The hof'al in Biblical Hebrew : simple passives, single passives and double passives-and reflexives?

Abstract

Some hof'al verbs may be semantically related as simple passives to non-causative transitive active qal or hif'il verbs of the same root. If the hif'il is the causative of the qal or nif'al, the hof'al is a causative passive. Causative verbs have two semantic units, the causative part and the basic verbal concept. The causative part of a hif'il verb can always have a direct object. Therefore the causative equivalent of an intransitive qal verb is always transitive and can be transformed into a passive. The causative idea becomes passive, but the verbal idea stays intransitive active. This is a single passive. The causative (hif'il) equivalent of transitive qal verbs can be doubly transitive. One direct object is the complement of the causative part and the other is the complement of the verbal part. In the passive transformation the causative part may become passive while the verbal part remains active and transitive. The object of the causative part becomes the subject and the object of the verbal part remains a nominal complement. This is also a single passive. Double passives occur if both the causative and verbal parts of a hif'il verb become passive. The object of the verbal part becomes the subject of the hof'al verb while the object of the causative part is omitted or expressed by a preposition phrase. By checking all occurrences of hof'al verbs the different possibilities of simple, single and double passives are researched, as well as a few occasional reflexive possibilities.