# Chapter 35 — Hithpael Weak-Form Identification Drill

BBH Chapter 35 · Hithpael Weak Verbs

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

Class | Key diagnostic signal
--- | ---
III-he | Qamets + ה (perfect 3ms); ה dropped in wayyiqtol (apocopation); seghol + ה (imperfect/participle 3fs)
I-guttural | Hateph vowel (composite shewa) under R1 throughout; no simple shewa under guttural
Sibilant Metathesis | הִשְׁתַּ / וַיִּשְׁתַּ prefix instead of הִתְ / וַיִּתְ — R1 sibilant and ת have swapped positions
I-nun | Nun retained in Hithpael prefix הִתְנַ / מִתְנַ / וַיִּתְנַ; contrast Hiphil where nun assimilates
Geminate | Contracted stem with long vowel (often holem-vav); dagesh forte may be absent due to geminate contraction
Strong | Standard הִתְ prefix + Dagesh Forte in R2; no weak consonant modifications

## Part A — By Class

Group 1 — III-he

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | וַיִּתְגַּל | Gen 9:21 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · גָּלָה — he uncovered himself; III-he apocopation: ה dropped; short patach under R2 (ג); standard וַיִּתְ Hithpael prefix
2 | הִתְגַּלֹּתִי | 1 Sam 2:27 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 1cs · גָּלָה — did I reveal myself; 1cs suffix תִּי; dagesh forte in R2 (ג); III-he root
3 | וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ | Gen 18:2 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · שָׁחָה — he bowed down; both weak classes at work: sibilant metathesis (שׁ + ת swapped → וַיִּשְׁתַּ) AND III-he apocopation (ה dropped)
4 | הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה | Gen 22:5 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · שָׁחָה — he worshipped / bowed down; metathesis prefix הִשְׁתַּ; III-he ending וָה (historically expanded form of the root)
5 | וַתִּתְכַּסֶּה | Gen 24:65 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3fs · כָּסָה — she covered herself; prefix וַתִּתְ (3fs wayyiqtol); seghol-he ending; ה retained in 3fs wayyiqtol (no apocopation in feminine)

Group 2 — I-guttural

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
6 | מִתְהַלֵּךְ | Gen 3:8 |  |  |  |
Participle · ms · הָלַךְ — walking about; hateph-patach under ה (I-guttural composite shewa); מִתְ prefix; tsere under R2
7 | וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ | Gen 5:22 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · הָלַךְ — he walked about (with God); hateph-patach under ה; prefix וַיִּתְ is standard Hithpael wayyiqtol; tsere final
8 | וַיִּתְחַבֵּא | Gen 3:8 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · חָבָא — he hid himself; hateph-patach under ח (I-guttural); prefix וַיִּתְ; tsere under R2 (ב)
9 | הִתְעַנִּי | Gen 16:9 |  |  |  |
Imperative · 2fs · עָנָה — humble yourself; hateph-patach under ע (I-guttural); dagesh forte in R2 (נ); ִי suffix = 2fs; also III-he (root עָנָה)
10 | מִתְחַזֵּק | Neh 3:20 |  |  |  |
Participle · ms · חָזַק — one who is strengthening himself; composite shewa under ח (I-guttural); מִתְ prefix; tsere under R2 (ז)

Group 3 — Sibilant Metathesis

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
11 | וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ | Gen 19:1 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · שָׁחָה — he bowed down; sibilant R1 = שׁ; expected *וַיִּתְשַׁחוּ → swapped to וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ; III-he apocopation also applies
12 | הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה | Gen 23:7 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · שָׁחָה — he bowed himself down; metathesis prefix הִשְׁתַּ; III-he ending וָה (expanded root form)
13 | וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ | Gen 33:7 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3mp · שָׁחָה — they bowed themselves down; metathesis prefix; 3mp suffix וּ; III-he root retains וָה vowel letter before plural suffix
14 | הִשְׁתַּמֵּר | Deu 4:9 |  |  |  |
Imperative · 2ms · שָׁמַר — guard yourself / take heed; sibilant שׁ is R1; expected *הִתְשַׁמֵּר → swapped to הִשְׁתַּמֵּר; dagesh forte in R2 (מ)
15 | וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם | Dan 4:16 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · שָׁמֵם — he was appalled / stunned; metathesis prefix וַיִּשְׁתּ; Geminate root שׁ-מ-מ; holem-vav from contracted geminate stem

