# Chapter 29 — Hophal Weak-Form Identification Drill

BBH Chapter 29 · Hophal Weak Verbs

For each form: (1) identify the weak class, (2) parse (conjugation + PGN), (3) identify the root.

Class | Key diagnostic signal
--- | ---
I-yod/vav | שׁוּרֶק prefix (הוּ / יוּ / מוּ); R1 yod/vav quiesces and disappears
Biconsonantal (hollow) | שׁוּרֶק prefix (הוּ / יוּ) — same as I-yod; medial root vowel is the key to distinguishing: hollow root has vav/yod as R2
I-nun | קִבּוּץ prefix (הֻ / יֻּ) + dagesh forte in R2 throughout — נ has assimilated into R2
III-he | קִבּוּץ prefix (הֻ) + qamets-he ending (perfect 3ms); וּ plural (perfect 3cp); seghol-he (imperfect/participle)
I-guttural | קִבּוּץ or שׁוּרֶק prefix; composite shewa (hateph vowel) under R1 guttural throughout
Geminate | שׁוּרֶק or קִבּוּץ prefix; dagesh forte in final root consonant (R2=R3 contraction); root has identical R2 and R3

Key distinction: I-yod/vav and Biconsonantal (hollow) roots both use שׁוּרֶק as their Hophal prefix vowel — unlike most other weak classes which retain קִבּוּץ. The reason: in both classes R1 is a quiescent consonant (yod/vav), so the vowel lengthens to compensate.

## Part A — By Class

Group 1 — I-yod / I-vav

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | הוּרַד | Gen 39:1 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · יָרַד — he was brought down; שׁוּרֶק prefix (הוּ) is the I-yod/vav Hophal marker; R1 yod has quiesced
2 | יוּרַד | Gen 44:29 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · יָרַד — he will be brought down; שׁוּרֶק under imperfect prefix consonant (יוּ) — I-yod/vav pattern
3 | הוּבָא | Lev 4:4 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · בּוֹא — it was brought; הוּ prefix; root בּוֹא is I-vav (hollow); III-aleph: silent final א
4 | הוּבְאוּ | Gen 43:18 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3cp · בּוֹא — they were brought; הוּ prefix + וּ plural ending; I-vav root
5 | מוּבָאִים | Gen 43:18 |  |  |  |
Participle · mp · בּוֹא — being brought; מוּ prefix (שׁוּרֶק under מ) is the I-yod/vav Hophal participle marker; ים plural

Group 2 — Biconsonantal (Hollow)

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
6 | הוּקַם | Exo 40:17 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · קוּם — it was set up/erected; הוּ prefix; hollow biconsonantal root (medial וּ vowel letter)
7 | יוּמַת | Gen 26:11 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · מוּת — he shall be put to death; יוּ prefix — biconsonantal Hophal imperfect; hollow root מוּת
8 | הוּסַר | Lev 4:31 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · סוּר — it was removed; הוּ prefix; hollow root סוּר; "the fat was removed"
9 | הוּשַׁב | Gen 42:28 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · שׁוּב — it was returned/restored; הוּ prefix; hollow root שׁוּב; "my silver was returned"
10 | יּוּשַׂם | Gen 24:33 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · שִׂים — and food was set before him; יּוּ prefix (wayyiqtol) — dagesh in יּ + שׁוּרֶק; hollow/biconsonantal root שִׂים

Group 3 — I-nun

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
11 | וַיֻּגַּד | Gen 22:20 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · נָגַד — and it was told; וַיֻּ prefix (wayyiqtol) + קִבּוּץ + dagesh forte in R2 (ג) — נ has assimilated
12 | יֻּגַּד | Gen 38:13 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · נָגַד — it was told to Tamar; קִבּוּץ under prefix (יֻּ) + dagesh in R2 (ג) — I-nun assimilation
13 | יֻּכּוּ | Exo 5:14 |  |  |  |
Wayyiqtol · 3mp · נָכָה — and they were beaten; קִבּוּץ + dagesh in R2 (כּ) — I-nun; III-he root; וּ plural ending; "the taskmasters beat the Israelite foremen"
14 | יֻּתַּן | Lev 11:38 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · נָתַן — if water is put on the seed; קִבּוּץ prefix + dagesh in R2 (תּ) — I-nun; the second נ of נָתַן also assimilates, causing extra dagesh in R3
15 | יֻּקַּם | Gen 4:15 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · נָקַם — he will be avenged; קִבּוּץ + dagesh in R2 (קּ) — I-nun: נ of נָקַם has assimilated; "Cain will be avenged sevenfold"

