An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

h Given that the factitive is associated with adjectival state, the comparative use is not
surprising. 27 The examples given above of ṣdq are all comparative, the object of
comparison governed by mn (## 9a-b) or unexpressed (# 9c). Such comparative use is
found in simple estimative examples.
10. ינִּ ֶמּ ֫ ִמ ךָינֶ֫ ָבּ־תא ֶ ר ֵבּ ַכתְּ וַ
You have honored your sons more than me.
1 Sam 2:29
The comparative may involve a “real” factitive.
11. וֹאסְ ִכּ־תא ֶ לדֵּ גי ַ וִ
ךְ ֶל ֶמּ ֫ ה ַ ינֹד ִ א ֲ אסֵּ כִּ ִמ
׃דוִ דָּ
12. ט ַע ְמּ וּהר֫ ֵסְּ
חַ תְּ וַ
םיהלֹ ֑ ִ אֱ ֵמ
And may he make his throne greater than the throne of
my master, King David.
1 Kgs 1:37
You have made it (humanity) lack [only] a little of
divine beings.
Ps 8:6
24.3 Resultative
a The majority of the Piel verbs present a resultative profile, or more strictly (Qal
transitive) :: Piel resultative :: (Hiphil causative). According to Jenni, about 180 verbs
are attested in Qal : Piel (:: Hiphil), and 135 in Piel (:: Hiphil). 28 Jenni’s category of
Qal transitives is largely made up of fientives, and in fact it could better be so called,
because Jenni extends the class of transitives to include verbs which “notionally” take
an[Page 405] “imagined” object, for example, hlk ‘to go, i.e., make a trip’ and ṣ˓q ‘to
cry, i.e., utter a cry.’ this device seems to beg the issue. The approximately forty Qal
intransitive fientive verbs are best treated separately (24.5).
b The Piel stems of Qal transitive verbs signal the bringing about of a state
corresponding to the verbal meaning of the Qal stem, a state that can be described in
terms of an adjectival construction. In most instances this involves transforming the
verb into a form that corresponds to the English past participle, for example, רבשׁ
Qal ‘to break’ becomes Piel ‘to make broken’ and הרז Qal ‘to scatter’ becomes Piel
‘to make scattered.’ Jenni calls this use of the Piel resultative. Ryder prefers the term
“transformative” for the Piel of both stative and transitive verbs.
c The distinction between Qal and Piel for transitive fientive verbs can scarcely be
recognized in English; the “meaning” ‘to make broker’ is a “longwinded
circumlocution” for the more simple ‘to break.’ this similarity is reflected in some
27
Jenni, Pi˓el, 72–74.
28
Jenni, Pi˓el, 123–26. Ryder’s somewhat different classification, allowing for
comparative, evidence (D-Stem, 108–18), yields diflerent counts. Some Piel verbs
without Qal correspondents do find simple-stem cognates in Arabic, e.g., ˒zn Piel ‘to
weigh’ (Qoh 12:9), cf. Arabic wazana ‘to weigh’; and gšš Pielito touch’ (Isa 59:10),
cf. Arabic jassa ‘to handle.’ Cf. Ryder, D-Stem, 108, 110.