# Hiphil Weak Verbs — Geminate (Ayin-Doubled, II=III) Paradigms

Full conjugation tables for Geminate (Ayin-Doubled) roots in the Hiphil stem.
Representative roots: סָבַב (to go around → Hiphil: cause to go around, surround) and שָׁלַל (to plunder → Hiphil: cause to plunder, despoil).
Each section shows the strong root (קטל) alongside the weak paradigm for direct comparison.
Attested forms drawn from MACULA Hebrew WLC.

## Overview of the Class

Geminate roots (R2 = R3) in the Hiphil produce forms that closely resemble the Biconsonantal (Hollow) Hiphil paradigm. This is the most important confusable pair for this class.

Key parallels and distinctions:

Feature | Biconsonantal (קוּם) | Geminate (סָבַב)
--- | --- | ---
Perfect 3ms | הֵקִים (tsere) | הֵסֵב (tsere — same!)
Imperfect 3ms | יָקִים (qamets) | יָסֵב (qamets — same!)
Wayyiqtol 3ms | וַיָּקֶם (qamets) | וַיָּסֶב (qamets — same!)
Root structure | ק + וּ + ם (hollow) | ס + ב + ב (doubled R2=R3)

The Geminate Hiphil is phonologically nearly identical to the Biconsonantal Hiphil. The root itself (three consonants with R2=R3) is the only reliable way to distinguish the two classes once you know the root. In practice, if you know the root, you know the class; the forms themselves cannot always be distinguished.

## Perfect (Qatal)

### The Pattern

Strong Hiphil perfect 3ms: הִקְטִיל. Geminate Hiphil perfect 3ms: הֵסֵב — the הֵ prefix (tsere under הֵ) and a contracted root with tsere under R1. This is the same הֵ prefix as the Biconsonantal Hiphil perfect (הֵקִים).

Person | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) | Geminate (שלל)
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | הִקְטִיל | הֵסֵב | הֵשֵׁל
3fs | הִקְטִילָה | הֵסֵבָּה | הֵשֵׁלָּה
3cp | הִקְטִילוּ | הֵסֵבּוּ | הֵשֵׁלּוּ
2ms | הִקְטַלְתָּ | הֲסִבּוֹתָ | הֲשִׁלּוֹתָ
2fs | הִקְטַלְתְּ | הֲסִבּוֹת | הֲשִׁלּוֹת
2mp | הִקְטַלְתֶּם | הֲסִבּוֹתֶם | הֲשִׁלּוֹתֶם
1cs | הִקְטַלְתִּי | הֲסִבּוֹתִי | הֲשִׁלּוֹתִי
1cp | הִקְטַלְנוּ | הֲסִבּוֹנוּ | הֲשִׁלּוֹנוּ

> Key: 3ms has הֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal הֵקִים. Suffixed forms reduce to shewa under הֲ + doubled R2.

Attested passages:
- הֵסֵב (1 Kgs 21:4) — "he turned his face toward the wall" — perfect 3ms from סָבַב; הֵ prefix (tsere) is unmistakable
- הֵסֵב (Lam 3:11) — "he turned me aside and tore me to pieces" — Hiphil causative meaning clearly active
- וְהֵסֵב (1 Sam 5:8) — "and let them move the ark of the God of Israel" — weqatal 3mp; the הֵ prefix is retained

## Imperfect (Yiqtol)

### The Pattern

Strong Hiphil imperfect: יַקְטִיל. Geminate Hiphil imperfect: יָסֵב — qamets under the prefix consonant (יָ), contracted doubled root. Again, this matches the Biconsonantal imperfect pattern (יָקִים).

Person | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) | Geminate (שלל)
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | יַקְטִיל | יָסֵב | יָשֵׁל
3fs | תַּקְטִיל | תָּסֵב | תָּשֵׁל
3mp | יַקְטִילוּ | יָסֵבּוּ | יָשֵׁלּוּ
2ms | תַּקְטִיל | תָּסֵב | תָּשֵׁל
1cs | אַקְטִיל | אָסֵב | אָשֵׁל
1cp | נַקְטִיל | נָסֵב | נָשֵׁל

> Key: Qamets under the prefix consonant (יָ / תָּ / אָ / נָ) — same as Biconsonantal יָקִים. If you know it is from סָבַב rather than קוּם, you know the class.

Attested passages:
- יָסֵב (Isa 44:20) — "a deluded heart has led him astray" — imperfect 3ms Hiphil from סָבַב (causative: "turns away")
- תָּסֵב (Num 36:9) — "no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another" — imperfect 3fs; qamets prefix

## Wayyiqtol

### The Pattern

Geminate Hiphil wayyiqtol: וַיָּסֶב — qamets + seghol in the short form. Matches the Biconsonantal wayyiqtol (וַיָּקֶם).

Person | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב)
--- | --- | ---
3ms | וַיַּקְטֵל | וַיָּסֶב
3fs | וַתַּקְטֵל | וַתָּסֶב
3mp | וַיַּקְטִילוּ | וַיָּסֵבּוּ

> Key: וַיָּ prefix (qamets) + contracted root + seghol final. Same visual pattern as וַיָּקֶם (Biconsonantal).

