B. THE INFINITIVE AND PARTICIPLE.
§ 113. The Infinitive Absolute.
Cf. the dissertation of J. Kahan, and, especially, the thorough investigation by E. Sellin, both entitled, Ueber die verbal-nominale Doppelnatur der hebräischen Participien und Infinitive, &c., Lpz. 1889; F. Prätorius, 'Ueber die sogen. Infin. absol. des Hebr.' in ZDMG. 1902, pp. 546 ff.
Examples of the use of the infinitive absolute: — b
(a) As subject, Pr 25:27bAj aol tABr>h; vb;D> lkoa' it is not good to eat much honey; Jer 10:5, Jb 6:25, Ec 4:17; epexegetically, after a demonstrative pronoun, Is 58:5 f., Zc 14:12.
(b) As predicate, Is 32:17 and the effect of righteousness (is) c
xj;b,ñw" jqev.h; quietness (prop. to find rest) and confidence.
(c) As object, Is 1:17 d
bjeyhe Wdm.li learn to do well; Is 7:15, Pr 15:12, Jb 9:18; according to the sense also Jer 9:23 23:14, as well as Is 5:5 (rseh' and#roP' virtually depend on the idea of the wish contained inhf,[o ); Is 22:13, where a long series of infinitives absolute is governed byhNEhi , and 59:13 (six infinitives governed by~Wn[]d;y> in verse 12); Dt 28:56 is strange since the object precedes the infinitive absolute which governs it,2 also Is 42:21, where the statement of place precedes the infinitive absolute.—In Jer 9:4, Jb 13:3 the infinitive absolute as the object of the verb is placed before it for the sake of emphasis (with the verb negatived byaol in Is 57:20, Jer 49:23), so also in La 3:45 where it is the remoter object and co-ordinated with a substantive.
(d) As genitive, Is 14:23 e
dmev.h; ajea]j.m;B. with the besom of destruction; so perhaps also 4:4r[eB' x;WrB. ; cf. further, Pr 1:3, 21:16. The infinitive absolute is never used in immediate connexion with prepositions3 (which as being originally substantives govern the genitive), but always the infinitive construct; but if a second infinitive is co-ordinated byw> with such an infinitive construct, it has the form of the infinitive absolute (since it is released from the immediate government of the preposition), e.g. 1 S 22:13 …~x,l, Al ^T.tiB. ~yhil{abe Al lAav'w> in that thou hast given him bread … and hast enquired of God for him; Ez 36:3; 1 S 25:26, 33 (after!mi ); afterl. Ex 32:6, Jer 7:18, 44:17.
(e) Governing an accusative of the object, e.g. Is 22:13 f
!aoc jxov'w> rq'B' groh' slaying oxen and killing Sheep; cf. Ex 20:8, 23:30, Dt 5:12, Is 37:19, Ez 23:30, and of the examples in a–d, Dt 28:56, Is 5:5, 58:6 f., Pr 25:27, &c.; followed by a preposition, e.g. Is 7:15bAJB; rAxb'W [r'B' sAam' to refuse the evil and Choose the good; Pr 15:12 (Al x;keAh ).
If the object be a personal pronoun, then, since the infinitive absolute can never be united with a suffix (see the note on a), it is affixed by means of the accusative-sign g
tae (tao ), e.g. Jer 9:23ytiao [;Ady"w> and knoweth me; Ez 36:3.
Rem. 1. To an adverbial infinitive absolute of this kind, there may further be added a casus adverbialis (the accusative of state or circumstance), or even a circumstantial clause, to define more exactly the manner in which the action is performed, e.g. Is 20:2 and he did so i
@xey"w> ~Ar[' %l{h' walking naked and barefoot, prop. in the condition of one naked, &c.; Is 30:14 a breaking in pieces (acc. to the readingtAtK' ; the Masora requirestWtK' ) without sparing.
