Verb Imperative¶
Summary¶
An imperative verb is used to express direct commands, instructions, and other similar actions with varying degrees of desirability as determined by the context.
Article¶
In Biblical Hebrew, the Imperative form is used to express positive commands or instructions directed to another person(s). Thus, Imperative verbs always appear only in the second person. (Similarly, Cohortative verbs appear only in the first person, and Jussive verbs usually appear in the third person.) Imperative verbs can express actions with varying degrees of desirability, including instructions, requests, permissions, invitations, assurances, wishes, etc. The context must determine the nuanced meaning of each instance of an Imperative verb.
Biblical Hebrew does not use the Imperative form to express negative commands. Rather, prohibitions are expressed either with the Imperfect (with לֹא) or with a Jussive verb in the 2nd person (with אַל). Occasionally, the Imperative form will appear with a paragogic ה suffix; in these cases, the meaning of the ה suffix is unknown but probably functions to strengthen the force of the verb in some way.
Form¶
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular | כְּבַד | kevad | you must be heavy |
| feminine singular | כִּבְדִי | kivdi | you must be heavy |
| masculine plural | כִּבְדוּ | kivdu | you must be heavy |
| feminine plural | כְּבַדְנָה | kevadnah | you must be heavy |
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular | הִקָּטֵל | hiqqatel | you must be killed |
| feminine singular | הִקָּטְלִי | hiqqatli | you must be killed |
| masculine plural | הִקָּטְלוּ | hiqqatlu | you must be killed |
| feminine plural | הִקָּטַלְנָה | hiqqatalnah | you must be killed |
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular | הַקְטֵל | haqtel | you must cause to kill |
| feminine singular | הַקְטִילִי | haqtili | you must cause to kill |
| masculine plural | הַקְטִילוּ | haqtilu | you must cause to kill |
| feminine plural | הַקְטֵלְנָה | haqtelenah | you must cause to kill |
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular | קַטֵּל | qattel | you must slaughter |
| feminine singular | קַטְּלִי | qatteli | you must slaughter |
| masculine plural | קַטְּלוּ | qattelu | you must slaughter |
| feminine plural | קַטֵּלְנָה | qattelnah | you must slaughter |
| Parsing | Hebrew | Transliteration | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine singular | הִתְקַטֵּל | hitqattel | he must kill himself |
| feminine singular | הִתְקַטְּלִי | hitqatteli | she must kill herself |
| masculine plural | הִתְקַטְּלוּ | hitqattelu | they must kill themselves |
| feminine plural | הִתְקַטֵּלְנָה | hitqattelnah | they must kill themselves |
Function¶
The Imperative form can indicate any of the following kinds of actions:
Direct commands or instructions¶
| קַ֣ח בְּיָדְךָ֞ אֲבָנִ֣ים גְּדֹל֗וֹת |
| qah beyodkha ‘avanim gedoloth |
| Take in-your-hand stones large |
| Take some large stones in your hand |
| ק֥וּמִי א֖וֹרִי כִּ֣י בָ֣א אוֹרֵ֑ךְ | |
| qumiy ‘oriy kiy ba’ ‘orekh | |
| Arise shine for it-has-come your-light | |
| **Arise | shine;** for your light has come |
| ק֠וּם לֵ֧ךְ אֶל־נִֽינְוֵ֛ה | |
| qum lekh ‘el-niyneveh | |
| Rise go to_Nineveh | |
| Get up | go to Nineveh |
Actions of greater or lesser desirability¶
| אִמְרִי־נָ֖א אֲחֹ֣תִי אָ֑תְּ |
| ‘imri-na ‘ahothi ‘at |
| Say_oh my-sister you |
| Say that you are my sister |
| וִיהִי־מָ֣ה אָר֔וּץ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ ר֑וּץ |
| wihi-mah ‘aruts wayyomer lo ruts |
| And-it-will-be_whatever I-will-run and-he-said to-him run |
|
| עֻ֥צוּ עֵצָ֖ה וְתֻפָ֑ר | |
| ‘utsu ‘etsah wethufar | |
| Advise counsel and-it-will-be-made-ineffectual | |
| Form a plan | but it will not be carried out |
| וְשַֽׁאֲלִי־לוֹ֙ אֶת־הַמְּלוּכָ֔ה |
| wesha’ali-lo ‘eth-hammelukhah |
| And-ask_for-him [dir.obj]_the-kingdom |
| Why do you not ask the kingdom for him also? |