Attested passages:
- וַיָּסֶב (Josh 6:14) — "and they marched around the city" — wayyiqtol 3ms from סָבַב; narrative chain in the Jericho account
- וַיָּסֶב (1 Sam 18:11) — "and David turned aside from his presence" — wayyiqtol; causative/reflexive Hiphil

## Weqatal

### The Pattern

Weqatal of Geminate Hiphil uses the same base as the perfect.

Person | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב)
--- | --- | ---
3ms | וְהִקְטִיל | וְהֵסֵב

> Note: The weqatal maintains the הֵ prefix (tsere) of the perfect. The doubled R2 may take dagesh forte when a suffix follows.

## Imperative

### The Pattern

Strong Hiphil imperative 2ms: הַקְטֵל. Geminate Hiphil imperative: הָסֵב — qamets under הָ, matching the Biconsonantal imperative (הָקֵם).

Form | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) | Geminate (שלל)
--- | --- | --- | ---
2ms | הַקְטֵל | הָסֵב | הָשֵׁל
2fs | הַקְטִילִי | הָסֵבִּי | הָשֵׁלִּי
2mp | הַקְטֵלוּ | הָסֵבּוּ | הָשֵׁלּוּ

> Key: הָ prefix (qamets) — same as Biconsonantal הָקֵם. Contrast with the strong Hiphil הַקְטֵל (patach).

Attested passages:
- הָסֵב (2 Sam 2:22) — "turn aside from following me" — imperative 2ms from סָבַב; the qamets prefix distinguishes it from strong הַקְטֵל
- הָסֵבּוּ (Num 21:4) — "they traveled around the land of Edom" — imperative used with circumambulatory sense

## Infinitive Construct

### The Pattern

Strong Hiphil inf. construct: הַקְטִיל. Geminate Hiphil inf. construct: הָסֵב — qamets under הָ + contracted root. Same form as the imperative.

Form | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב)
--- | --- | ---
Inf. Construct | הַקְטִיל | הָסֵב

> Note: The inf. construct is identical to the 2ms imperative (הָסֵב). Verbal prepositions (לְ/בְּ) typically accompany the inf. construct, distinguishing it from the imperative.

## Infinitive Absolute

### The Pattern

Strong Hiphil inf. absolute: הַקְטֵל. Geminate Hiphil inf. absolute: הָסֵב or הַסֵּב — the inf. absolute is attested in both short and long forms; theoretically expected form follows the imperative pattern.

Form | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב)
--- | --- | ---
Inf. Absolute | הַקְטֵל | הָסֵב (or הַסֵּב) †

## Participle

### The Pattern

Strong Hiphil participle ms: מַקְטִיל. Geminate Hiphil participle ms: מֵסֵב — מֵ prefix (tsere). This matches the Biconsonantal Hiphil participle (מֵקִים).

Form | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) | Geminate (שלל)
--- | --- | --- | ---
ms | מַקְטִיל | מֵסֵב | מֵשֵׁל
mp | מַקְטִילִים | מְסַבִּים | מְשַׁלְּלִים
fs | מַקְטִילָה | מְסַבָּה | מְשַׁלֶּלֶת

> Key: מֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal מֵקִים. Contrast with the strong Hiphil מַ prefix (patach).

Attested passages:
- מֵסֵב (†) — expected form; the root סָבַב does not appear in attested Hiphil participle ms in the OT, but the form is theoretically regular
- מְסַבִּים (1 Kgs 10:19) — "the throne had six steps and a back" (related noun); the root's circular meaning underlies the term

## Summary — Geminate (II=III) Hiphil at a Glance

Conjugation | Strong (קטל) | Geminate form | Key feature
--- | --- | --- | ---
Perfect 3ms | הִקְטִיל | הֵסֵב | הֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal
Imperfect 3ms | יַקְטִיל | יָסֵב | Qamets under prefix (יָ) — same as Biconsonantal
Wayyiqtol 3ms | וַיַּקְטֵל | וַיָּסֶב | וַיָּ + contracted root + seghol
Imperative 2ms | הַקְטֵל | הָסֵב | הָ prefix (qamets) — same as Biconsonantal
Inf. Construct | הַקְטִיל | הָסֵב | Same form as imperative
Inf. Absolute | הַקְטֵל | הָסֵב † | Expected; rare
Participle ms | מַקְטִיל | מֵסֵב | מֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal

Critical confusable pair: Geminate Hiphil (הֵסֵב, יָסֵב, וַיָּסֶב) vs. Biconsonantal Hiphil (הֵקִים, יָקִים, וַיָּקֶם). The vowel patterns are nearly identical. The root is the only reliable distinguisher: Biconsonantal roots contain a hollow vowel letter (ו/י) as the medial; Geminate roots have an identical R2 and R3 (repeated consonant).