Group 4 — III-he

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
16 | הֻגְלָה | Amos 1:5 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · גָּלָה — the people of Aram were exiled; קִבּוּץ under הֻ + III-he: qamets-he ending
17 | הֻגְלוּ | Jer 29:1 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3cp · גָּלָה — those who were exiled from Jerusalem; קִבּוּץ under הֻ + וּ plural (III-he 3cp Qatal pattern: ה→ וּ)
18 | מוּכָּה | Deut 28:27 |  |  |  |
Participle · fs · נָכָה — stricken (with); מוּ prefix (I-yod/nun in participle); dagesh in R2 (כּ) — I-nun; III-he: ה ending on feminine participle
19 | יֻּכֶּה | Exo 21:20 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · נָכָה — if he is struck/beaten; קִבּוּץ prefix + dagesh in R2 (כּ) — I-nun; III-he: seghol-he ending in imperfect
20 | הֻלַּד | Exo 1:22 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · יָלַד — every son who is born; קִבּוּץ under הֻ + dagesh in R2 (לּ); root יָלַד is I-yod; the dagesh assimilates the yod's behavior in Hophal

Group 5 — I-guttural

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
21 | הוּחַל | Gen 4:26 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · חָלַל — it was begun/profaned; הוּ prefix; guttural ח: no dagesh, takes full vowel (patach under ח); "then it was begun to call on the name of YHWH"
22 | יָחֳרַם | Ezr 10:8 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · חָרַם — his property will be forfeited/devoted; I-guttural: hateph-qamets under ח (יָ + חֳ); "all his property will be devoted to destruction"
23 | הֻחְלָה | 1 Sam 21:6 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3fs · חָלָה — it had been set apart/consecrated; קִבּוּץ under הֻ + shewa under guttural ח + III-he ה ending (fs suffix)
24 | הֻאֲמַן | 2 Chr 9:8 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · אָמַן — he was found faithful/established; קִבּוּץ under הֻ + hateph-patach under guttural א — I-aleph (I-guttural); "because your God has set you…on his throne"
25 | יֶֽחֱטָא | Num 15:28 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · חָטָא — he will be cleansed/pardoned; I-guttural: hateph-seghol under ח; III-aleph: silent final א; "the priest shall make atonement and he will be forgiven"

Group 6 — Geminate

# | Form | Reference | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
26 | הוּסַב | 2 Sam 3:12 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · סָבַב — the kingdom was turned over; הוּ prefix; geminate root ס-ב-ב (R2=R3); שׁוּרֶק form of Hophal geminate
27 | מוּסַבּוֹת | Num 32:38 |  |  |  |
Participle · fp · סָבַב — their names having been changed/surrounded; מוּ prefix + dagesh forte in R3 (בּ) — geminate contraction; feminine plural וֹת ending
28 | הֻסַּב | 1 Kgs 2:15 |  |  |  |
Perfect · 3ms · סָבַב — the kingdom was turned over; קִבּוּץ under הֻ + dagesh forte in R2 (סּ) — alternate geminate Hophal form; contrast הוּסַב (item 26) which uses שׁוּרֶק
29 | יֻּתַּם | 2 Sam 20:18 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · תָּמַם — a matter will be completed/finished; קִבּוּץ + dagesh in R2 (תּ) — geminate root ת-מ-מ (R2=R3)
30 | יֻּכַּל | Num 13:30 |  |  |  |
Imperfect · 3ms · כָּלַל — it will be completed/able to be done; קִבּוּץ + dagesh in R2 (כּ) — geminate root כ-ל-ל; "we are well able to overcome it"

## Part B — Mixed

Identify the weak class first, then parse fully.

