# Chapter 33 — Pual Weak-Form Identification Drill

BBH Chapter 33 · Pual Weak Verbs

For each form: (1) identify the weak class, (2) parse (conjugation + PGN), (3) identify the root.

Class | Key diagnostic signal in Pual
--- | ---
III-he | Pual qibbuts + dagesh in R2 preserved; III-he endings: qamets + ה (perfect 3ms); shureq (וּ) in 3mp; ה drops in apocopated forms
I-nun | Nun (R1) assimilates into dagesh forte in R2 in the Pual — contrast Piel where nun stays; the dagesh in R2 serves double duty: Pual stem marker + assimilated nun
I-guttural | Guttural R1 (א/ה/ח/ע) may reject simple shewa; holem (אֹ) or qamets (ָ) can appear through compensatory lengthening; dagesh forte in R2 retained when possible
Geminate | R2=R3; Pual dagesh forte in R2 doubles the already-doubled consonant; pattern mirrors Piel Geminate; composite shewa before vocalic endings

Key distinction: In I-nun roots, the Piel retains the nun (יְנַחֵם — nun visible) but the Pual assimilates the nun into the dagesh in R2 (נֻכָּה — nun gone, dagesh in כ has double duty). The Pual follows the same assimilation rule as Qal/Hiphil.

## Part A — By Class

Group 1 — III-he

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | יְכֻלּוּ | Gen 2:1 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3mp · כָּלָה — were finished/completed; qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ל; III-he Pual 3mp shureq ending; "thus the heavens and earth were completed"
2 | יְכֻסּוּ | Gen 7:19 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3mp · כָּסָה — were covered; qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ס; III-he Pual 3mp shureq ending; "all the high mountains were covered"
3 | כֻּסָּה | Exo 15:5 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · כָּסָה — it was covered; qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ס; III-he Pual perfect 3ms: qamets + ה ending; Song of the Sea
4 | צֻוֵּיתָ | Gen 45:19 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 2ms · צָוָה — you have been commanded; qibbuts under צ + dagesh forte in ו (R2); III-he Pual perfect 2ms: tsere-yod vowel letter before תָ suffix; Pharaoh to Joseph's brothers
5 | כֻּלָּה | Isa 24:10 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3fs · כָּלָה — it was devastated/finished; qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ל; III-he Pual perfect 3fs: qamets + ה ending (same as 3ms for III-he roots — context/gender of subject determines)

Group 2 — I-nun

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
6 | נֻכָּה | Exo 9:31 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3fs · נָכָה — it was struck; nun assimilated → dagesh forte in כ (R2); qibbuts under נ position visible; III-he: qamets + ה ending; "the flax and barley were struck" (plague of hail)
7 | נֻכּוּ | Exo 9:32 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3cp · נָכָה — they were not struck; nun assimilated → dagesh forte in כ; III-he Pual 3cp: shureq ending; "but the wheat and spelt were not struck"
8 | נֻתַּץ | Jdg 6:28 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · נָתַץ — was torn down/demolished; nun assimilated → dagesh forte in ת (R2); qibbuts under נ position; patach final — Pual perfect 3ms; Gideon's father's altar was demolished
9 | יֻכַּה | 2 Sam 11:15 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · נָכָה — let him be struck down; nun assimilated → dagesh forte in כ; qibbuts under יּ prefix; III-he Pual imperfect; David's command to expose Uriah in battle

Group 3 — I-guttural

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
10 | עֻבַּד | Dan 3:12 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · עָבַד — it was served/worshipped; qibbuts under ע (I-guttural: ע accepts qibbuts); dagesh forte in ב (R2); patach final; the accusation: the idol was not served by these men
11 | אֹרָשָׂה | Exo 22:15 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3fs · אָרַשׂ — she was betrothed; I-aleph + ר (both reject dagesh forte): chain compensatory lengthening produces holem (אֹ) under א; qamets under ר; III-he: qamets + ה fs ending
12 | הֻמַּת | Jdg 6:30 |  |  |  |
Hophal · Perfect · 3ms · מוּת — he must be put to death; qibbuts under הֻ (Hophal prefix); I-nun/biconsonantal: מ of מוּת is not standard R1 in Hophal; Hophal (not Pual): הֻ prefix identifies it as Hophal passive; compare Pual which has qibbuts under root R1 directly

