Article
The Hiphil form is a verbal stem formation in Biblical Hebrew, usually indicated by a הִ prefix before
the 1st radical and a hireq-yod (or sometimes tsere) vowel under the 2nd
radical of the
verb.
(This ה changes in the
participle and Imperfect
forms.) The Hiphil stem is generally used to express causative action in
active voice. In many cases the
noun
derived from the same root is the object or result of the hiphil verb
associated with that root. For example, the Hiphil verb הִמְטִיר means
"to cause to rain down"; the noun מָטָר means "rain".
Note
It is recommended to always check a dictionary or lexicon for
the meaning of a specific verb, because this stem may express
many different kinds of action in different contexts.
Function
The Hiphil stem can express any of the following kinds of verbal action:
Expresses causative action
Causative action means that the subject of the verb is causing the
object of the verb either to perform the verbal action (for dynamic verb)
or to be in the state described by the verb (for stative verbs).
The Hiphil stem usually serves this causative function with dynamic
verbs (and sometimes with stative verbs also). A good example is the
verb בּוֹא. In the Qal stem, the verb בּוֹא expresses the simple action
"to come" or "to go". But in the Hiphil stem, the verb בּוֹא expresses
the causative action "to bring" (meaning, to cause something to
come/go). In English, causative action is expressed using the main verb
"to cause" paired with the infinitive of the verbal action in view. In
Biblical Hebrew, the causative nature of the verbal action is expressed
by the Hiphil form of the verb itself with no additional verbal element.
Example: GEN 4:3
| וַיָּבֵ֨א קַ֜יִן מִפְּרִ֧י הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה |
| wayyave qayin mipperi ha'adamah minhah layhwah |
| And-he-brought Cain from-fruit-of the-ground offering to-Yahweh |
- Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground as an offering to
- Yahweh.
|
Example: 1KI 1:43
| אֲבָ֕ל אֲדֹנֵ֥ינוּ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ־דָּוִ֖ד הִמְלִ֥יךְ אֶת־שְׁלֹמֹֽה |
| 'aval 'adonenu hammelekh-dawid himlikh 'eth-shelomoh |
| But our-lord the-king_David he-made-king [dir.obj]_Solomon |
| But king David our lord crowned Solomon king |
Expresses various kinds of simple or causative action
In Biblical Hebrew, some verbs are found only in the Hiphil stem (and/or
its derivative stem formations). In these cases, the Hiphil usually
expresses a simple action which is causative by its very nature. A good
example is the Hebrew verb סוּת, which occurs only in the Hiphil stem
and means "to incite" or "to entice". A dictionary or lexicon will
indicate all the stem formations in which a particular verb is found as
well as the appropriate meaning(s).
Example: JER 43:3
| כִּ֗י בָּרוּךְ֙ בֶּן־נֵ֣רִיָּ֔ה מַסִּ֥ית אֹתְךָ֖ בָּ֑נוּ |
| ki barukh ben-neriyyah massith 'othekha banu |
| for Baruch son-of_Neriah is-inciting [dir.obj]-you in-us |
| For Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us |
Some verbs express different meanings in different stem formations.
A good example is the verb גָּלָה. In the Qal stem,
the verb גָּלָה expresses the simple action "to uncover" or "to reveal".
But in the Hiphil stem, the verb גָּלָה expresses the simple action "to
exile". Again, this will be indicated by a dictionary or lexicon.
Example: AMO 5:27
| וְהִגְלֵיתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵהָ֣לְאָה לְדַמָּ֑שֶׂק |
| wehiglethi 'ethkhem mehal'ah ledammaseq |
| And-I-will-exile [dir.obj]-you from-beyond to-Damascus |
| Therefore I will exile you beyond Damascus |
Some verbs express the same meaning in multiple stem formations. A
good example is the verb יָדַע, which expresses the causative action "to
make known" (meaning, to cause to know) in both the Piel stem
and the Hiphil stem. This also will be indicated by a dictionary or
lexicon.
Example: PSA 98:2
| הוֹדִ֣יעַ יְ֭הוָה יְשׁוּעָת֑וֹ |
| hodia' yehwah yeshu'atho |
| He-made-known Yahweh his-salvation |
| Yahweh has made known his salvation |
The Hiphil stem can also be used to express miscellaneous kinds of
simple or causative action that might not follow any of the other
descriptions listed above. As always, the specific meaning of the verb
will be indicated by a dictionary or lexicon.
Hiphil stem expressing idiomatic action:
Example: GEN 6:12
- וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נִשְׁחָ֑תָה
- כִּֽי־הִשְׁחִ֧ית כָּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר אֶת־דַּרְכּ֖וֹ עַל־הָאָרֶץ
|
- wayyar 'elohim 'eth-ha'arets wehinneh nishhathah ki-hishhith
- kol-basar 'eth-darko 'al-ha'arets
|
- And-he-saw God [dir.obj]_the-land and-behold it-was-corrupt
- because_made-corrupt all_flesh [dir.obj]_his-way
on_the-land.
|
- And God saw the land and behold it was corrupt because all flesh
- had corrupted its ways upon the land.
|
Hiphil stem declaring a state rather than expressing an action:
Example: 1KI 8:32
- לְהַרְשִׁ֣יעַ רָשָׁ֔ע לָתֵ֥ת דַּרְכּ֖וֹ בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ
- וּלְהַצְדִּ֣יק צַדִּ֔יק לָ֥תֶת ל֖וֹ כְּצִדְקָתֽוֹ׃
|
- leharshia' rasha' latheth darko berosho ulehatsdiq tsaddiq
- latheth lo ketsidqatho
|
- to-condemn evil-person to-give his-way on-his-head
- and-to-declare-righteous righteous-person to-give to-him
according-to-his-righteousness
|
- To condemn the evildoer, to punish him according to his actions,
- and to vindicate the righteous man, to reward him according to
his righteousness.
|
