Chapter 26 — Qal–Hiphil Contrast Drill

BBH Chapter 26 · Hiphil Strong Verbs

For each Hiphil form below: (1) translate it into English, (2) name the semantic function (Causative / Declarative / Factitive / Simple Action), and (3) explain in one sentence why the Hiphil meaning follows from the Qal.

Function	Name	Description / Test
Causative	Causative	Subject causes someone/something to perform the action. (Motion verb: go → bring.)
Factitive	Factitive	Subject causes an object to enter a state. (Stative root: be heavy → make heavy.)
Declarative	Declarative	Subject declares or treats something as being in a state. (Legal / evaluative.)
Simple Action	Simple Action	Hiphil is the standard form of the verb; no active Qal counterpart in normal BH usage.

Function

Name

Description / Test

Causative

Causative

Subject causes someone/something to perform the action. (Motion verb: go → bring.)

Factitive

Factitive

Subject causes an object to enter a state. (Stative root: be heavy → make heavy.)

Declarative

Declarative

Subject declares or treats something as being in a state. (Legal / evaluative.)

Simple Action

Simple Action

Hiphil is the standard form of the verb; no active Qal counterpart in normal BH usage.

Part A — Motion Verbs (Causative)

These roots describe motion in the Qal. The Hiphil makes someone else do the moving.

#	Root	Qal Meaning	Hiphil Form	Ref	Translation	Function
1	בּוֹא	to go in, come	יָּבֵא (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 2:19
					he brought (them)	Causative	God caused the animals to come to Adam; Qal "to come" → Hiphil "to cause to come / bring"
2	יָצָא	to go out	תּוֹצֵא (Wayyiqtol 3fs)	Gen 1:12
					it brought forth	Causative	the earth caused vegetation to come out; Qal "to go out" → Hiphil "to cause to go out / bring forth"
3	שׁוּב	to return	הֵשִׁיב (Weqatal 3ms)	Gen 14:16
					he brought back	Causative	Abraham caused Lot to return; Qal "to return" → Hiphil "to cause to return / restore"
4	עָלָה	to go up	הַעֲלֵה (Imperative 2ms)	Gen 22:2
					offer up!	Causative	Abraham is to cause Isaac to go up as a burnt offering; Qal "to go up" → Hiphil "to bring up / offer"
5	יָרַד	to go down	תֹּרֶד (Wayyiqtol 3fs)	Gen 24:18
					she lowered (her jar)	Causative	Rebekah caused the jar to go down; Qal "to go down" → Hiphil "to bring down / lower"
6	מוּת	to die	הָמִית (Inf. Construct)	Gen 18:25
					to put to death / to kill	Causative	causing someone to die; Qal "to die" → Hiphil "to cause to die / kill"
7	יָלַד	to give birth	יּוֹלֶד (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 5:3
					he fathered / begat	Causative	Adam caused a son to be born; Qal "to give birth" → Hiphil "to cause to be born / beget"
8	שָׁקָה	to drink	הִשְׁקָה (Perfect 3ms)	Gen 2:6
					it watered	Causative	the mist caused the ground to receive water; Qal "to drink" → Hiphil "to give to drink / water"

Root

Qal Meaning

Hiphil Form

Ref

Translation

Function

בּוֹא

to go in, come

יָּבֵא (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 2:19

he brought (them)

Causative

God caused the animals to come to Adam; Qal "to come" → Hiphil "to cause to come / bring"

יָצָא

to go out

תּוֹצֵא (Wayyiqtol 3fs)

Gen 1:12

it brought forth

Causative

the earth caused vegetation to come out; Qal "to go out" → Hiphil "to cause to go out / bring forth"

שׁוּב

to return

הֵשִׁיב (Weqatal 3ms)

Gen 14:16

he brought back

Causative

Abraham caused Lot to return; Qal "to return" → Hiphil "to cause to return / restore"

עָלָה

to go up

הַעֲלֵה (Imperative 2ms)

Gen 22:2

offer up!

