# Niphal Weak Verbs — III-ה (Lamed-He) Paradigms

Full conjugation tables for Lamed-He roots in the Niphal stem.
Representative roots: גָּלָה (to uncover, reveal; go into exile) and רָאָה (to see).
Each section shows the strong root (קטל) alongside the weak paradigm for direct comparison.
Attested forms drawn from MACULA Hebrew WLC.

## The Pattern

The final ה of III-ה roots is a vowel letter (mater lectionis), not a true consonant. When inflectional suffixes are added, the ה disappears and the preceding vowel contracts or shifts. The effect varies by conjugation:

- Perfect 3ms: ends in ָה (qamets-he) instead of a final consonant
- Perfect 3fs / suffixes: ה drops; the vowel contracts before suffixes
- Imperfect 3ms: ends in seghol-he (ֶה) — not tsere as in the strong root
- Wayyiqtol 3ms: the ה is apocopated (completely dropped) and the form is shortened
- Imperative/Inf. Construct: ends in וֹת (the ת suffix familiar from Qal III-ה inf. constructs)
- Participle ms: ends in seghol-he (ֶה) — same as imperfect

Note: רָאָה also has a guttural at R1 (ר), which prevents the dagesh forte expected in the Niphal imperfect/wayyiqtol/imperative. Instead, compensatory lengthening occurs (hiriq → tsere: יִ → יֵ / הִ → הֵ). This is a compounded weak behavior (III-ה + R1 ר).

## Perfect (Qatal)

Person | Strong (קטל) | III-ה (גלה) | III-ה (ראה)
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | נִקְטַל | נִגְלָה | נִרְאָה
3fs | נִקְטְלָה | נִגְלְתָה | נִרְאֲתָה
3cp | נִקְטְלוּ | נִגְלוּ | נִרְאוּ
2ms | נִקְטַלְתָּ | נִגְלֵיתָ | נִרְאֵיתָ
2mp | נִקְטַלְתֶּם | נִגְלֵיתֶם | נִרְאֵיתֶם
2fs | נִקְטַלְתְּ | נִגְלֵית | נִרְאֵית
2fp | נִקְטַלְתֶּן | נִגְלֵיתֶן | נִרְאֵיתֶן
1cs | נִקְטַלְתִּי | נִגְלֵיתִי | נִרְאֵיתִי
1cp | נִקְטַלְנוּ | נִגְלֵינוּ | נִרְאֵינוּ

> Key: 3ms ends in ָה (qamets-he). 3fs/3cp: the ה of the root drops; 3fs adds תָה; 3cp ends in וּ. The 2nd/1st person forms take an i-vowel (tsere) before the suffix: נִגְלֵיתָ.

Attested passages:

- נִגְלָה כְּבוֹד יְהוָה (Isa 40:5) — "the glory of the LORD will be revealed" — perfect 3ms passive
- נִרְאָה אֲלֵיכֶם (Lev 9:4) — "the LORD will appear to you" — perfect 3ms tolerative
- נִרְאֲתָה הַקֶּשֶׁת (Gen 9:14) — "when the rainbow appears in the cloud" — perfect 3fs; III-ה fs ending

## Imperfect (Yiqtol)

Person | Strong (קטל) | III-ה (גלה) | III-ה (ראה)
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | יִקָּטֵל | יִגָּלֶה | יֵרָאֶה
3fs | תִּקָּטֵל | תִּגָּלֶה | תֵרָאֶה
3mp | יִקָּטְלוּ | יִגָּלוּ | יֵרָאוּ
3fp | תִּקָּטַלְנָה | תִּגָּלֶינָה | תֵרָאֶינָה
2ms | תִּקָּטֵל | תִּגָּלֶה | תֵרָאֶה
2mp | תִּקָּטְלוּ | תִּגָּלוּ | תֵרָאוּ
2fs | תִּקָּטְלִי | תִּגָּלִי | תֵרָאִי
1cs | אֶקָּטֵל | אֶגָּלֶה | אֵרָאֶה
1cp | נִקָּטֵל | נִגָּלֶה | נֵרָאֶה

> Key: The tsere of the strong root (יִקָּטֵל) becomes seghol-he in III-ה (יִגָּלֶה). For רָאָה: the ר rejects the dagesh; hiriq prefix lengthens to tsere (יֵרָאֶה). The plural forms drop the final ה and show the vowel directly: יִגָּלוּ.

