An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

ןוּ ֑שׁירִ חֲ תַּ
Job 13:5
h Related to both the affirmative and volitional uses of the infinitive is its use with
orders and admonitions; as we shall see below, the infinitive may stand alone as a
word of command. With other orders, the infinitive is generally prepositive with
prefix forms (## 26–29) and postpositive with imperatives (# 30; cf. # 9).
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27.
28.
26. ךְ ֶל ֶמי ֫ בִ א ֲ ו ַצְי וַ
רֹמא ֑ ֵל ם ָעה־ל ָ ָכּ־תאֶ הזֶּ ה ַ שׁיאִ ָבּ עַ ֵגֹנּהַ ׃ת ָמוּי תוֹמ וֹתּ ְשׁ אִ ְבוּ
חי ַ ִכוֹתּ חַ ֵכוֹה
א ָשּׂ ת־אֹ ִ לו ְ ךָתי ֶ֫
מִ ֲע־תאֶ ׃אטְ ח ֵ וי ָל ָע
רוֹשּׁה ַ לקֵ סִּי ָ לוֹק ָ
29. ןוּר ְמ ְשׁ תּ ִ רוֹמ ָשׁ
תוֹ ְצ ִמ־תאֶ 30. י ַלא ֵ עוֹמ ַ ָשׁ וּע ְמ ִשׁ
בוֹט־וּל ְכאִ וְ
So Abimelech gave orders to all the people, “Whoever
molests this man or his wife shall surely be put to
death (Qal inf. abs. + Hophal non-perf.).”
Gen 26:11
Be sure to rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will
not share in his guilt.
Lev 19:17
ס The bull must be stoned (Qal inf. abs. + Niphal nonperf.).
Exod 21:28
Be sure to keep the commands…
Deut 6:17
Listen, listen to me and eat what is good.
Isa 55:2
i In some cases it is difficult to focus on the force of the infinitive absolute.
Occasionally it seems to intensify the root situation (usually postpositive, ## 31–32;
prepositive, # 33). 33 Elsewhere the effect is to stress a negation (# 34) or a relevant
time boundary (## 35–36).
31. ךְ ֵלֹה ַל וֹכב ָ וּכבְּ Weep bitterly for him who goes (into exile).
32. ַ
חוֹט ָשׁ םהֶ ָל וּחטְ ְשִׁיּ וַ
׃ה ֶנחֲ ַמּ הַ
תוֹביבִ סְ
33. התָּ ְפסַ֫ ְכ ִנ ףֹסכְ ִנ־י ִכּ
ךָיב֑ ִ֫
א ָ תיבֵ לְ
Jer 22:10
They spread them (the quail) out for themselves all
over around the camp.
Num 11:32
You yearned intensely (to return) to your father’s
house.
33
Other alleged prepositive cases include Gen 43:3, 1 Sam 20:6 (s])l), Joel 1:7, Prov
27:23.