Causative

Abraham is to cause Isaac to go up as a burnt offering; Qal "to go up" → Hiphil "to bring up / offer"

יָרַד

to go down

תֹּרֶד (Wayyiqtol 3fs)

Gen 24:18

she lowered (her jar)

Causative

Rebekah caused the jar to go down; Qal "to go down" → Hiphil "to bring down / lower"

מוּת

to die

הָמִית (Inf. Construct)

Gen 18:25

to put to death / to kill

Causative

causing someone to die; Qal "to die" → Hiphil "to cause to die / kill"

יָלַד

to give birth

יּוֹלֶד (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 5:3

he fathered / begat

Causative

Adam caused a son to be born; Qal "to give birth" → Hiphil "to cause to be born / beget"

שָׁקָה

to drink

הִשְׁקָה (Perfect 3ms)

Gen 2:6

it watered

Causative

the mist caused the ground to receive water; Qal "to drink" → Hiphil "to give to drink / water"

Part B — Stative Verbs (Factitive and Declarative)

These roots describe a state in the Qal. The Hiphil either causes that state (Factitive) or declares something to be in that state (Declarative).

Factitive vs. Declarative:

Factitive — the Hiphil causes the state: כָּבֵד Qal "be heavy" → Hiphil "make heavy"
Declarative — the Hiphil declares something as being in that state: רָשָׁע Qal "be wicked" → Hiphil "declare wicked / condemn"

#	Root	Qal Meaning	Hiphil Form	Ref	Translation	Function
9	כָּבֵד	to be heavy, honored	יַּכְבֵּד (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Exo 8:28
					he hardened (his heart)	Factitive	Pharaoh caused his heart to be in a state of heaviness/stubbornness
10	גָּדַל	to be great	תַּגְדֵּל (Wayyiqtol 2ms)	Gen 19:19
					you have made great (your kindness)	Factitive	caused kindness to be great; Qal "to be great" → Hiphil "to make great / magnify"
11	רָשָׁע	to be wicked	הִרְשִׁיעוּ (Perfect 3cp)	Deu 25:1
					they condemned (the guilty) / declared wicked	Declarative	a legal verdict declaring someone to be in the state of guilt (Deu 25:1 contrasts this with acquitting the innocent)

Root

Qal Meaning

Hiphil Form

Ref

Translation

Function

כָּבֵד

to be heavy, honored

יַּכְבֵּד (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Exo 8:28

he hardened (his heart)

Factitive

Pharaoh caused his heart to be in a state of heaviness/stubbornness

גָּדַל

to be great

תַּגְדֵּל (Wayyiqtol 2ms)

Gen 19:19

you have made great (your kindness)

Factitive

caused kindness to be great; Qal "to be great" → Hiphil "to make great / magnify"

רָשָׁע

to be wicked

הִרְשִׁיעוּ (Perfect 3cp)

Deu 25:1

they condemned (the guilty) / declared wicked

Declarative

a legal verdict declaring someone to be in the state of guilt (Deu 25:1 contrasts this with acquitting the innocent)

Part C — Verbs with No Common Qal

Some roots are attested almost exclusively in the Hiphil. The Hiphil is their "base" form in terms of usage frequency.

#	Root	Qal Situation	Hiphil Form	Ref	Translation	Function
12	נָכָה	no Qal in BH	הַכּוֹת (Inf. Construct)	Gen 4:15
					to strike / smite	Simple Action	Hiphil is the primary form; no causative "extra layer" since there is no Qal counterpart
13	שָׁמַד	no Qal in BH	הִשְׁמַדְתִּי (Perfect 1cs)	Lev 26:30
					I will destroy	Simple Action	Hiphil is the primary form; the Niphal of this root means "to be destroyed"
14	נָגַד	rare Qal	יַּגֵּד (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 9:22
					he told / reported	Simple Action	the Hiphil is the standard form; the root idea is "to place before / face" someone; Hiphil = to put information before someone

Root

Qal Situation

Hiphil Form

Ref

Translation

Function

נָכָה

no Qal in BH

הַכּוֹת (Inf. Construct)

Gen 4:15

to strike / smite

Simple Action

Hiphil is the primary form; no causative "extra layer" since there is no Qal counterpart

שָׁמַד

no Qal in BH

הִשְׁמַדְתִּי (Perfect 1cs)

Lev 26:30

I will destroy

Simple Action

Hiphil is the primary form; the Niphal of this root means "to be destroyed"

נָגַד

rare Qal

יַּגֵּד (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 9:22

he told / reported

Simple Action

the Hiphil is the standard form; the root idea is "to place before / face" someone; Hiphil = to put information before someone

Discussion Questions

For the motion verbs in Part A, describe the pattern in one sentence: what does the Hiphil consistently do to the Qal meaning?
Which of Part B's three verbs is Factitive and which is Declarative? How did you decide?
Does the lack of a Qal counterpart (Part C) affect how you translate the Hiphil? Why or why not?