# | Form | Reference | Weak class | Conjugation | PGN | Root |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
31 | הוּבָא | Gen 33:11 |  |  |  |  |
I-vav / Biconsonantal · Perfect · 3ms · בּוֹא — the gift was brought to him; הוּ prefix; root בּוֹא is I-vav and hollow
32 | יֻּגַּד | Gen 48:2 |  |  |  |  |
I-nun · Imperfect · 3ms · נָגַד — it was told to Jacob; קִבּוּץ + dagesh in R2 (ג) — נ of נָגַד has assimilated
33 | יוּמַת | Lev 20:2 |  |  |  |  |
Biconsonantal · Imperfect · 3ms · מוּת — he shall be put to death; יוּ prefix — hollow biconsonantal Hophal imperfect
34 | הֻגְלוּ | 2 Kgs 17:23 |  |  |  |  |
III-he · Perfect · 3cp · גָּלָה — Israel was exiled from its land; קִבּוּץ under הֻ + וּ plural ending (III-he 3cp: ה drops, וּ takes its place)
35 | הוּקַם | Num 7:1 |  |  |  |  |
Biconsonantal · Perfect · 3ms · קוּם — the tabernacle was erected; הוּ prefix; hollow root קוּם; medial vav vowel letter is the biconsonantal marker
36 | הוּסַר | Lev 6:4 |  |  |  |  |
Biconsonantal · Perfect · 3ms · סוּר — the ashes shall be removed; הוּ prefix; hollow root סוּר; distinguish from Geminate: no R2=R3
37 | יֻּכּוּ | Num 14:12 |  |  |  |  |
I-nun + III-he · Wayyiqtol · 3mp · נָכָה — and they were struck; קִבּוּץ + dagesh in R2 (כּ) — I-nun; III-he root; וּ plural; note both weak classes interact
38 | הוּרַד | 1 Sam 30:24 |  |  |  |  |
I-yod · Perfect · 3ms · יָרַד — the share of the one who stayed with the baggage; הוּ prefix; R1 yod has quiesced; "so his share shall be equal"
39 | הוּחַל | Gen 4:26 |  |  |  |  |
I-guttural · Perfect · 3ms · חָלַל — it was begun; הוּ prefix; guttural ח: no dagesh, full vowel (patach) replaces shewa under R1
40 | הוּסַב | Josh 15:3 |  |  |  |  |
Geminate · Perfect · 3ms · סָבַב — it turned/went around; הוּ prefix; root ס-ב-ב has R2=R3 (geminate) — this is the only reliable distinguisher from biconsonantal הוּסַר (root סוּר: hollow, not geminate)

## Discussion Questions

1. The I-yod/vav Hophal (e.g., הוּרַד, הוּבָא) and the Biconsonantal (hollow) Hophal (e.g., הוּקַם, הוּסַר) both use שׁוּרֶק as the prefix vowel. What phonological principle explains why both classes abandon the usual קִבּוּץ prefix of the strong Hophal? What happens to R1 in each class?
2. Compare וַיֻּגַּד (I-nun Hophal wayyiqtol, item 11) and יֻּכּוּ (I-nun Hophal, item 13). Both have dagesh forte in R2. What caused that dagesh? What happened to the נ of each root? Does anything else unusual happen to יֻּכּוּ beyond the I-nun assimilation?
3. Items 16–17 (הֻגְלָה / הֻגְלוּ) and items 18–19 (מוּכָּה / יֻּכֶּה) all come from III-he roots. How does the III-he ending manifest in the Hophal perfect 3ms vs. 3cp? How does it appear in the participle vs. imperfect?
4. Items 26 and 28 (הוּסַב and הֻסַּב) are both Hophal forms of the same geminate root סָבַב but have different prefix vowels. What accounts for this variation? How do you distinguish the Geminate Hophal from the Biconsonantal Hophal when both may display שׁוּרֶק?
5. Write out the Hophal paradigm for מוּת (Biconsonantal hollow): Perfect 3ms, Imperfect 3ms, Wayyiqtol 3ms, Participle ms. For each form, identify the prefix vowel and explain how it differs from the strong Hophal (הֻקְטַל pattern).