמַּ֛יִם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָ֖רֶץ הָל֣וֹךְ וָ/שׁ֑וֹב

"And the waters receded from the earth, going and returning steadily." (Gen 8:3)

וְהַמַּ֗יִם הָי֤וּ הָל֣וֹךְ וְ/חָס֔וֹר

"And the waters kept receding and decreasing steadily." (Gen 8:5)

#	Form	Root	Root Class	Function	Gloss
6	הָל֣וֹךְ
הלך · I-י · Manner/Progressive — "going"; I-י IA retains full form; paired with שׁוֹב = "going and returning" (steady recession)
7	וָ/שׁ֑וֹב
שוב · Biconsonantal · Manner — "returning"; second IA in the pair; full shureq; together with הָל֣וֹךְ = progressive motion
8	הָל֣וֹךְ (Gen 8:5)
הלך · I-י · Progressive — same form; introduces second IA pair in v.5
9	וְ/חָס֔וֹר
חסר · Strong A · Progressive — "decreasing"; IA of חסר; holem on R2; paired with הָל֣וֹךְ

Passage 5 — Genesis 26:13 (Isaac's Prosperity)

Gen 26:13

וַיִּגְדַּ֣ל הָאִ֔ישׁ הָלוֹךְ֙ וְ/גָדֵ֔ל עַ֥ד כִּֽי-גָדַ֖ל מְאֹֽד

"The man grew greater and greater until he became very wealthy."

#	Form	Root	Root Class	Function	Gloss
10	הָלוֹךְ֙
הלך · I-י · Progressive — "going"; introduces the progressive growth idiom
11	וְ/גָדֵ֔ל
גדל · Strong A · Progressive — "growing/becoming great"; IA paired with הָלוֹךְ = "growing greater and greater" (iterative idiom)

Passage 6 — Genesis 44:28 (Jacob on Joseph)

Gen 44:28

וָ/אֹמַ֑ר אַ֚ךְ טָרֹ֥ף טֹרַ֖ף

"…and I said, 'Surely he has been torn to pieces…'"

#	Form	Root	Root Class	Function	Gloss
12	טָרֹ֥ף
טרף · Strong A · Emphatic — "surely been torn"; IA + Passive Perfect of same root; Jacob's certainty about Joseph (dramatic irony — Joseph is alive)

Passage 7 — Deuteronomy 6:17 and 8:19

Deu 6:17 / Deu 8:19

שָׁמ֣וֹר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּן אֶת-מִצְוֹ֤ת יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם

"You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God." (Deu 6:17)

וְהָיָ֗ה אִם-שָׁכֹ֤חַ תִּשְׁכַּח֙ אֶת-יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ

"And if you ever forget the LORD your God…" (Deu 8:19)

#	Form	Root	Root Class	Function	Gloss
13	שָׁמ֣וֹר
שמר · Strong A · Emphatic — "diligently keep"; IA + Imperfect 2mp; Deuteronomic covenant-obedience formula
14	שָׁכֹ֤חַ
שכח · Strong B (gutt. R3) · Emphatic — "ever forget"; IA + Imperfect in conditional clause; qamets + holem + patach before ח

Passage 8 — Numbers 15:35 (Death Penalty Formula)

Num 15:35

מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָאִ֑ישׁ

"The man shall surely be put to death…"

#	Form	Root	Root Class	Function	Gloss
15	מ֥וֹת
מות · Biconsonantal · Emphatic — "surely be put to death"; IA + Hophal Imperfect (יוּמַת); the same biconsonantal IA as Gen 2:17, now paired with a passive finite verb

Reflection Questions

Genesis 2:16–17 uses the identical IA + finite-verb structure for both the permission (אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל, "freely eat") and the prohibition/consequence (מ֥וֹת תָּמוּת, "surely die"). What does this parallel structure communicate about how Hebrew uses the IA to signal certainty in both positive and negative contexts?
The Sabbath commandment appears in two versions: Exodus 20:8 uses זָכ֕וֹר ("remember") and Deuteronomy 5:12 uses שָׁמ֗וֹר ("keep/observe"). Both are imperatival IAs. Compare these with the Deuteronomic legal formula שָׁמ֣וֹר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּן (Deu 6:17). What are the differences in construction and emphasis?
The flood narrative strings together pairs of IAs (הָל֣וֹךְ וָשׁ֑וֹב, הָל֣וֹךְ וְחָס֔וֹר in Gen 8, הָלוֹךְ וְגָדֵ֔ל in Gen 26:13). How does this "paired IA" pattern differ semantically from using two finite verbs? What literary effect does the repetition of הָל֣וֹךְ create?