2. A few infinitives of this kind, all of which are in k
HiphÇiÖl , have, through frequent use, come to be treated by the language as simple adverbs; so especiallyhBer>h; (cf. § 75 ff) multum faciendo, i.e. multum, very frequently strengthened bydaom. very and even used without connexion with a finite verb (see the Lexicon); alsobjeyhe bene faciendo, i.e. bene, used especially to express the careful and thorough performance of an action (e.g. Dt 13:15); in Dt 9:21, 27:8 it is added epexegetically to another adverbial infinitive absolute, in Jon 4:9 it twice precedes the verb for the sake of emphasis. Finally,~Kev.h; mane faciendo, i.e. early in the morning, then in general early with the additional idea of earnestness; in 1 S 17:16 joined with the infinitive absolutebre[]h;w> a denominative frombr,[,ñ evening (morning and evening, i.e. early and late), elsewhere (with the exception of Pr 27:14) always joined with the infinitive absolute of the governing verb, e.g. Jer 11:7 for I earnestly protested (ytidoñ[ih; ) unto your fathers …d[eh'w> ~Kev.h; rising early and protesting, i.e. with earnest protestation; Jer 25:3, 26: 5 (wherew> should be omitted beforeäh ); Jer 29:19, 32:33, 2 Ch 36:15.
These infinitives absolute joined immediately to the finite verb belong in a sense to the schema elymologicum treated in § 117 p, i.e. they are objects of the finite verb in question, except that the infinitive absolute (as a nomen abstractum) lays stress rather on the actual occurrence or the energy of the action (see the examples below), while the noun proper emphasizes the result or extent of the action; cf. e.g. Ex 22:22 m
yl;ae q[;c.yI q[oc'-~ai if it actually happens that he cries to me, with Gn 27:34 (as it were, he cried, so that a great cry was heard).
We must further distinguish —
(1) Frequently at the beginning of the statement; cf. Driver on 1 S 20:6. However, in these cases a special emphasis on the following verb is sometimes intended; cf. above, n, on Gn 43:3, 1 S 20:6; also Gn 3:16 , 26:28, 32:17, 1 S 14:28, 20:3. Elsewhere the infinitive absolute is evidently used only as possessing a certain fullness of sound (hence for rhythmical reasons, like some uses of the separate pronoun, § 135 a), as in Gn 15:13, 43:7, 20, Ju 9:8, 1 S 10:16, 23:10, 2 S 1:6, 20:18.
(2) Very frequently in conditional sentences after
Rem. 1. Instead of a second infinitive absolute (see above) there is sometimes found a perfect consecutive (Jos. 6:13a and 2 S 13:19 [but Stade's t
qA[z"w> is is preferable], in both places as perfect frequentative; Is 31:5 referring to the future, unless with Stade, ZAW. vi. 189, we readlyCeh;w> andjylem.h;w> ), or an imperfect consecutive (1 S 19:23, 2 S 16:13) or participle (2 S 16:5); cf. also u.
2. The idea of long continuance is very frequently expressed by the verb u
%l;h' to go, along with its infinitive absolute, or even by the latter alone, and this occurs not only when it can be taken in its literal sense (to go, to walk, as in the examples given above, Jos 6:9, 13, 1 S 6:12, 2 S 3:16, 13:19; cf. also, Is 3:16, where both infinitives stand before the verb, andy Ps 126:6, where%Alh' precedes), but also in cases where%l;h' in the sense of to go on, to continue, merely performs the function of an adverb. The action itself is added in a second infinitive absolute, or sometimes (see above, t) in a participle or verbal adjective. Examples, Gn 8:3bAvw" %Alh' …~yIM;ñh; WbvuñY"w: and the waters returned … continually; Gn 8:5, 12:9, Ju 14:9, 2 K 2:11; with a participle following, Jer 41:6 (unless we readhkob'W , as in 2 S 3:16); with an adjective following, Gen 26:13, Ju 4:24, 1 S 14:19, 2 S 5:10 (1 Ch 11:9), 2 S 18:25.9
On the other hand, in 1 S 17:41 the participle%leho is used instead of the infinitive absolute. Of a different kind are the instances in which the participle%leho is used as predicate along with the co-ordinate adjective (Ex 19:19, 1 S 2:26, 2 S 3:1, 15:12, Est 9:4, 2 Ch 17:12) or participle (1 S 17:15, Jon 1:11, Pr 4:18, Ec 1:6).