Group 4 — Geminate

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
13 | מְהֻלָּל | Ps 18:4 |  |  |  |
Participle · ms · הָלַל — worthy of praise; Pual passive participle: מְ + qibbuts under הֻ (R1) + dagesh forte in ל (R2=R3 Geminate) + tsere; "The LORD is worthy of praise"
14 | גֻּנַּב | Gen 40:15 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · גָּנַב — was stolen; qibbuts under ג + dagesh forte in נ (R2); patach final — Pual perfect 3ms; Joseph to the cupbearer: "I was indeed stolen from the land of the Hebrews"
15 | יְאֻשַּׁר | Ps 41:3 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · אָשַׁר — he will be called blessed/happy; qibbuts under א (I-aleph accepts qibbuts); dagesh forte in שׁ (R2); patach final — Pual imperfect; "Happy is he who considers the poor"

## Part B — Mixed

Identify the weak class first, then parse fully.

# | Form | Reference | Weak class | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
16 | נֻכָּה | Exo 9:31 |  |  |  |  |
I-nun + III-he · Perfect · 3fs · נָכָה — it was struck; nun assimilated → dagesh in כ; qibbuts under נ position; III-he qamets + ה fs ending
17 | יְכֻסּוּ | Gen 7:20 |  |  |  |  |
III-he · Wayyiqtol · 3mp · כָּסָה — they were covered; qibbuts under כ; dagesh forte in ס; III-he Pual 3mp shureq ending
18 | כֻּלָּה | Isa 24:10 |  |  |  |  |
III-he · Perfect · 3fs · כָּלָה — it was devastated; qibbuts under כ; dagesh forte in ל; III-he qamets + ה ending
19 | גֻּנַּב | Gen 40:15 |  |  |  |  |
Strong · Perfect · 3ms · גָּנַב — was stolen; qibbuts under ג + dagesh forte in נ; standard strong Pual perfect 3ms
20 | יֻכַּה | 2 Sam 11:15 |  |  |  |  |
I-nun + III-he · Imperfect · 3ms · נָכָה — let him be struck; nun assimilated → dagesh in כ; qibbuts under prefix יּ; III-he Pual imperfect
21 | צֻוֵּיתָ | Gen 45:19 |  |  |  |  |
III-he · Perfect · 2ms · צָוָה — you have been commanded; qibbuts under צ + dagesh forte in ו; III-he Pual perfect 2ms with tsere-yod before suffix
22 | מְהֻלָּל | Ps 18:4 |  |  |  |  |
Geminate · Participle · ms · הָלַל — worthy of praise; Pual passive participle; מְ + qibbuts under ה (R1) + dagesh forte in ל (R2=R3); tsere final
23 | עֻבַּד | Dan 3:12 |  |  |  |  |
I-guttural · Perfect · 3ms · עָבַד — was served/worshipped; qibbuts under ע (guttural accepts qibbuts); dagesh forte in ב; patach final
24 | נֻתַּץ | Jdg 6:28 |  |  |  |  |
I-nun · Perfect · 3ms · נָתַץ — was torn down; nun assimilated → dagesh forte in ת; qibbuts under נ position; patach final
25 | כֻּסָּה | Exo 15:5 |  |  |  |  |
III-he · Perfect · 3ms · כָּסָה — it was covered; qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ס; III-he qamets + ה ending

## Discussion Questions

1. Items 1–2 (כָּלָה and כָּסָה, both III-he Pual wayyiqtol 3mp) end in the shureq (וּ) plural ending. Compare these to the Piel wayyiqtol 3mp of the same roots. Does the Pual 3mp ending differ from the Piel 3mp ending? What changes between Piel and Pual in these III-he forms, and what stays the same?
2. Items 6–9 (I-nun Pual) show nun assimilating into a dagesh forte in R2. In the Piel of the same I-nun roots (e.g., יְנַחֵם from נָחַם), the nun does NOT assimilate. Explain the difference in behavior. What is the structural reason the Piel retains the nun while the Pual allows assimilation?
3. Item 11 (אֹרָשָׂה, I-aleph Pual): the expected Pual qibbuts under R1 does not appear in the expected place. Instead there is a holem (אֹ). Explain the chain of compensatory lengthening that produces this unusual vowel. Consider: what normally happens under R1 in the Pual, and then what happens when both R1 (aleph) and R2 (resh) reject the dagesh forte?
4. How would you distinguish a Pual perfect 3ms (e.g., כֻּסָּה from כָּסָה) from a Niphal perfect 3ms (e.g., נִגְלָה from גָּלָה)? List two features that differentiate them, independent of root identification.