Chapter 30 — Piel Semantic Function Sorting

BBH Chapter 30 · Piel Strong Verbs

Classify each Piel verb as I (Intensive), F (Factitive), D (Declarative), SA (Simple Action), or DN (Denominative). Type your answer in the Function column, then click ▶ Answer to check.

Code	Function	Key diagnostic question
I	Intensive	Does the subject do the Qal action more forcefully, completely, or repeatedly?
F	Factitive	Does the subject cause an object to enter a state? (Stative Qal root.)
D	Declarative	Does the subject pronounce or treat something as being in a state?
SA	Simple Action	Is the Piel the standard form with no common Qal equivalent?
DN	Denominative	Is the Piel verb built on a noun and performs that noun's characteristic action?

Code

Function

Key diagnostic question

Intensive

Does the subject do the Qal action more forcefully, completely, or repeatedly?

Factitive

Does the subject cause an object to enter a state? (Stative Qal root.)

Declarative

Does the subject pronounce or treat something as being in a state?

Simple Action

Is the Piel the standard form with no common Qal equivalent?

Denominative

Is the Piel verb built on a noun and performs that noun's characteristic action?

Tip: Stative root (to be X) + Piel = Piel causes X → Factitive. Active root (to do X) + Piel = Piel does X more intensely → Intensive. Legal / evaluative pronouncement → Declarative. No common Qal → Simple Action. Verb built on a noun → Denominative.

#	Hebrew Form	Conjugation	Root	Ref	Contextual Gloss
1	יְבָרֶךְ	Wayyiqtol 3ms	בָּרַךְ	Gen 1:22	"God blessed them"

2	יְקַדֵּשׁ	Wayyiqtol 3ms	קָדַשׁ	Gen 2:3	"he set it apart as holy"

3	יְכַל	Wayyiqtol 3ms	כָּלָה	Gen 2:2	"he finished all his work"

4	שַׁחֵת	Inf. Construct	שָׁחַת	Gen 6:17	"to destroy all flesh"

5	יְצַו	Wayyiqtol 3ms	צָוָה	Gen 2:16	"the LORD God commanded the man"

6	יְגָרֶשׁ	Wayyiqtol 3ms	גָּרַשׁ	Gen 3:24	"he drove out the man"

7	חַיּוֹת	Inf. Construct	חָיָה	Gen 7:3	"to keep offspring alive on the earth"

8	יְשַׁלַּח	Wayyiqtol 3ms	שָׁלַח	Gen 8:7	"he sent out a raven"

9	יְכַסּוּ	Wayyiqtol 3mp	כָּסָה	Gen 9:23	"they covered their father's nakedness"

10	יְדַבֵּר	Wayyiqtol 3ms	דָּבַר	Gen 8:15	"God spoke to Noah"

11	יְשָׁרֶת	Wayyiqtol 3ms	שָׁרַת	Gen 39:4	"he served him / ministered to him"

12	אֲגַדְּלָה	Yiqtol 1cs	גָּדַל	Gen 12:2	"I will make your name great"

13	מְקַלֵּל	Participle ms	קָלַל	Gen 12:3	"the one who treats you lightly / curses you"

14	יְנַגַּע	Wayyiqtol 3ms	נָגַע	Gen 12:17	"the LORD afflicted Pharaoh with plagues"

15	וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ	Weqatal 2ms	קָדַשׁ	Exo 19:10	"you shall consecrate them today and tomorrow"

16	וְכִבְּסוּ	Weqatal 3cp	כָּבַס	Exo 19:10	"they shall wash their garments"

17	יְהַלֲלוּ	Wayyiqtol 3mp	הָלַל	Gen 12:15	"Pharaoh's officials praised her"

18	יְבַקֵּשׁ	Wayyiqtol 3ms	בָּקַשׁ	Gen 37:15	"what are you seeking?"

