# Chapter 27 — Niphal–Hiphil Contrast Drill

*BBH Chapters 25 & 27 · Niphal and Hiphil Weak Verbs*

---

## Instructions

Each item presents a pointed Hebrew form from an attested OT passage. For each:

1. **Identify the stem** — Niphal or Hiphil.
2. **Parse** — conjugation, PGN.
3. **Give the root** and its **weak class**.
4. **Translate** the form in context.

The forms are drawn from roots that appear in **both** stems; the goal is to distinguish the prefix and vowel patterns that identify each stem.

An answer key is at the bottom.

---

## Part A — Roots with Contrasting Niphal and Hiphil Meanings

The same root produces distinct meanings depending on the stem. Niphal: passive or reflexive. Hiphil: causative.

| # | Form | Reference | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | נִשְׁמַע | Est 1:20 | "the decree \_\_\_\_ throughout all the kingdom" |
| 2 | הִשְׁמִיעַ | Isa 48:6 | "I \_\_\_\_ you new things from this time" |
| 3 | יִמָּצֵא | Gen 44:10 | "he with whom it is \_\_\_\_ shall be my servant" |
| 4 | הִמְצִיא | Neh 9:15 | "You \_\_\_\_ them bread from heaven" |
| 5 | נִגְלָה | Isa 40:5 | "the glory of the LORD shall \_\_\_\_" |
| 6 | הֶעֱלָה | Gen 8:20 | "Noah \_\_\_\_ burnt offerings on the altar" |
| 7 | וַיִּגַּשׁ | Gen 44:18 | "Judah \_\_\_\_ him and said" |
| 8 | הִגִּישׁ | Amos 9:13 | "the one who \_\_\_\_ grain offering after grain offering" |

---

## Part B — Shared Roots, Weak-Class Focus

These forms involve weak roots that appear in both Niphal and Hiphil. Focus on the prefix vowels that distinguish the stems.

| # | Form | Reference | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9  | נוֹלַד | Gen 21:3 | "a son \_\_\_\_ to Abraham" |
| 10 | יּוֹלֶד | Gen 5:3 | "Adam \_\_\_\_ a son in his own likeness" |
| 11 | יִוָּלֵד | Gen 17:17 | "shall a child \_\_\_\_ to a man a hundred years old?" |
| 12 | יוֹרִיד | 1 Sam 2:6 | "the LORD \_\_\_\_ to Sheol and raises up" |
| 13 | וַיִּוָּדַע | Est 2:22 | "the matter \_\_\_\_ to Mordecai" |
| 14 | הֵקִים | Gen 6:18 | "I will \_\_\_\_ my covenant with you" |
| 15 | נָכוֹן | Gen 41:32 | "the thing is \_\_\_\_ by God" |

---

## Part C — Mixed Review

Forms from any class; identify stem first, then parse.

| # | Form | Reference | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | וַיַּעַל | Gen 22:2 | "and he \_\_\_\_ him as a burnt offering" |
| 17 | וַיִּגָּל | Num 24:4 | "who sees the vision of the Almighty, \_\_\_\_ eyes" |
| 18 | הָסֵב | 2 Sam 2:22 | "\_\_\_\_ from following me" |
| 19 | מַעֲמִידִים | Neh 4:7 | "we who were \_\_\_\_ guard over them" |
| 20 | הֵרָאֵה | 1 Kgs 18:1 | "Go, \_\_\_\_ yourself to Ahab" |

---

## Answer Key

### Part A

| # | Form | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Weak class | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | נִשְׁמַע | Niphal | Perfect | 3ms | שָׁמַע | III-ח/ע | was heard |
| 2 | הִשְׁמִיעַ | Hiphil | Perfect | 3ms | שָׁמַע | III-ח/ע | I caused you to hear / announced |
| 3 | יִמָּצֵא | Niphal | Imperfect | 3ms | מָצָא | III-א | is found |
| 4 | הִמְצִיא | Hiphil | Perfect | 3ms | מָצָא | III-א | he provided / caused to find |
| 5 | נִגְלָה | Niphal | Perfect | 3ms | גָּלָה | III-ה | was revealed |
| 6 | הֶעֱלָה | Hiphil | Perfect | 3ms | עָלָה | III-ה + I-guttural | offered up / caused to go up |
| 7 | וַיִּגַּשׁ | Niphal | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | נָגַשׁ | I-נ | drew near (reflexive) |
| 8 | הִגִּישׁ | Hiphil | Perfect | 3ms | נָגַשׁ | I-נ | brought near / caused to approach |