3. The regular place of the negative is between the intensifying infinitive absolute and the finite verb,10 e.g. Ex 5:23 v
T'l.C;hi-aol lCeh;w> neither hast thou delivered at all, Ju 15:13, Jer 13:12, 30:11; cf. Mi 1:10 (la; ). Exceptions are Gn 3:4. (where the negation of the threat pronounced in 2:17 is expressed in the same form of words); Am 9:8,y Ps 49:8.
4. With a finite verb of one of the derived conjugations, not only the infinitive absolute of the same conjugation may be connected (Gn 28:22 w
PiÇeÒl ; 17:13, Ex 22:3, Ez 14:3NiphÇal ; Gn 40:15PuÇal ; Ho 4:18HiphÇiÖl ; Ez 16:4HophÇal ), but also (especially withNiphÇal , rarely withPiÇeÒl andHiphÇiÖl ; see Driver on 2 S 20:18) that of Qal as the simplest and most general representative of the verbal idea, 2 S 20:18 (withPiÇeÒl ; but in Gn 37:33, 44:28@r;jo is a passive of Qal, § 52 e); 46:4 (withHiphÇiÖl ); Ex 19:18, 21:10, 2 S 23:7, Is 40:30, Jer 10:5, Jb 6:2 (withNiphÇal ); Is 24:19 (withHithpoÇeÒl; h['roñ in the same verse must also, according to the Masora, certainly be the infinitive absolute Qal; see § 67 o), and so alwaystm;Wy tAm he shall surely be put to death. Elsewhere the infinitive absolute of a conjugation with kindred meaning is found, Lv 19:20, 2 K 3:23HophÇal forNiphÇal (but most probably we should read, with Driver, the infin. Niph. in both places,hdeP'hi andbrex'he ); 1 S 2:16 (PiÇeÒl forHiphÇiÖl , unless!WrJ.q;y> is to be read); Ez 16:4 (HophÇal forPuÇal ).11 Finally, the infinitive absolute may equally well be represented by a substantive of kindred stem.12 In Is 29:14 the substantive intensifying the verb is found along with the infinitive absolute.
5. Instead of the infinitive absolute immediately connected with the finite verb, an infinitive construct form appears (cf. § 73 d), in Nu 23:25 ( x
bqo ~G: ; cf. Ru 2:16lvo ~G: ); Jer 50:34 (byrIy" byrI ); Pr 23:1 (!ybiT' !yBi ). In the last instances the infinitive is probably assimilated to the imperfect, like the infinitiveNiphÇal in the forms noticed in § 51 k and note.—Cf. also 2 K 3:24abo WaboñY"w: tAKh;w> (read so with the LXX) beforea , hence, no doubt due to the dislike of a hiatus; so iny Ps 50:21, Neh 1:7 (lbox] ), all in rapid style; after the verb, Jos 7:7, unlessrybe[]h; is intended.
Rem. The subject is sometimes added to the infinitive absolute when it takes tho place of the finite verb, e.g. Lv 6:7, Nu 15:35, Dt 15:2, gg
y Ps 17:5, Pr 17:12, Jb 40:2, Ec 4:2, Est 9:1. So, probably, also in Gn 17:10, Ex 12:48, although hererk'z"-lK' according to § 121 a might also be taken as an object with a passive verb; cf. Est 3:13. In 1 S 25:26, 33 the subject follows an infinitive absolute which is co-ordinated with an infinitive construct, see above, e.
Footnotes:
1[1] The infinitive absolute can never be joined with a genitive or a pronominal suffix.
2[2] Perhaps
3[3]
5[2] Also in 2 K 21:13 for
8[2] Also in Ez 1:14 for the distorted form
11[3] In three passages even the infinitive absolute of another stem of like sound occurs; but in Is 28:28
12[1] On these substantives (and on the use of the infinitive absolute generally as absolute object, see above, m), cf. the schema etymologicum treated in connexion with the government of the verb in § 117 p, q.
13[2] In Ez 7:14 a perfect appears to be continued by means of an infinitive construct; but the text is quite corrupt; Cornill reads
16[3] In Ez 21:31, for the infinitives construct
17[4] In 2 S 3:18 the infinitive construct appears to be used instead of the cohortative, but
18[5] In Jb 34:18 in a similar question instead of the infinitive constr. we should rather expect the infinitive absolute (