Infinitives are special forms of verbs that can serve as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Grammatically, an infinitive expresses an action in general terms, without reference to a particular person or thing (hence the name given to it; it is not limited). In English, the infinitive is normally prefaced by the word "to"; e.g., "to err is human", "they wanted to go home". Infinitives in English, however, may also be phrased so that the "to" is omitted, e.g., "he can come" (="he is allowed to come"). Infinitives can serve as:
Subject (Noun): "To have spoken so harshly must be hard on him," i.e., Speaking harshly must have demanded a lot from him.
Adjective: "She has no right to veto the decision." Here the infinitive modifies (clarifies what kinds of) rights (noun) she had; it, therefore, as an adjective.
Adverb: "He signed up to help the villagers." Here the infinitive modifies the verb 'sign up,' and explains why he did what he did.
Infinitives in Biblical Hebrew - there are two forms of the infinitive in biblical Hebrew, the infinitive absolute and the infinitive construct.
The infinitive construct serves more or less like a regular infinitive, to describe an action in general terms. The infinitive absolute, on the other hand, serves primarily as an adverb, i.e., to clarify in some ways the action connoted by the verb it proceeds or precedes.
There is, however, a particular form of expression involving the infinitive absolute that is noteworthy. In this not infrequent usage, the infinitive absolute is followed immediately by an imperfective verb of the same root, and is used to emphasize in a most particular way the action in a manner that is difficult if not impossible to capture adequately in English. In Gen 2:17, e.g., we find mot tamut, 'dying you will die,' which most ETs translate 'you will surely die.' This method of emphasis is also illustrated in Deut 4:26, which has hissamed tissamedun, 'you will destroyedly be destroyed' → "you will surely be destroyed' (Deut 4:26).
Infinitives in NT Greek - infinitives in Greek function more or less as they do in English; naturally, the forms are different.
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