Attested passages:

- תֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה (Gen 1:9) — "let the dry land appear" — 3fs jussive/imperfect; creation narrative
- יֵרָאֶה כָּל־זְכוּרְךָ (Exo 23:17) — "all your males shall appear [before the Lord]" — 3ms imperfect; pilgrimage law
- יִגָּלֶה לָהֶם (Isa 53:1) — "to whom has it been revealed?" — 3ms imperfect passive

## Wayyiqtol

Person | Strong (קטל) | III-ה (גלה) | III-ה (ראה)
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | וַיִּקָּטֵל | וַיִּגָּל | וַיֵּרָא
3fs | וַתִּקָּטֵל | וַתִּגָּל | וַתֵּרָא
3mp | וַיִּקָּטְלוּ | וַיִּגָּלוּ | וַיֵּרָאוּ
2ms | וַתִּקָּטֵל | וַתִּגָּל | וַתֵּרָא
1cs | וָאֶקָּטֵל | וָאֶגָּל | וָאֵרָא

> Key: The ה is apocopated in the wayyiqtol — the final ה drops entirely and the form is shortened: יִגָּלֶה → וַיִּגָּל; יֵרָאֶה → וַיֵּרָא. This shortened wayyiqtol form is the most distinctive III-ה Niphal signal.

Attested passages:

- וַיֵּרָא יְהוָה אֶל־אַבְרָם (Gen 12:7) — "and the LORD appeared to Abram" — 3ms wayyiqtol; apocopated form וַיֵּרָא (not †וַיֵּרָאֶה)
- וַיֵּרָא יְהוָה אֵלָיו (Gen 18:1) — "and the LORD appeared to him" — same apocopated form at Mamre
- וַיִּגָּלוּ הַגֹּויִם (Isa 40:5; cp. Eze 39:23) — 3mp wayyiqtol; the nations are revealed / exposed

## Weqatal

Person | Strong (קטל) | III-ה (גלה) | III-ה (ראה)
--- | --- | --- | ---
3ms | וְנִקְטַל | וְנִגְלָה | וְנִרְאָה
3fs | וְנִקְטְלָה | וְנִגְלְתָה | וְנִרְאֲתָה
3cp | וְנִקְטְלוּ | וְנִגְלוּ | וְנִרְאוּ
2ms | וְנִקְטַלְתָּ | וְנִגְלֵיתָ | וְנִרְאֵיתָ
1cp | וְנִקְטַלְנוּ | וְנִגְלֵינוּ | וְנִרְאֵינוּ

> Key: Weqatal uses the perfect form (no apocopation). The 3ms ends in ָה; 3cp drops ה and ends in וּ.

Attested passages:

- וְנִרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים (Gen 8:5) — "and the tops of the mountains were seen" — 3cp weqatal; flood narrative
- וְנִגְלָה כְּבוֹד יְהוָה (Isa 40:5) — weqatal in a future sequence; eschatological revelation

## Imperative

| Strong (קטל) | III-ה (גלה) | III-ה (ראה)
--- | --- | --- | ---
2ms | הִקָּטֵל | הִגָּלֵה | הֵרָאֵה
2mp | הִקָּטְלוּ | הִגָּלוּ | הֵרָאוּ
2fs | הִקָּטְלִי | הִגָּלִי | הֵרָאִי

> Key: 2ms ends in ֵה (tsere-he) rather than the inf. construct's וֹת. For רָאָה: הֵרָאֵה with tsere under ה (compensatory lengthening for ר). This tsere-he ending distinguishes the imperative from the infinitive construct.

