# Chapter 32 — "Spot the Pual" Passage Exercise

**Stem:** Pual (פֻּעַל) — Strong Verbs
**Passages:** Num 22:6, 12, 23:8, 20 · Exo 29:36–37 · Exo 14:4 / Isa 43:23

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## Instructions

For each bolded verb, indicate:

1. **Pual?** (Yes / No — is it the Pual stem?)
2. **Conjugation** (Perfect, Imperfect, Wayyiqtol, Weqatal, Imperative, Inf. Const., Inf. Abs., Participle)
3. **PGN** (Person–Gender–Number, e.g., 3ms, 2mp, 1cs)
4. **Root** (3-letter root, unvoweled)
5. **Stem / Function** (if Pual: Passive — state what the Piel means and how Pual passivizes it; if not: name the stem)

*Distractors include Piel, Hophal, and Qal forms — stems you have already studied. The key Pual diagnostic: Qibbuts (ֻ) under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2. Note: when R2 = ר (which rejects dagesh), the vowel under R1 lengthens compensatorily from Qibbuts to Qamets.*

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## Passage A — Numbers 22:6, 12; 23:8, 20

*Context: The Balaam cycle — Balak summons Balaam to curse Israel; God instructs Balaam; Balaam delivers oracles.*

> כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־**תְּבָרֵךְ (1)** **מְבֹרָ֔ךְ (2)** וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר **יוּאָֽר (3)** ׃

"…for I know that he whom you **bless (1)** is **blessed (2)**, and he whom you curse is **cursed (3)**." (Num 22:6)

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | תְּבָרֵךְ | | | | | |
| 2 | מְבֹרָךְ | | | | | |
| 3 | יוּאָר | | | | | |

---

> לֹ֥א תֵלֵ֖ךְ עִמָּהֶ֑ם לֹ֥א **תָאֹ֖ר (4)** אֶת־הָעָ֑ם כִּ֥י **בָר֖וּךְ (5)** הֽוּא׃

"You shall not go with them. You shall not **curse (4)** the people, for they are **blessed (5)**." (Num 22:12)

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | תָאֹר | | | | | |
| 5 | בָּרוּךְ | | | | | |

---

> מַה־אֶקֹּ֕ב לֹ֥א **קַבֹּ֖ה (6)** אֵ֑ל וּמַה־אֶזְעֹ֕ם לֹ֥א **זָעַ֖ם (7)** יְהוָֽה׃

"How shall I curse what God has not **cursed (6)**, and how shall I denounce what the LORD has not **denounced (7)**?" (Num 23:8)

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | קַבֹּה | | | | | |
| 7 | זָעַם | | | | | |

---

> הִנֵּ֥ה **בָרֵ֖ךְ (8)** לָקָ֑חְתִּי וּבֵרַ֖ךְ וְלֹ֥א אֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃

"Behold, I have received a command to **bless (8)**; he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it." (Num 23:20)

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | בָרֵךְ | | | | | |

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## Passage B — Exodus 29:36–37

*Context: Instructions for the consecration of the altar and tabernacle furnishings.*

> וּפַ֣ר חַטָּ֔את תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לַיּ֖וֹם עַל־הַכִּפֻּרִ֑ים וְחִטֵּאתָ֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ בְּכַפֶּרְךָ֖ עָלָ֑יו **וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֥ (9)** אֹת֖וֹ לְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ׃

"And a bull sin-offering you shall make each day for atonement, and you shall purify the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall **anoint (9)** it to consecrate it." (Exo 29:36)

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | וּמָשַׁחְתָּ | | | | | |

---

> שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים תְּכַפֵּ֥ר עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ **וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֣ (10)** אֹת֑וֹ **וְהָיָ֤ה (11)** הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ קֹ֣דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֔ים כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בַּמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ **יִקְדָּשׁ (12)**׃

"Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and **consecrate (10)** it, and the altar shall **be (11)** most holy. Whatever **touches (—)** the altar shall **be consecrated (12)**." (Exo 29:37)

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ | | | | | |
| 11 | וְהָיָה | | | | | |
| 12 | יִקְדָּשׁ | | | | | |

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## Passage C — Exodus 14:4; Isaiah 43:23

*Context: The Pual of כבד — "be honored / be made heavy."*

> **וְכָבַדְתִּ֤י (13)** בְּפַרְעֹה֙ וּבְכָל־חֵיל֔וֹ וְיָדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה׃

"And I will get **glory (13)** through Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." (Exo 14:4)

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | וְכָבַדְתִּי | | | | | |

---

> לֹ֥א **כֻבַּ֖דְתָּנִי (14)** בְּקָרְבָּנֶ֑יךָ וְעָמַלְתַּ֥נִי בִּלְבוֹנָתֶֽךָ׃

"You have not **honored me (14)** with your offerings, or wearied me with your frankincense." (Isa 43:23)

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | כֻּבַּדְתַּנִי | | | | | |

---

> **הוּקַ֥ם (15)** הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן בְּיוֹם הַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הָרִאשֽׁוֹן׃

"The tabernacle **was set up (15)** on the first day of the first month." (Num 9:15 / Exo 40:17)

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | הוּקַם | | | | | |

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## Reflection Questions

1. In Passage A, verbs 1 (תְּבָרֵךְ) and 2 (מְבֹרָךְ) come from the same root ברך but are in different stems. What is the active/passive relationship between them, and how does the Pual vowel pattern (Qamets under R1, since ר rejects dagesh) differ from what you would expect in a strong Pual form?