19	לְנַחֵם	Inf. Construct	נָחַם	Gen 37:35	"he refused to be comforted"

20	צִוָּה	Perfect 3ms	צָוָה	Gen 6:22	"God had commanded him"

21	לְכַפֵּר	Inf. Construct	כָּפַר	Lev 4:20	"to make atonement for them"

22	יְחַלֵּל	Wayyiqtol 3ms	חָלַל	Lev 21:12	"he shall not profane the sanctuary"

23	בִּקֵּשׁ	Perfect 3ms	בָּקַשׁ	Gen 43:30	"he sought a place to weep"

24	יְנַחֵם	Yiqtol 3ms	נָחַם	Gen 5:29	"this one will comfort us"

25	לְהַלֵּל	Inf. Construct	הָלַל	Psa 113:1	"praise the name of the LORD"

Hebrew Form

Conjugation

Root

Ref

Contextual Gloss

Function

יְבָרֶךְ

Wayyiqtol 3ms

בָּרַךְ

Gen 1:22

"God blessed them"

יְקַדֵּשׁ

Wayyiqtol 3ms

קָדַשׁ

Gen 2:3

"he set it apart as holy"

יְכַל

Wayyiqtol 3ms

כָּלָה

Gen 2:2

"he finished all his work"

שַׁחֵת

Inf. Construct

שָׁחַת

Gen 6:17

"to destroy all flesh"

יְצַו

Wayyiqtol 3ms

צָוָה

Gen 2:16

"the LORD God commanded the man"

יְגָרֶשׁ

Wayyiqtol 3ms

גָּרַשׁ

Gen 3:24

"he drove out the man"

חַיּוֹת

Inf. Construct

חָיָה

Gen 7:3

"to keep offspring alive on the earth"

יְשַׁלַּח

Wayyiqtol 3ms

שָׁלַח

Gen 8:7

"he sent out a raven"

יְכַסּוּ

Wayyiqtol 3mp

כָּסָה

Gen 9:23

"they covered their father's nakedness"

יְדַבֵּר

Wayyiqtol 3ms

דָּבַר

Gen 8:15

"God spoke to Noah"

יְשָׁרֶת

Wayyiqtol 3ms

שָׁרַת

Gen 39:4

"he served him / ministered to him"

אֲגַדְּלָה

Yiqtol 1cs

גָּדַל

Gen 12:2

"I will make your name great"

מְקַלֵּל

Participle ms

קָלַל

Gen 12:3

"the one who treats you lightly / curses you"

יְנַגַּע

Wayyiqtol 3ms

נָגַע

Gen 12:17

"the LORD afflicted Pharaoh with plagues"

וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ

Weqatal 2ms

קָדַשׁ

Exo 19:10

"you shall consecrate them today and tomorrow"

וְכִבְּסוּ

Weqatal 3cp

כָּבַס

Exo 19:10

"they shall wash their garments"

יְהַלֲלוּ

Wayyiqtol 3mp

הָלַל

Gen 12:15

"Pharaoh's officials praised her"

יְבַקֵּשׁ

Wayyiqtol 3ms

בָּקַשׁ

Gen 37:15

"what are you seeking?"

לְנַחֵם

Inf. Construct

נָחַם

Gen 37:35

"he refused to be comforted"

צִוָּה

Perfect 3ms

צָוָה

Gen 6:22

"God had commanded him"

לְכַפֵּר

Inf. Construct

כָּפַר

Lev 4:20

"to make atonement for them"

יְחַלֵּל

Wayyiqtol 3ms

חָלַל

Lev 21:12

"he shall not profane the sanctuary"

בִּקֵּשׁ

Perfect 3ms

בָּקַשׁ

Gen 43:30

"he sought a place to weep"

יְנַחֵם

Yiqtol 3ms

נָחַם

Gen 5:29

"this one will comfort us"

לְהַלֵּל

Inf. Construct

הָלַל

Psa 113:1

"praise the name of the LORD"

Discussion Questions

Items 1, 5, 10, 17, 20 are all classified as Simple Action. What do these roots share? Why is a Qal→Piel intensification analysis not helpful for them?
Items 2, 12, 15, 22: these Factitive Piels all involve stative roots. What is the Qal meaning of each root, and how does the Piel "factitivize" it — that is, how does it cause the object to enter the state the Qal describes?
Items 16 and 9 (כָּבַס "wash" and כָּסָה "cover"): both are Intensive. What does the intensification add for a washing verb vs. a covering verb? Is "wash thoroughly" or "wash repeatedly" a better description for כָּבַס? Does the same choice apply to כָּסָה?
Item 21 (לְכַפֵּר): if this is Denominative, what noun is it derived from? How does knowing that noun illuminate the theological significance of כִּפֶּר in Leviticus?