I understand the grammar involved (thanks to your Learning Biblical Hebrew video series) but what is it about using the Niphal of חבא that is colloquial? Is it because the Hitpael is the expected binyan for this root used reflexively? Or was the narrator’s choice of חבא rather than סתר? Thank you!
Also, I agree with Mr. Garr that in our context “I hid myself” seems to bear a sense of shame that “I hid” does not, at least in English. At least, that’s how my ear hears it. Alright Professor, I have to go hide out for a while and do some work, thank you for this interesting post.
I understand the grammar involved (thanks to your Learning Biblical Hebrew video series) but what is it about using the Niphal of חבא that is colloquial? Is it because the Hitpael is the expected binyan for this root used reflexively? Or was the narrator’s choice of חבא rather than סתר? Thank you!
Also, I agree with Mr. Garr that in our context “I hid myself” seems to bear a sense of shame that “I hid” does not, at least in English. At least, that’s how my ear hears it. Alright Professor, I have to go hide out for a while and do some work, thank you for this interesting post.
Garr is thinking about the Hebrew, not about my English, but it's "I hid" that he thinks confesses guilt, not "they hid themselves."
My point is that people who say "I hid" say it in Niphal, not in Hitpael.