2. Verb 3 (יוּאָר, Hophal) and verb 14 (כֻּבַּדְתַּנִי, Pual) both express passive meaning. What is the key visual feature that distinguishes a Hophal Imperfect from a Pual Perfect? What does each stem tell you about the corresponding active stem?

3. Verbs 10 (וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ, Piel Weqatal) and 12 (יִקְדָּשׁ, Niphal Imperfect) from Exo 29:37 use the same root קדש. One is active (the priest consecrates the altar), the other is a passive/reflexive state result (things that touch become holy). How does this passage illustrate the difference between Piel (causative/factitive action) and Niphal (resulting state)?

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## Answer Key

| # | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | תְּבָרֵךְ | No | Imperfect | 2ms | ברך | Piel — Intensive: "you bless" (R2=ר; Piel: tsere under R2) |
| 2 | מְבֹרָךְ | Yes | Participle | ms | ברך | Pual — Passive: "blessed" (Qamets under R1 compensates for ר rejecting dagesh) |
| 3 | יוּאָר | No | Imperfect | 3ms | ארר | Hophal — Passive: "shall be cursed" (יוּ prefix = u-class on preformative = Hophal marker; no dagesh in R2) |
| 4 | תָאֹר | No | Imperfect | 2ms | ארר | Qal — "you shall curse" |
| 5 | בָּרוּךְ | Yes | Participle | ms | ברך | Pual — Passive: "blessed" (substantival use; בָּ = Qamets for ר; same form as מְבֹרָךְ without מְ prefix) |
| 6 | קַבֹּה | No | Inf. Absolute | — | קבב | Qal — Inf. Abs. in negated construction: "what God has not cursed" |
| 7 | זָעַם | No | Perfect | 3ms | זעם | Qal — "has denounced/been indignant" |
| 8 | בָרֵךְ | No | Inf. Absolute | — | ברך | Piel — Inf. Abs.: "to bless" (cognate construction with לָקַח; Piel Inf. Abs. of ברך; tsere under R2 confirms Piel) |
| 9 | וּמָשַׁחְתָּ | No | Weqatal | 2ms | משח | Qal — "and you shall anoint" |
| 10 | וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ | No | Weqatal | 2ms | קדש | Piel — Factitive: "and you shall consecrate" (Hireq under R1 + Dagesh in R2 = Piel) |
| 11 | וְהָיָה | No | Weqatal | 3ms | היה | Qal — "and it shall be" |
| 12 | יִקְדָּשׁ | No | Imperfect | 3ms | קדש | Niphal — Passive/Reflexive: "shall become holy" (יִ prefix + dagesh in R1 = Niphal; no Qibbuts + R2 dagesh = not Pual) |
| 13 | וְכָבַדְתִּי | No | Weqatal | 1cs | כבד | Niphal — Reflexive/Passive: "I will get glory / be glorified" (וְנִ form; Niphal of כבד) |
| 14 | כֻּבַּדְתַּנִי | Yes | Perfect | 2ms+1cs | כבד | Pual — Passive: "you have not honored me" (Qibbuts under R1 כֻ + Dagesh Forte in R2 בּ = Pual diagnostic) |
| 15 | הוּקַם | No | Perfect | 3ms | קום | Hophal — Passive: "was set up/raised" (הוּ prefix with Shureq = Hophal Perfect marker; u-class but no Dagesh Forte in R2 because this is biconsonantal) |

> **Notes on distractors:**
> - **#3 יוּאָר** is Hophal Imperfect of ארר. The יוּ prefix (Shureq = u-class vowel under prefix) is the Hophal marker. Compare: Pual would have Qibbuts under R1 with Dagesh in R2.
> - **#4 תָאֹר** and **#6 קַבֹּה** and **#7 זָעַם** are Qal forms — no Pual u-class vowel under R1 with Dagesh in R2.
> - **#10 וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ** is Piel (active), not Pual — Hireq under R1 (i-class) is the Piel marker.
> - **#12 יִקְדָּשׁ** is Niphal, not Pual — the prefix יִ + dagesh in the first root consonant marks Niphal.
> - **#15 הוּקַם** is Hophal Perfect — the הוּ prefix is the Hophal marker; no Dagesh Forte in R2 (biconsonantal root קום).
> - **מְבֹרָךְ** (#2) and **בָּרוּךְ** (#5) are both Pual Participles of ברך — the compensatory Qamets under R1 (replacing expected Qibbuts) occurs because ר cannot take Dagesh Forte.