Group 4 — I-nun

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
16 | מִתְנַחֵם | Gen 27:42 |  |  |  |
Participle · ms · נָחַם — comforting himself; nun retained in prefix מִתְנַ (contrast Hiphil where nun assimilates); composite shewa under ח (I-guttural secondary)
17 | וַיִּתְנַחֲמוּ | Gen 37:35 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3mp · נָחַם — but he refused to be comforted; prefix וַיִּתְנַ; nun retained; composite shewa under ח; 3mp suffix וּ
18 | וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ | Gen 37:18 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3mp · נָכַל — they conspired against; prefix וַיִּתְנַ; nun retained; dagesh forte in R2 (כ); 3mp suffix
19 | אֶתְנַהֲלָה | Gen 33:14 |  |  |  |
Cohortative · 1cs · נָהַל — let me lead along slowly; prefix אֶתְנַ (1cs Hithpael imperfect); nun retained; composite shewa under ה (I-guttural); cohortative ה suffix
20 | מִתְנַדְּבִים | Ezr 1:6 |  |  |  |
Participle · mp · נָדַב — those who volunteer / offer willingly; prefix מִתְנַ; nun retained; dagesh in R2 (ד); ִים plural ending

## Part B — Mixed

Identify the weak class first, then parse fully.

# | Form | Reference | Weak class | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
21 | וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ | Gen 24:26 |  |  |  |  |
Sibilant Metathesis + III-he · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · שָׁחָה — he bowed down; same form as #3 and #11; Abraham's servant bowing in gratitude to the LORD
22 | וַיִּתְאַבֵּל | Gen 37:34 |  |  |  |  |
I-guttural · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · אָבַל — he mourned; hateph-patach under א (I-guttural); prefix וַיִּתְ; tsere under R2 (ב)
23 | הִתְרוֹמֵם | Ps 46:11 |  |  |  |  |
Geminate · Imperative · 2ms · רוּם — be exalted! / lift yourself up; Geminate/hollow root; holem-vav in contracted stem; dagesh forte absent due to contraction; prefix הִתְ is standard
24 | הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ | Exo 19:22 |  |  |  |  |
Strong · Imperative · 2mp · קָדַשׁ — consecrate yourselves; standard Hithpael; prefix הִתְ; dagesh in R2 (ד); וּ suffix = 2mp imperative
25 | וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל | Gen 20:17 |  |  |  |  |
Strong · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · פָּלַל — and he prayed; standard Hithpael wayyiqtol; no weak consonants; dagesh forte in R2 (ל)
26 | הִתְהַלֵּל | Jer 9:22 |  |  |  |  |
I-guttural · Perfect · 3ms · הָלַל — let him glory / boast; hateph-patach under ה (I-guttural); root הָלַל (not הָלַךְ — note R3 = ל not כ)
27 | מִתְחַזְּקִים | Neh 3:20 |  |  |  |  |
I-guttural · Participle · mp · חָזַק — those who are strengthening themselves; composite shewa under ח (I-guttural); מִתְ prefix; dagesh in R2 (ז); ִים plural
28 | וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם | Dan 8:27 |  |  |  |  |
Sibilant Metathesis + Geminate · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · שָׁמֵם — he was appalled / devastated; metathesis prefix וַיִּשְׁתּ; Geminate root שׁ-מ-מ; holem-vav in contracted stem
29 | הִתְעַשְּׂקוּ | Gen 26:20 |  |  |  |  |
I-guttural · Perfect · 3cp · עָשַׂק — they quarreled with one another; hateph-patach under ע (I-guttural); dagesh forte in R2 (שׂ); 3cp suffix וּ
30 | וַיִּתְגַּלְגַּל | (expected) |  |  |  |  |
Geminate (reduplicated / Pilpel-like) · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · גָּלַל — he rolled; quadriliteral reduplication: root ג-ל-ל reduplicated as גלגל; standard וַיִּתְ prefix; no dagesh forte (root letters themselves supply the doubling)

## Discussion Questions

1. Items 11–14: in each case, which letter is R1 and which is the Hithpael ת? Write out the expected (pre-metathesis) form of item 14 (הִשְׁתַּמֵּר), then label which consonants swapped and what the pre-swap form would have been.
2. Items 6–10 (I-guttural): the hateph vowel under the guttural makes these forms look similar to Piel I-guttural forms. Write a test you could apply to distinguish a Hithpael I-guttural from a Piel I-guttural of the same root.
3. Compare item 1 (וַיִּתְגַּל, III-he Hithpael wayyiqtol) and item 11 (וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ, III-he + sibilant Hithpael wayyiqtol). Both are apocopated forms. What is left of the root in each case? Is the apocopation the same process?
4. Item 20 (מִתְנַדְּבִים): the root is נָדַב (I-nun). In the Hithpael, the nun is NOT assimilated (compare: it IS assimilated in the Hiphil הִדְּיב). Explain why retention of the nun makes sense given the Hithpael prefix pattern הִתְנַ.
5. Item 23 (הִתְרוֹמֵם) involves a geminate root in the Hithpael. What does the Hithpael of a geminate root look like? How does the holem-vav arise, and why does the expected Dagesh Forte in R2 not appear as a visible dagesh in this form?