> **Diagnostic:** For שָׁמַע — Niphal perfect begins with נִ; Hiphil perfect begins with הִ. For מָצָא — Niphal imperfect יִמָּצֵא has dagesh in מ (Niphal assimilation); Hiphil perfect הִמְצִיא has chiriq-yod before silent א. For נָגַשׁ — Niphal (Qal-like dagesh in ג) vs. Hiphil (הִ prefix + dagesh in ג). Context seals it.

---

### Part B

| # | Form | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Weak class | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9  | נוֹלַד | Niphal | Perfect | 3ms | יָלַד | I-י | was born |
| 10 | יּוֹלֶד | Hiphil | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | יָלַד | I-י | he fathered / begat |
| 11 | יִוָּלֵד | Niphal | Imperfect | 3ms | יָלַד | I-י | shall be born |
| 12 | יוֹרִיד | Hiphil | Imperfect | 3ms | יָרַד | I-י | brings down |
| 13 | וַיִּוָּדַע | Niphal | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | יָדַע | I-י | became known |
| 14 | הֵקִים | Hiphil | Perfect | 3ms | קוּם | Biconsonantal | established / raised up |
| 15 | נָכוֹן | Niphal | Perfect/Participle | 3ms/ms | כּוּן | Biconsonantal | is established / firm |

> **Diagnostic:** I-י Niphal perfect/participle uses נוֹ prefix; Hiphil perfect uses הוֹ (hollow)/הֵ (biconsonantal). I-י Niphal imperfect has יִוָּ cluster; Hiphil imperfect has יוֹ prefix (holem-vav). Biconsonantal: Niphal perfect נָ prefix vs. Hiphil perfect הֵ prefix.

---

### Part C

| # | Form | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Weak class | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | וַיַּעַל | Hiphil | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | עָלָה | III-ה + I-guttural | and he offered up (apocopated) |
| 17 | וַיִּגָּל | Niphal | Wayyiqtol | 3ms | גָּלָה | III-ה | and his eyes were unveiled (apocopated) |
| 18 | הָסֵב | Hiphil | Imperative | 2ms | סָבַב | Geminate | turn aside! |
| 19 | מַעֲמִידִים | Hiphil | Participle | mp | עָמַד | I-guttural | those who station / standing guard |
| 20 | הֵרָאֵה | Niphal | Imperative | 2ms | רָאָה | III-ה | show yourself! |

> **Diagnostic:** Items 16–17 look similar (both III-ה wayyiqtol, apocopated) but item 16 is Hiphil (patach prefix יַ, context = "offer up") and item 17 is Niphal (yiqtol prefix יִ with dagesh). Item 18: הָסֵב — הָ prefix (qamets) identifies Hiphil imperative of Biconsonantal/Geminate class. Item 20: הֵרָאֵה — הֵ prefix with ר compensatory lengthening; imperative form with final ֵה retained (not apocopated, since imperative does not apocopate) = Niphal, not Hiphil.

---

## Discussion Questions

1. Items 1–2 (שָׁמַע) and items 3–4 (מָצָא): in each pair, the Niphal form and the Hiphil form share the same root but have opposite meanings (passive vs. causative). Pick one pair and write one sentence explaining what the Niphal adds and what the Hiphil adds to the basic Qal meaning.

2. Items 9–11 are all from the root יָלַד (I-י). Two are Niphal, one is Hiphil. The Niphal and Hiphil I-י forms look superficially similar — both use a holem-vav cluster. What is the precise difference between the Niphal perfect נוֹלַד and the Hiphil wayyiqtol וַיּוֹלֶד that allows you to tell them apart?

3. Items 16 and 17 are both apocopated III-ה wayyiqtol forms. How do you determine from the pointing alone whether each is Niphal or Hiphil? What vowel under the prefix consonant is decisive?

4. Item 18 (הָסֵב, Hiphil Geminate imperative) and item 20 (הֵרָאֵה, Niphal III-ה imperative) both begin with הֵ/הָ rather than the expected strong הַ. Explain why each has a long prefix vowel, identifying the phonological rule responsible in each case.
