# Chapter 32 — Qal–Piel–Pual Contrast Drill (Strong Roots)

BBH Chapter 32 · Pual Strong Verbs

Each triplet shows the same root in Qal, Piel, and Pual. For each form: (1) identify the stem, (2) parse fully, (3) translate.

Stem | R1 vowel (Perfect 3ms) | R2 | Function
--- | --- | --- | ---
Qal | Variable (patach/tsere/holem) | No extra dagesh | Simple active
Piel | Hiriq (קִ) or tsere (קֵ) | Dagesh Forte | Intensive active
Pual | Qibbuts (קֻ) or holem (קֹ) if R2 is guttural | Dagesh Forte | Passive of Piel

Key distinction: Piel and Pual both have dagesh forte in R2 — the R1 vowel is the tell. Hiriq/tsere = Piel (active). Qibbuts/holem = Pual (passive).
Triplet 1 — Root: ברך

# | Form | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Translation |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | בָּרַךְ |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · "he knelt" — qamets under ב (Qal perfect 3ms); rare usage; root primarily used in Piel
2 | בֵּרַךְ |  |  |  |  |
Piel · Perfect · 3ms · "he blessed" — tsere under ב (Piel stem vowel); ר rejects dagesh → compensatory lengthening to tsere
3 | בֹּרַךְ |  |  |  |  |
Pual · Perfect · 3ms · "he was blessed" — holem under ב; ר rejects dagesh forte; holem is lengthening of qibbuts in guttural context

Triplet 2 — Root: שׁלח

# | Form | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Translation |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
4 | שָׁלַח |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · "he sent" — qamets under שׁ; patach under ל; no dagesh in ל
5 | שִׁלַּח |  |  |  |  |
Piel · Perfect · 3ms · "he sent away / released" — hiriq under שׁ + dagesh forte in ל; Piel often adds nuance of releasing/dismissing
6 | שֻׁלַּח |  |  |  |  |
Pual · Perfect · 3ms · "he was sent away" — qibbuts under שׁ + dagesh forte in ל; identical to Piel except R1 vowel

Triplet 3 — Root: דבר

# | Form | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Translation |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
7 | דָּבַר |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · "he spoke" (rare) — qamets under ד; no dagesh in ב; the root is dominated by Piel in actual usage
8 | דִּבֶּר |  |  |  |  |
Piel · Perfect · 3ms · "he spoke" — hiriq under ד + dagesh in ב + tsere theme vowel; standard Piel perfect 3ms pattern
9 | דֻּבַּר |  |  |  |  |
Pual · Perfect · 3ms · "it was spoken" — qibbuts under ד + dagesh in ב + patach theme vowel

Triplet 4 — Root: כבד

# | Form | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Translation |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
10 | כָּבֵד |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · "he was heavy / was honored" — stative verb; tsere theme vowel; no dagesh in ב
11 | כִּבֵּד |  |  |  |  |
Piel · Perfect · 3ms · "he honored" — hiriq under כ + dagesh forte in ב + tsere; factitive (to treat/make as weighty)
12 | כֻּבַּד |  |  |  |  |
Pual · Perfect · 3ms · "he was honored" — qibbuts under כ + dagesh forte in ב + patach; passive of Piel

Triplet 5 — Root: ספר

# | Form | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Translation |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
13 | סָפַר |  |  |  |  |
Qal · Perfect · 3ms · "he counted" — qamets under ס; no dagesh in פ; simple action of counting/numbering
14 | סִפֵּר |  |  |  |  |
Piel · Perfect · 3ms · "he recounted / told" — hiriq under ס + dagesh forte in פ + tsere; intensive/iterative sense
15 | סֻפַּר |  |  |  |  |
Pual · Perfect · 3ms · "it was told / recounted" — qibbuts under ס + dagesh forte in פ + patach; systematic: qamets (Qal) → hiriq (Piel) → qibbuts (Pual)