# Chapter 34 — "Spot the Hithpael" Passage Exercise

**Stem:** Hithpael (הִתְקַטֵּל) — Strong Verbs
**Passages:** 1 Kgs 8:28–30 · Gen 20:7 · Jos 3:5 · Exo 19:22 · Gen 22:17–18 · 2 Sam 10:12

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## Instructions

For each bolded verb, indicate:

1. **Hithpael?** (Yes / No — is it the Hithpael 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 Hithpael: Reflexive / Iterative / Reciprocal / Estimative / Denominative; if not: name the stem)

*Distractors include Pual and Hiphil forms — all stems you have already studied. Pual (passive, u-class under R1) is easily confused with Hithpael (reflexive, i-class prefix + dagesh in R2).*

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## Passage A — 1 Kings 8:28–30 · Genesis 20:7

*Context: Solomon dedicates the Temple; God directs Abimelech to return Sarah.*

> וּפָנִ֗יתָ אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֤ת עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְאֶל־תְּחִנָּת֔וֹ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהָ֑י לִשְׁמֹ֤עַ אֶל־הָרִנָּה֙ וְאֶל־הַתְּפִלָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַבְדְּךָ֛ **מִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל (1)** לְפָנֶ֖יךָ הַיּֽוֹם׃

"Turn to the prayer of your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and the prayer that your servant is **praying** before you today." (1 Kgs 8:28)

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | מִתְפַּלֵּל | | | | | |

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> וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֗ אֶל־תְּחִנַּ֤ת עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְעַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר **יִתְפַּלְּל֖וּ (2)** אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה

"…and listen to the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when **they pray** toward this place." (1 Kgs 8:30)

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | יִתְפַּלְּלוּ | | | | | |

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> וְעַתָּ֗ה הָשֵׁ֤ב אֵֽשֶׁת־הָאִישׁ֙ כִּֽי־נָבִ֣יא ה֔וּא וְ**יִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל (3)**־בַּעַדְךָ֖ וֶחְיֵ֑ה

"Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and **he will pray** for you, and you will live." (Gen 20:7)

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | יִתְפַּלֵּל | | | | | |

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> **הִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל (4)** אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃

"**Pray** to the LORD." (Gen 20:7b)

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | הִתְפַּלֵּל | | | | | |

---

> וְהָיָ֗ה כִּי **יֶחֱטָא֙** לְיהוָ֔ה **וְחִטְּאֹ֖** אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְ**טִהֲר֥וֹ (5)**

*Context: consecration of the altar (Exo 29:36) — Piel distractor.*

"…and when he sins, he shall make atonement for the altar and **purify it**." (Exo 29:36, excerpt)

*Note: verb 5 is a distractor drawn from a stem you have already studied.*

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | וְטִהֲרוֹ | | | | | |

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## Passage B — Joshua 3:5 · Exodus 19:22

*Context: Israel prepares to cross the Jordan; priests prepare to approach the LORD.*

> וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ אֶל־הָעָ֖ם **הִתְקַדְּשׁ֑וּ (6)** כִּ֣י מָחָ֔ר יַעֲשֶׂ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֖ם נִפְלָאֽוֹת׃

"And Joshua said to the people, '**Consecrate yourselves**, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.'" (Jos 3:5)

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ | | | | | |

---

> וְגַ֣ם הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים הַנִּגָּשִׁ֛ים אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה **יִתְקַדָּ֖שׁוּ (7)** פֶּן־יִפְרֹ֥ץ בָּהֶֽם׃

"And also let the priests who come near to the LORD **consecrate themselves**, lest the LORD break out against them." (Exo 19:22)

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | יִתְקַדָּשׁוּ | | | | | |

---

> אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁי֙ לֹ֣א תִחַלֵּ֔לוּ וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃ — **קֻדַּ֥שׁ (8)** הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ

"…do not profane my sanctuary — **the altar was consecrated**." (Lev 8:15 / Ezk 20:12, adapted for contrast)

*Note: verb 8 is a distractor drawn from a stem you have already studied.*

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | קֻדַּשׁ | | | | | |

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## Passage C — Genesis 22:17–18 · 2 Samuel 10:12

*Context: the Abrahamic oath of blessing; Joab's battle speech.*

> כִּי־בָרֵ֣ךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ֮ וְהַרְבָּ֣ה אַרְבֶּ֣ה אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֒ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֤י הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְכַחוֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַיָּ֔ם וְיִרַ֥שׁ זַרְעֲךָ֖ אֵ֥ת שַׁ֥עַר אֹיְבָֽיו׃ וְ**הִתְבָּרֲכ֣וּ (9)** בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ בְּקֹלִֽי׃

"'I will surely bless you and multiply your offspring… and in your offspring **all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves**, because you have obeyed my voice.'" (Gen 22:17–18)

