# Chapter 24 — "Spot the Niphal" Passage Exercise

*Genesis 37, 44, 45, 47, and 49: The Joseph Narrative*

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## Instructions

The passages below are drawn from the Joseph story (Genesis 37–50), one of the richest concentrations of Niphal verbs in the Torah. The narrative includes passive birth and sale notices, reflexive oath-swearing, and simple-action verbs with no Qal counterpart.

**For each numbered verb, answer: Is it Niphal? (Yes / No). Then for every verb:**

1. Parse it — give **conjugation**, **person-gender-number**, and **root**.
2. State the **semantic function** (Passive / Reflexive / Simple action — or "NOT Niphal" for distractors).

Three verbs in this exercise are not Niphal — drawn from Qal already studied.

An answer key is at the bottom.

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## Passage A — Genesis 37:7, 36

‎**37:7** — וְהִנֵּה **קָ֣מָה** אֲלֻמָּתִ֗י וְגַם **נִצָּ֑בָה**

*"and behold, my sheaf [1] \_\_\_\_ and [2] \_\_\_\_."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | קָמָה | | | | | |
| 2 | נִצָּבָה | | | | | |

---

‎**37:36** — וְהַ֨מְּדָנִ֔ים **מָכְר֥וּ** אֹת֖וֹ … **וַיִּמָּכֵ֤ר** יוֹסֵף֙ אֶל־מִצְרָ֔יִם

*"Now the Midianites [3] \_\_\_\_ him … and Joseph [4] \_\_\_\_ into Egypt."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | מָכְרוּ | | | | | |
| 4 | וַיִּמָּכֵר | | | | | |

---

## Passage B — Genesis 44:9–20

‎**44:9** — אֲשֶׁ֨ר **יִמָּצֵ֥א** אִתּ֛וֹ מֵעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וָמֵ֑ת

*"With whichever of your servants [5] \_\_\_\_ shall die."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | יִמָּצֵא | | | | | |

---

‎**44:12** — וַ**יִּמָּצֵא֙** הַגָּבִ֔יעַ בְּאַמְתַּ֖חַת בִּנְיָמִֽן

*"And the cup [6] \_\_\_\_ in Benjamin's sack."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | וַיִּמָּצֵא | | | | | |

---

‎**44:16** — וּמַה־**נִּצְטַדָּ֑ק** … הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים מָצָ֛א אֶת־עֲוֺ֥ן עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ

*"How can we justify ourselves? … God has [exposed] the guilt of your servants."*

*(44:20)* — יֶ֣שׁ לָ֜נוּ אָ֣ב זָקֵ֗ן וְיֶ֤לֶד זְקֻנִים֙ קָטָ֔ן וְאָחִ֥יו מֵ֖ת **וַיִּוָּתֵ֣ר** ה֑וּא

*"We have an aged father and a young child of his old age … and he alone [7] \_\_\_\_."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | וַיִּוָּתֵר | | | | | |

---

## Passage C — Genesis 45:1, 16

‎**45:1** — וְלֹא־**יָכֹל֩** יוֹסֵ֨ף לְהִתְאַפֵּ֜ק לְכֹ֣ל הַ**נִּצָּבִ֣ים** עָלָ֗יו

*"Joseph [8] \_\_\_\_ no longer control himself before all those [9] \_\_\_\_ near him."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | יָכֹל | | | | | |
| 9 | הַנִּצָּבִים | | | | | |

---

‎**45:16** — וְהַקֹּ֣ל **נִשְׁמַ֗ע** בֵּ֤ית פַּרְעֹה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בָּ֥אוּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף

*"And the report [10] \_\_\_\_ in Pharaoh's household, 'Joseph's brothers have come.'"*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | נִשְׁמַע | | | | | |

---

## Passage D — Genesis 47:14, 31

‎**47:14** — וַיְלַקֵּ֨ט יוֹסֵ֜ף אֶת־כָּל־הַכֶּ֗סֶף **הַנִּמְצָ֤א** בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙

*"And Joseph collected all the silver [11] \_\_\_\_ in the land of Egypt."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | הַנִּמְצָא | | | | | |

---

‎**47:31** — **הִשָּׁ֣בְעָה** לִ֔י וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ

*"[12] \_\_\_\_ to me." And he [13] \_\_\_\_ to him."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | הִשָּׁבְעָה | | | | | |
| 13 | וַיִּשָּׁבַע | | | | | |

---

## Passage E — Genesis 49:1–2, 29, 33

‎**49:1** — **הֵאָֽסְפוּ֙** וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לָכֶ֔ם

*"[14] \_\_\_\_ and I will tell you."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | הֵאָסְפוּ | | | | | |

