The infinitive construct can carry the following range of meanings.
Expresses purpose, result, or complementary action of a main verb (with preposition לְ)
This is by far the most common use of the infinitive construct, as a
standard grammatical infinitive.
Note
The infinitive construct can also
be used with other prepositions to complement the main verb (such as the
preposition עַל in the example below).
In the following example, the infinitive construct is expressing
purpose for the action of the main verb.
Example: GEN 11:5
| וַיֵּ֣רֶד יְהוָ֔ה לִרְאֹ֥ת אֶת־הָעִ֖יר וְאֶת־הַמִּגְדָּ֑ל |
| wayyered yehwah lir'oth 'eth-ha'ir we'eth-hammigdal |
- and-he-came-down Yahweh to-see [dir.obj]_the-city
- and-[dir.obj]_the-tower
|
| So Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower |
In the following example, the infinitive construct is expressing
the result of the action of the main verb.
Example: EXO 3:4
| וַיַּ֥רְא יְהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י סָ֣ר לִרְא֑וֹת |
| wayyar yehwah ki sar lir'oth |
| and-he-saw Yahweh that he-had-turned-aside to-see |
| When Yahweh saw that he had turned aside to look |
In the following example, the infinitive construct is expressing
the complementary action of the main verb.
Example: EXO 3:8
| וָאֵרֵ֞ד לְהַצִּיל֣וֹ׀ מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם וּֽלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ֮ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִוא֒ |
| wa'ered lehatsilo miyyad mitsrayim uleha'alotho min-ha'arets hahiw' |
- and-I-have-come-down to-deliver-them from-hand-of Egypt
- and-to-bring-them-up from-the-land the-that
|
| I have come down to free them from the Egyptians' power and to bring them up from that land |
In the following example, the infinitive construct is expressing
complementary action, but with a more nuanced meaning.
Example: 1SA 14:33
| הִנֵּ֥ה הָעָ֛ם חֹטִ֥אים לַֽיהוָ֖ה לֶאֱכֹ֣ל עַל־הַדָּ֑ם |
| hinneh ha'am hotiym layhwah le'ekhol 'al-haddam |
| behold the-people are-sinning to-Yahweh to-eat on_the-blood |
- Look, the people are sinning against Yahweh by eating with the
- blood.
|
In the following example, the infinitive construct with preposition עַל to
express purpose for the action of the main verb.
Example: AMO 1:11
| לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־רָדְפ֨וֹ בַחֶ֤רֶב אָחִיו֙ |
| lo 'ashivennu 'al-rodfo vaherev 'ahiw |
- not I-will-revoke-it on_his-pursuing with-the-sword
- his-brother
|
- I will not turn away punishment, because he pursued his brother
- with the sword
|
Provides temporal reference for the action of the main verb (with various prepositions)
The infinitive construct can be used with other prepositions (besides
those included below) to provide temporal reference. In those cases, the
context and the meaning of the preposition generally make clear the
specific temporal nuance being indicated.
Infinitive construct with preposition בְּ to express simultaneous action:
Example: 1SA 2:27
| הֲנִגְלֹ֤ה נִגְלֵ֙יתִי֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יךָ בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֥ם בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם |
| hanigloh niglethiy 'el-beth 'avikha biheyotham bemitsrayim |
- [quest.]-indeed I-revealed-myself to_house-of your-father
- while-they-were in-Egypt
|
- Did I not reveal myself to the house of your ancestor,
- when they were in Egypt?
|
Infinitive construct with preposition כְּ to express commencing action:
Example: GEN 12:14
| וַיְהִ֕י כְּב֥וֹא אַבְרָ֖ם מִצְרָ֑יְמָה |
| wayhi kevo 'avram mitsraymah |
| and-it-happened as-coming Abram to-Egypt |
| It came about that when Abram entered into Egypt |
- Infinitive construct with preposition עַד to express durative action (until a
- specified time of ending):
Example: JDG 6:18
| וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אָנֹכִ֥י אֵשֵׁ֖ב עַ֥ד שׁוּבֶֽךָ |
| wayyomar 'anokhi 'eshev 'ad shuvekha |
| and-he-said myself I-will-remain until you-return |
| Yahweh said, "I will wait until you return" |
Regarding use with a pronominal suffix
When the infinitive construct takes a pronominal suffix, that suffix can
be either the subject or the object of the infinitive itself (not the
main verb), as determined by the context.
The following example is an infinitive construct with suffix as subject
of the action.
JER 2:17
| הֲלוֹא־זֹ֖את תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֑ךְ עָזְבֵךְ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֔יִךְ |
| halo-zoth ta'aseh-llakh 'ozvekh 'eth-yehwah 'elohayikh |
- [quest.]-not_this you-have-done_to-yourself your-forsaking
- [dir.obj]_Yahweh your-God
|
- Did you not do this to yourselves when you abandoned Yahweh your
- God?
|
The following example is an infinitive construct with suffix as object
of the action.
Example: RUT 1:16
| וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רוּת֙ אַל־תִּפְגְּעִי־בִ֔י לְעָזְבֵ֖ךְ |
| wattomer ruth 'al-tifge'i-vi le'ozvekh |
| and-she-said Ruth not_you-press_on-me to-forsake-you |
| But Ruth said, "Do not make me go away from you |