Attested passages:

- הֵרָאֵה אֶל־אַחְאָב (1 Kgs 18:1) — "go, show yourself to Ahab" — 2ms imperative; Elijah commanded to present himself
- הֵרָאֵה נָא בְּכָבוֹדֶךָ (Exo 33:18) — "please show me your glory" — Moses's request; though here it may be Qal imperative of the causative sense; the Niphal form for "present yourself" is the same shape

## Infinitive Construct

Form | Strong (קטל) | III-ה (גלה) | III-ה (ראה)
--- | --- | --- | ---
Base | הִקָּטֵל | הִגָּלוֹת | הֵרָאוֹת
With לְ | לְהִקָּטֵל | לְהִגָּלוֹת | לְהֵרָאוֹת
With בְּ | בְּהִקָּטֵל | בְּהִגָּלוֹת | בְּהֵרָאוֹת

> Key: III-ה Niphal infinitive construct adds the ת suffix (like the Qal inf. construct of III-ה roots): הִגָּלוֹת, הֵרָאוֹת. This distinguishes the inf. construct from the imperative (which ends in ֵה). The holem-vav before ת is characteristic.

Attested passages:

- לְהֵרָאוֹת אֶת־פְּנֵי יְהוָה (Exo 34:24) — "to appear before the face of the LORD" — inf. construct; pilgrimage law
- בְּהִגָּלוֹת כְּבוֹדוֹ (Isa 66:18) — "when his glory is revealed" — inf. construct with בְּ; eschatological context

## Infinitive Absolute

Form | Strong (קטל) | III-ה (גלה) | III-ה (ראה)
--- | --- | --- | ---
Standard | נִקְטֹל | הִגָּלֹה | הֵרָאֹה

> Key: The III-ה Niphal inf. absolute ends in ֹה (holem-he) rather than the holem + consonant of the strong root. It is rare; most emphatic constructions use the inf. construct form instead.

Attested passages:

- נִגְלֹה נִגְלָה (Isa 24:11) — a possible inf. absolute + perfect construction meaning "it is utterly revealed/desolated" — the form is uncommon and sometimes questioned
- Note: Inf. absolute attestation for III-ה Niphal roots is sparse; the inf. construct form (הִגָּלוֹת) frequently serves double duty.

## Participle

| Strong (קטל) | III-ה (גלה) | III-ה (ראה)
--- | --- | --- | ---
ms | נִקְטָל | נִגְלֶה | נִרְאֶה
mp | נִקְטָלִים | נִגְלִים | נִרְאִים
fs | נִקְטֶלֶת | נִגְלֵית | נִרְאֵית
fp | נִקְטָלוֹת | נִגְלוֹת | נִרְאוֹת

> Key: The participle ms ends in seghol-he (ֶה) — the same ending as the imperfect ms. Context (predicate position vs. attributive position, or presence of the article) distinguishes participle from imperfect.

Attested passages:

- וַיֵּרָא יְהוָה … הַנִּרְאֶה אֵלָיו (Gen 12:7; 17:1) — "the LORD who had appeared to him" — ms participle attributive/relative clause; a participial description of the LORD as the one who appears
- נִרְאֶה לַכֹּהֵן (Lev 13:7) — "appears to the priest" — participial predicate in skin-disease law
- נִגְלִים (Isa 40:5) — mp participle; "revealed / made manifest [things]"

## Summary — III-ה Niphal at a Glance

Conjugation | Strong (קטל) | III-ה (גלה) | III-ה (ראה) | Key feature
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Perfect | נִקְטַל | נִגְלָה | נִרְאָה | final ָה
Imperfect | יִקָּטֵל | יִגָּלֶה | יֵרָאֶה | final ֶה; ר → compensatory lengthening
Wayyiqtol | וַיִּקָּטֵל | וַיִּגָּל | וַיֵּרָא | ה apocopated; form shortened
Weqatal | וְנִקְטַל | וְנִגְלָה | וְנִרְאָה | final ָה (like perfect)
Imperative | הִקָּטֵל | הִגָּלֵה | הֵרָאֵה | final ֵה (tsere-he)
Inf. Construct | הִקָּטֵל | הִגָּלוֹת | הֵרָאוֹת | ת suffix + holem-vav
Inf. Absolute | נִקְטֹל | הִגָּלֹה | הֵרָאֹה | final ֹה (holem-he)
Participle | נִקְטָל | נִגְלֶה | נִרְאֶה | final ֶה (like imperfect)