---

‎**49:29** — אֲנִ֖י **נֶאֱסָ֣ף** אֶל־עַמִּ֑י

*"I am [15] \_\_\_\_ to my people."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | נֶאֱסָף | | | | | |

---

‎**49:33** — וַיֵּאָ֤סֶף אֶל־עַמָּיו֙

*"and he was [16] \_\_\_\_ to his people."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | וַיֵּאָסֶף | | | | | |

---

## Bonus — Exodus 19:12

‎**19:12** — וְ**הִשָּׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם** … **הִשָּׁמְר֥וּ** לָכֶ֛ם

*"And you shall take heed … Take heed for yourselves."*

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | וְהִשָּׁמַרְתֶּם | | | | | |
| B2 | הִשָּׁמְרוּ | | | | | |

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## Answer Key

| # | Verb | Niphal? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | קָמָה | No | Perfect | 3fs | קוּם | NOT Niphal — Qal: *arose*; biconsonantal Qal perfect 3fs; no נ prefix or dagesh forte |
| 2 | נִצָּבָה | Yes | Perfect | 3fs | נָצַב | Reflexive — *it stood upright* (the sheaf stationed itself) |
| 3 | מָכְרוּ | No | Perfect | 3cp | מָכַר | NOT Niphal — Qal: *had sold*; active Qal; contrast with #4 Niphal passive of the same root |
| 4 | וַיִּמָּכֵר | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | מָכַר | Passive — *he was sold* |
| 5 | יִמָּצֵא | Yes | Imperfect | 3ms | מָצָא | Passive — *is found* |
| 6 | וַיִּמָּצֵא | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | מָצָא | Passive — *was found* |
| 7 | וַיִּוָּתֵר | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | יָתַר | Passive/Middle — *was left, remained* |
| 8 | יָכֹל | No | Perfect | 3ms | יָכֹל | NOT Niphal — Qal: *was able / could*; Qal stative with no Niphal counterpart |
| 9 | הַנִּצָּבִים | Yes | Participle | mp | נָצַב | Reflexive — *those standing* (having stationed themselves) |
| 10 | נִשְׁמַע | Yes | Perfect | 3ms | שָׁמַע | Passive — *was heard* |
| 11 | הַנִּמְצָא | Yes | Participle | ms | מָצָא | Passive — *that was found / which was found* |
| 12 | הִשָּׁבְעָה | Yes | Imperative | 2ms | שָׁבַע | Reflexive — *swear!* (bind yourself by oath) |
| 13 | וַיִּשָּׁבַע | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | שָׁבַע | Reflexive — *he swore* (bound himself by oath) |
| 14 | הֵאָסְפוּ | Yes | Imperative | 2mp | אָסַף | Passive — *gather yourselves!* |
| 15 | נֶאֱסָף | Yes | Participle | ms | אָסַף | Passive — *am about to be gathered* (gathered to one's fathers = die) |
| 16 | וַיֵּאָסֶף | Yes | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | אָסַף | Passive — *was gathered* (died and joined his ancestors) |
| B1 | וְהִשָּׁמַרְתֶּם | Yes | Weqatal | 2mp | שָׁמַר | Reflexive — *take heed for yourselves* |
| B2 | הִשָּׁמְרוּ | Yes | Imperative | 2mp | שָׁמַר | Reflexive — *take heed!* (guard yourselves) |

> **Score:** 13 Niphal + 3 non-Niphal + 2 bonus = 18 total. 15–18 = excellent; 11–14 = review the paradigm; below 11 = revisit §24.3–24.13 before the next class.
>
> **Non-Niphal (3):** #1 (Qal Perf 3fs), #3 (Qal Perf 3cp), #8 (Qal Perf 3ms)
> **Niphal pairs to note:** #15–16 (נֶאֱסָף / וַיֵּאָסֶף), #12–13 (הִשָּׁבְעָה / וַיִּשָּׁבַע)

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## Reflection Questions

1. Several Niphal forms of אָסַף in this passage describe Jacob's death (Gen 49:29, 33). What does the passive "to be gathered to one's people" suggest about ancient Israelite views of death?
2. In Gen 47:31, both הִשָּׁ֣בְעָה (#12, imperative) and וַיִּשָּׁבַע (#13, wayyiqtol) appear together. How does the narrative sequence reinforce the solemnity of Jacob's deathbed request?
3. Compare נִצָּבָה (#2, Gen 37:7 — Reflexive: sheaf stands itself upright) with הַנִּצָּבִים (#9, Gen 45:1 — Reflexive participle: servants stationed before Joseph). Is the reflexive force the same in both? What does each communicate about agency?
