# Chapter 25 — "Spot the Niphal" Passage Exercise

*Genesis 3, 6, and 21: The Garden, the Flood Prelude, and Beersheba*

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## Instructions

The three passages below contain a rich variety of Niphal functions. Genesis 3 has reflexive and middle uses (hiding, being opened); Genesis 6 has Niphal-only forms (God's regret) plus passive (corruption); Genesis 21 has reflexive oath-swearing and passive birth notices.

**For each numbered verb, answer: Is it Niphal? (Yes / No). Then for every verb:**

1. Parse it — give **conjugation**, **person-gender-number**, and **root**.
2. State the **semantic function** (Passive / Reflexive / Middle / Simple action — or "NOT Niphal" for distractors).

Distractors (#2, #7, #16) are Qal verbs drawn inline from the same passages. Students must distinguish Niphal from Qal active forms appearing alongside them.

An answer key is at the bottom.

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## Passage A — Genesis 3:5–10

‎**3:5** — וִֽהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים יֹדְעֵ֖י טוֹב וָרָ֑ע כִּ֣י יֹדֵ֔עַ אֱלֹהִ֕ים כִּ֗י בְּיֹ֛ום אֲכָלְכֶ֥ם מִמֶּ֖נּוּ **וְנִפְקְח֖וּ** עֵינֵיכֶ֑ם

*"…for God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will [1] \_\_\_\_."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | וְנִפְקְחוּ | | | | | |

---

‎**3:6** — **וַתֵּ֣רֶא** הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טֹוב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם **וְנֶחְמָ֤ד** הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל

*"So when the woman [2] \_\_\_\_ that the tree was good for food … and the tree was [3] \_\_\_\_ to make one wise."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | וַתֵּרֶא | | | | | |
| 3 | וְנֶחְמָד | | | | | |

---

‎**3:7** — וַתִּפָּקַ֙חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם

*"Then the eyes of both of them [4] \_\_\_\_."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה | | | | | |

---

‎**3:10** — וָאִירָ֛א כִּֽי־עֵירֹ֥ם אָנֹ֖כִי **וָאֵחָבֵֽא**

*"I was afraid, because I was naked, and [5] \_\_\_\_."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | וָאֵחָבֵא | | | | | |

---

## Passage B — Genesis 6:6–12

‎**6:6** — **וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם** יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־**עָשָׂ֥ה** אֶת־הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ

*"And the LORD [6] \_\_\_\_ that he [7] \_\_\_\_ man on the earth."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | וַיִּנָּחֶם | | | | | |
| 7 | עָשָׂה | | | | | |

---

‎**6:7** — **נִחַ֖מְתִּי** כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם

*"I [8] \_\_\_\_ that I made them."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | נִחַמְתִּי | | | | | |

---

‎**6:11** — וַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ … וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ חָמָֽס

*"The earth [9] \_\_\_\_ … and the earth [10] \_\_\_\_ with violence."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | וַתִּשָּׁחֵת | | | | | |
| 10 | וַתִּמָּלֵא | | | | | |

---

‎**6:12** — וְהִנֵּ֥ה **נִשְׁחָ֑תָה** כִּֽי־הִשְׁחִ֧ית כָּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר

*"and behold, it [11] \_\_\_\_, for all flesh had corrupted its way."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | נִשְׁחָתָה | | | | | |

---

‎**6:21** — וְאָסַפְתָּ֣ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְהָיָ֥ה לְךָ֖ וְלָהֶ֥ם לְאָכְלָֽה **יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל**

*"Gather it to yourself; it shall be food for you and for them — it shall [12] \_\_\_\_."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | יֵאָכֵל | | | | | |

---

## Passage C — Genesis 21:23–31

‎**21:23** — הִשָּׁ֨בְעָ֜ה לִּ֗י בֵּאלֹהִ֛ים הֵ֖נָּה

*"[13] \_\_\_\_ to me by God here."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | הִשָּׁבְעָה | | | | | |

---

‎**21:24** — וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם אָנֹכִ֖י **אִשָּׁבֵֽעַ**

*"And Abraham said, 'I [14] \_\_\_\_.'"*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | אִשָּׁבֵעַ | | | | | |

---

‎**21:31** — כִּ֛י שָׁ֥ם **נִשְׁבְּע֖וּ** שְׁנֵיהֶֽם

*"For there [15] \_\_\_\_ both of them."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | נִשְׁבְּעוּ | | | | | |

