[m] 3. A further class comprises the very numerous cases, in which the infinitive with לְ is used as the object[1] of a governing verb, hence, again, for the direction which an action takes. The verbs (or conjugations) which occur most frequently in this combination with לְ and an infinitive are: הֵחֵל (with an infinitive without לְ, e.g. Dt 2, 31, Jos 3), הוֹאִיל to begin, הוֹסִיף, יָסַף (prop. to add) to continue, very frequently, even in prose, with an infinitive without לְ, as Gn 4, 8, 12, 37:5, 1 S 3, Jb 27, &c.; חָדַל to cease from, to desist; כִּלָּה to complete, to make an end of; תָּמַם to be finished; הִקְרִיב to come near to, Gn 12; מִהַר to hasten (with an infinitive without לְ Ex 2); אָבָה to be willing (with an infinitive without לְ Is 28, 30, Jb 39); חָפֵץ to will, to desire; מֵאֵן to refuse (to be unwilling); בִּקֵּשׁ to seek; יָכֹל to be able (with an infinitive without לְ, e.g. Gn 24, 37, Ex 2, 18, Nu 22, Jb 4); נָתַן with an accusative of the person in the sense of to give up to some one, to cause, or permit him to do something, e.g. Gn 20, ψ 16 (with an infinitive abs. Jb 9, see § 113 d), יָדַע to understand how to do something (in Jb 3 הָֽעֲתִידִם עֹיֵר is analogous); לָמַד to learn; קִוָּה to wait, expect (with a change of subject, e.g. Is 5 and he waited for it to bring forth grapes).
[n] We must further mention here a number of verbs in Hiphʿîl (partly denominatives), which express an action in some definite direction (cf. § 53 f), as הִגְּדִּיל to do greatly, הִשְׁפִּיל to make (it) low, הִגְבִּיהַּ to make (it) high, הֶֽעֱמִיק to make (it) deep, הִרְחִיק to make (it) far, distant, הֵימִיב to make (it) good (with an infinitive without לְ ψ 33, but 1 S 16, in the same combination, with לְ); הִשְׁכִּים to do anything early (ψ 127, along with its opposite אֵחַר to do something late, with an infinitive without לְ); הִרְבָּה to make (it) much, הִפְלָא to make (it) wonderful (even with a passive infinitive 2 Ch 26),[2] &c.
- ↑ This view is based upon the fact, that in numerous expressions of this kind (see the examples above) the לְ may be omitted, and the infinitive consequently stand as an actual accusative of the object (see above, c). However, the connexion of the verb with the object is in the latter case closer and more emphatic (hence especially adapted to poetic or prophetic diction), than the looser addition of the infinitive with לְ; thus לֹא אָבוּ שְׁמוֹעַ Is 28 is equivalent to they desired not obeying (לֹא אָבוּ also with the infin. abs. in Is 42; cf. § 113 d); but לֹא אָבוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ Ez 20 rather expresses they could not make up their mind as to hearkening. When connected with לְ, the governing verb has a more independent sense than when it directly governs the accusative of the object.
- ↑ In almost all these examples the principal idea is properly contained in the infinitive, whilst the governing verb strictly speaking contains only a subordinate adverbial statement, and is therefore best rendered in English by an adverb; e.g. Gn 27 how is it that thou hast found it so quickly? (prop. how thou hast hastened to find!), Gn 31 wherefore didst thou flee secretly? So frequently with הִרְבָּה (= often, abundantly), Ex 36, 1 S 1, 2 K 21, Is 55, Am 4, ψ 78, &c.; with שׁוּב (= again), Dt 30, 1 K 13, Ho 11, Ezr 9; cf. also 2 S 19, Jer 1, Jn 4, and the analogous instances in § 120 g; also 2 K 2 thou hast asked a hard thing.