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | וְהִתְבָּרֲכוּ | | | | | |

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> חֲזַ֤ק וְ**נִתְחַזְּקָ֙ה (10)**֙ בְּעַ֣ד עַמֵּ֔נוּ וּבְעַ֖ד עָרֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַיהוָ֖ה יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַטּ֛וֹב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

"Be strong, and **let us be courageous** for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in his sight." (2 Sam 10:12)

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | וְנִתְחַזְּקָה | | | | | |

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> מְבֹרָ֥ךְ אַבְרָ֖ם לְאֵ֣ל עֶלְיֹ֑ון קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃ — **הִצְדִּ֥יק (11)** אוֹתָ֖ם

*Distractor: Gen 14:19 + contrast verb (Hiphil of צדק).*

"'Blessed be Abram by God Most High…' — **he declared them righteous**." (Hiphil distractor)

*Note: verb 11 is a distractor drawn from a stem you have already studied.*

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | הִצְדִּיק | | | | | |

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## Reflection Questions

1. In Passage A, verbs 1–4 all come from the root פלל. Walk through each conjugation form and identify the diagnostic Hithpael marker in each (prefix for participle, imperfect, and perfect/imperative). Why is פלל considered a denominative Hithpael?

2. Verb 8 (קֻדַּשׁ) has Qibbuts under R1 and dagesh in R2 — it looks almost like a Piel. What single vowel under the prefix preformative most quickly distinguishes a Pual perfect from a Piel perfect? From a Hithpael perfect?

3. Verb 9 (וְהִתְבָּרֲכוּ, Gen 22:18) is sometimes translated "shall be blessed" (passive) and sometimes "shall bless themselves" (reflexive). Which translation does the Hithpael stem favor, and why does the distinction matter theologically?

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## Answer Key

| # | Verb | Hithpael? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | מִתְפַּלֵּל | Yes | Participle | ms | פלל | Hithpael — Denominative (from תְּפִלָּה / prayer) |
| 2 | יִתְפַּלְּלוּ | Yes | Imperfect | 3mp | פלל | Hithpael — Denominative; יִתְ- prefix + dagesh in R2 |
| 3 | יִתְפַּלֵּל | Yes | Imperfect | 3ms | פלל | Hithpael — Denominative; יִתְ- prefix + dagesh in R2 |
| 4 | הִתְפַּלֵּל | Yes | Imperative | 2ms | פלל | Hithpael — Denominative; הִתְ- prefix imperative |
| 5 | וְטִהֲרוֹ | No | Weqatal | 3ms | טהר | NOT Hithpael — Piel: Factitive "he shall purify it"; i-class under R1 + dagesh in R2 but NO הִתְ prefix |
| 6 | הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ | Yes | Imperative | 2mp | קדש | Hithpael — Reflexive "consecrate yourselves!"; הִתְ- prefix + dagesh in R2 (קּ) |
| 7 | יִתְקַדָּשׁוּ | Yes | Imperfect | 3mp | קדש | Hithpael — Reflexive; יִתְ- prefix + Qamets under R2 (pause/long form) |
| 8 | קֻדַּשׁ | No | Perfect | 3ms | קדש | NOT Hithpael — Pual: Passive "was consecrated"; Qibbuts under R1 (u-class), no הִתְ prefix |
| 9 | וְהִתְבָּרֲכוּ | Yes | Weqatal | 3cp | ברך | Hithpael — Reflexive/Estimative "shall bless themselves / shall be blessed"; הִתְ- + R2=ר rejects dagesh |
| 10 | וְנִתְחַזְּקָה | Yes | Cohortative | 1cp | חזק | Hithpael — Reflexive "let us strengthen ourselves"; נִתְ- (cohortative variant of נִ from נִ + יִתְ) + dagesh in R2 (זּ) |
| 11 | הִצְדִּיק | No | Perfect | 3ms | צדק | NOT Hithpael — Hiphil: Declarative "declared righteous"; הִ- prefix (no תְ) + Hireq-Yod under R2 |

> **Notes on distractors:**
> - **#5 וְטִהֲרוֹ** is a Piel Weqatal of טהר. Key: patach under R1 + dagesh forte in R2 + no הִתְ prefix = Piel, not Hithpael.
> - **#8 קֻדַּשׁ** is Pual perfect 3ms of קדש. Key: Qibbuts (u-class vowel) under the first root letter = Pual passive, not Hithpael reflexive.
> - **#11 הִצְדִּיק** is Hiphil perfect 3ms of צדק. Key: הִ- (no תְ) + Hireq-Yod under R2 = Hiphil causative/declarative pattern.
> - **#10 וְנִתְחַזְּקָה** — the cohortative form of the Hithpael 1cp shows נִתְ- rather than הִתְ-; this is the normal cohortative pattern (compare Niphal cohortative נִנָּצְלָה).