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## Bonus — Genesis 21:3–8

‎**21:3** — אֲשֶׁר־**נּֽוֹלַד**־לֹ֛ו

*"who had been born to him"*

‎**21:8** — **וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל** הַיֶּ֙לֶד֙ **וַיִּגָּמַ֑ל**

*"And the child [16] \_\_\_\_ and was weaned."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | נּוֹלַד | | | | | |
| 16 | וַיִּגְדַּל | | | | | |
| B2 | וַיִּגָּמַל | | | | | |

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## Answer Key

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | וְנִפְקְחוּ | Yes | Weqatal | 3cp | פָּקַח | Middle — *will be opened* (eyes open themselves) |
| 2 | וַתֵּרֶא | No | Wayyiqtol | 3fs | רָאָה | No (Qal) — *she saw*; Qal wayyiqtol 3fs; no נ-/תִ- Niphal marker |
| 3 | וְנֶחְמָד | Yes | Participle ms | ms | חָמַד | Passive — *desirable* (substantival ptc., "desired") |
| 4 | וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3fp | פָּקַח | Middle — *they were opened* (the eyes opened) |
| 5 | וָאֵחָבֵא | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 1cs | חָבָא | Reflexive — *I hid myself* |
| 6 | וַיִּנָּחֶם | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | נָחַם | Simple (Niphal-only) — *he regretted / relented* |
| 7 | עָשָׂה | No | Perfect | 3ms | עָשָׂה | No (Qal) — *he had made*; contrast with Niphal וַיִּנָּחֶם earlier in the verse |
| 8 | נִחַמְתִּי | Yes | Weqatal | 1cs | נָחַם | Simple (Niphal-only) — *I regret* |
| 9 | וַתִּשָּׁחֵת | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3fs | שָׁחַת | Passive — *it was corrupted* |
| 10 | וַתִּמָּלֵא | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3fs | מָלֵא | Passive — *it was filled* |
| 11 | נִשְׁחָתָה | Yes | Weqatal | 3fs | שָׁחַת | Passive — *it was corrupt* |
| 12 | יֵאָכֵל | Yes | Imperfect | 3ms | אָכַל | Passive — *it shall be eaten* |
| 13 | הִשָּׁבְעָה | Yes | Imperative | 2ms | שָׁבַע | Reflexive — *swear!* (bind yourself by oath) |
| 14 | אִשָּׁבֵעַ | Yes | Imperfect | 1cs | שָׁבַע | Reflexive — *I will swear* |
| 15 | נִשְׁבְּעוּ | Yes | Weqatal | 3mp | שָׁבַע | Reflexive — *they swore* (bound themselves by oath) |
| B1 | נּוֹלַד | Yes | Weqatal | 3ms | יָלַד | Passive — *who had been born* |
| 16 | וַיִּגְדַּל | No | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | גָּדַל | No (Qal) — *grew*; active Qal; contrast with B2 Niphal passive in same verse |
| B2 | וַיִּגָּמַל | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | גָּמַל | Passive — *was weaned* |

> **Score:** 13 Niphal + 3 non-Niphal + 2 bonus = 18 total (distractors #2, #7, #16 are unscored practice). 15–18 = excellent; 11–14 = review the paradigm; below 11 = revisit §23.3–23.13 before the next class.

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## Conjugation Coverage

| Conjugation | Items |
|---|---|
| Wayyiqtol (6) | #4, #5, #6, #9, #10, B2 |
| Weqatal (5) | #1, #8, #11, #15, B1 |
| Imperfect (2) | #12, #14 |
| Participle (1) | #3 |
| Imperative (1) | #13 |
| Non-Niphal (3) | #2 (Qal Wayyiqtol 3fs), #7 (Qal Perfect 3ms), #16 (Qal Wayyiqtol 3ms) |

> **Note:** Items 6–8 (וַיִּנָּחֶם / נִחַמְתִּי) are both from נָחַם, a verb that occurs almost exclusively in the Niphal. Items 13–15 all parse as Reflexive from שָׁבַע — notice how Imperative, Imperfect, and Weqatal all express the same oath-swearing action.

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## Reflection Questions

1. Every Niphal in Passage A (Gen 3) involves eyes, hiding, or desire. What does the Niphal contribute to the theological message of the Fall narrative?
2. In Gen 6:6–7, God is the subject of a Niphal-only verb (נָחַם). What does this choice tell us about how the narrator portrays God's emotional response?
3. Compare Gen 3:5 (וְנִפְקְחוּ — *will be opened*, Middle/Tolerative) with Gen 3:7 (וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה — *were opened*, Middle). Is the function identical in both? What difference in nuance, if any, does the shift from weqatal to wayyiqtol suggest?
