# Chapter 29 — Hophal Weak-Root Function Sort

*BBH Chapter 29 · Hophal Weak Verbs*

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## Instructions

The **Hophal is always the passive of the Hiphil**. There is no "simple passive" category in Hophal — every Hophal form passivizes the corresponding Hiphil causative meaning.

For each weak-root Hophal form below:
1. **Identify the Hiphil active meaning** (what the Hiphil of this root means — i.e., what the active, causative form expresses).
2. **Translate the Hophal passive form** in context.

This exercise trains you to see the Hophal as a systematic causative-passive: the Hiphil *causes* something; the Hophal *is caused* to undergo it.

The answer key is at the bottom.

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## Exercise Table

| # | Hophal Form | Root | Weak Class | Conjugation | Hiphil Active Meaning | Hophal Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | הוּבַל | יבל | I-י | Perfect 3ms | | |
| 2 | הוּבְאוּ | בוא | Hollow | Perfect 3cp | | |
| 3 | הוּרַד | ירד | I-י | Perfect 3ms | | |
| 4 | הוּקַם | קום | Hollow | Perfect 3ms | | |
| 5 | הוּשַׁב | שׁוב | Hollow | Perfect 3ms | | |
| 6 | יוּבַל | יבל | I-י | Imperfect 3ms | | |
| 7 | יוּבָא | בוא | Hollow | Imperfect 3ms | | |
| 8 | יוּרַד | ירד | I-י | Imperfect 3ms | | |
| 9 | יוּקַם | קום | Hollow | Imperfect 3ms | | |
| 10 | יוּשַׁב | שׁוב | Hollow | Imperfect 3ms | | |
| 11 | וַיּוּבַל | יבל | I-י | Wayyiqtol 3ms | | |
| 12 | וַיּוּבָא | בוא | Hollow | Wayyiqtol 3ms | | |
| 13 | וַיּוּרַד | ירד | I-י | Wayyiqtol 3ms | | |
| 14 | הוּלַד | ילד | I-י | Perfect 3ms | | |
| 15 | יוּלַד | ילד | I-י | Imperfect 3ms | | |
| 16 | מוּבָא | בוא | Hollow | Participle ms | | |
| 17 | מוּרָד | ירד | I-י | Participle ms | | |
| 18 | הוּגְלָה | גלה | III-ה | Perfect 3ms | | |

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## Notes on Weak-Root Hophal Morphology

| Weak Class | Hophal Pattern | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| **I-י (Pe-Yod)** | הוּ/יוּ prefix + patach in stem | I-י roots drop the י; Hophal uses וּ (shureq) as the characteristic vowel |
| **Hollow (Ayin-Waw/Yod)** | הוּ/יוּ prefix + long vowel in contracted stem | The middle root letter contracts; characteristic וּ (shureq) marks Hophal |
| **III-ה (Lamed-He)** | הוּ prefix + ָה ending | III-ה ending replaces the standard patach of the 3ms Perfect |

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## Answer Key

| # | Hophal Form | Root | Hiphil Active Meaning | Hophal Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | הוּבַל | יבל | **Hiphil יָבַל**: to lead, bring, carry (cause to go/come) | he was led / he was brought (Gen 39:1) | Hiphil of I-י root יבל = to lead/bring; Hophal passivizes: the subject is caused to be brought |
| 2 | הוּבְאוּ | בוא | **Hiphil הֵבִיא**: to bring (cause to come) | they were brought (Gen 43:18) | Hollow root בוא; Hiphil = to bring; Hophal 3cp = they were brought into Joseph's house |
| 3 | הוּרַד | ירד | **Hiphil הוֹרִיד**: to bring down (cause to descend) | he was brought down (Gen 39:1) | I-י root ירד; Hiphil = to bring down; Hophal = Joseph was caused to descend to Egypt |
| 4 | הוּקַם | קום | **Hiphil הֵקִים**: to raise up, erect, establish (cause to stand) | the tabernacle was erected (Exo 40:17) | Hollow root קום; Hiphil = to set up/establish; Hophal = the tabernacle was caused to stand |
| 5 | הוּשַׁב | שׁוב | **Hiphil הֵשִׁיב**: to bring back, return (cause to return) | the money was brought back (Gen 43:12) | Hollow root שׁוב; Hiphil = to restore/return something; Hophal = the silver was caused to return |
| 6 | יוּבַל | יבל | **Hiphil יָבַל**: to lead, bring, carry | he will be led / he will be brought | Imperfect: the characteristic שׁוּרֶק (וּ) under the prefix marks Hophal in I-י and hollow roots |
| 7 | יוּבָא | בוא | **Hiphil הֵבִיא**: to bring | he will be brought | Hollow root בוא; long ā vowel in contracted stem; Hophal Imperfect 3ms |
| 8 | יוּרַד | ירד | **Hiphil הוֹרִיד**: to bring down | he will be brought down | I-י root; Hophal Imperfect 3ms: יוּ prefix + patach in stem |
| 9 | יוּקַם | קום | **Hiphil הֵקִים**: to raise up, establish | it will be raised up | Hollow root קום; Hophal Imperfect: contracted stem with patach |
| 10 | יוּשַׁב | שׁוב | **Hiphil הֵשִׁיב**: to bring back, restore | he will be brought back / returned | Hollow root שׁוב; Hophal Imperfect 3ms |
| 11 | וַיּוּבַל | יבל | **Hiphil יָבַל**: to lead, bring | and he was led (Wayyiqtol) | Wayyiqtol form: וַיּוּ- prefix retains the characteristic וּ of Hophal |
| 12 | וַיּוּבָא | בוא | **Hiphil הֵבִיא**: to bring | and he was brought (Gen 39:1) | Hollow root; long ā in contracted stem; Joseph brought down to Egypt |
| 13 | וַיּוּרַד | ירד | **Hiphil הוֹרִיד**: to bring down | and Joseph was brought down (Gen 39:1) | I-י root; Wayyiqtol retains וּ characteristic vowel |
| 14 | הוּלַד | ילד | **Hiphil הוֹלִיד**: to beget, cause to be born | he was born | I-י root ילד; Hiphil = to beget; Hophal = to be born (the subject is caused to come into existence) |
| 15 | יוּלַד | ילד | **Hiphil הוֹלִיד**: to beget, cause to be born | he will be born | Hophal Imperfect of ילד; same pattern as #14 but imperfective aspect |
| 16 | מוּבָא | בוא | **Hiphil הֵבִיא**: to bring | (one) being brought / that is brought in | Hophal Participle of hollow root בוא: מוּ prefix (replacing מְ of strong Participle) + long ā stem vowel |
| 17 | מוּרָד | ירד | **Hiphil הוֹרִיד**: to bring down | (one) being brought down | Hophal Participle of I-י root ירד: מוּ prefix + qamets in stem |
| 18 | הוּגְלָה | גלה | **Hiphil הִגְלָה**: to exile, carry into exile (cause to go into exile) | Israel was carried away into exile (2 Kgs 17:23) | III-ה root גלה; Hophal 3ms Perfect with ָה ending replacing standard patach; Hiphil = to exile; Hophal = to be exiled |
