# Chapter 32 — "Spot the Pual" Passage Exercise

Stem: Pual (פֻּעַל) — Strong Verbs | Passages: Num 22:6, 12; 23:8, 20 · Exo 29:36–37 · Exo 14:4 / Isa 43:23

Instructions: For each bolded/numbered verb, fill in: (1) Is it Pual? (Yes/No) (2) Conjugation (3) PGN (4) Root (5) Stem/Function. Distractors are drawn from stems already studied: Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hophal. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the key for that row.

Pual diagnostic: Qibbuts (ֻ) under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2. When R2 = ר (which rejects Dagesh), the vowel under R1 lengthens compensatorily to Qamets. Contrast with Piel (Hireq/i-class under R1) and Hophal (u-class under the prefix consonant, no Dagesh in R2).

## Passage A — Numbers 22:6, 12; 23:8, 20

### Context: The Balaam cycle — Balak summons Balaam to curse Israel; God instructs Balaam; Balaam delivers oracles.

כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ [1] מְבֹרָ֔ךְ [2] וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר יוּאָֽר [3]׃

"…for I know that he whom you bless [1] is blessed [2], and he whom you curse is cursed [3]." (Num 22:6)

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | תְּבָרֵךְ |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Piel | Imperfect | 2ms | ברך | Intensive — "you bless." R2=ר rejects dagesh; Piel identified by tsere under R2. The Pual passive counterpart appears next as מְבֹרָךְ.
2 | מְבֹרָךְ |  |  |  |  |  |
✓ Yes — Pual | Participle | ms | ברך | Passive — "blessed one." Qamets under R1 (compensatory lengthening because ר rejects Dagesh Forte). Pual Ptc. prefix מְ + Qibbuts→Qamets pattern.
3 | יוּאָר |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Hophal | Imperfect | 3ms | ארר | Hophal passive — "shall be cursed." The יוּ prefix (Shureq = u-class vowel under the preformative) is the Hophal Imperfect marker. Contrast Pual: Qibbuts is under R1, not the prefix consonant.

לֹ֥א תֵלֵ֖ךְ עִמָּהֶ֑ם לֹ֥א תָאֹ֖ר [4] אֶת־הָעָ֑ם כִּ֥י בָר֖וּךְ [5] הֽוּא׃

"You shall not go with them. You shall not curse [4] the people, for they are blessed [5]." (Num 22:12)

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
4 | תָאֹר |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Qal | Imperfect | 2ms | ארר | Qal — "you shall curse." No Qibbuts under R1 with Dagesh in R2 — this is Qal active, not Pual passive.
5 | בָּרוּךְ |  |  |  |  |  |
✓ Yes — Pual | Participle | ms | ברך | Passive — "blessed" (substantival: "he is a blessed one"). Pual Ptc. ms without מְ prefix in attributive position: בָּ = Qamets for compensatory lengthening (ר rejects dagesh).

מַה־אֶקֹּ֕ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה [6] אֵ֑ל וּמַה־אֶזְעֹ֕ם לֹ֥א זָעַ֖ם [7] יְהוָֽה׃

"How shall I curse what God has not cursed [6], and how shall I denounce what the LORD has not denounced [7]?" (Num 23:8)

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
6 | קַבֹּה |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Qal | Inf. Absolute | — | קבב | Qal — Inf. Abs. in negated construction ("what God has not cursed"). Geminate root; no Qibbuts + R2 dagesh pattern.
7 | זָעַם |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Qal | Perfect | 3ms | זעם | Qal — "has been indignant / has denounced." Qal Perfect 3ms vowel pattern: Qamets-Patach; no u-class vowel under R1 with Dagesh Forte in R2.

הִנֵּ֥ה בָרֵ֖ךְ [8] לָקָ֑חְתִּי וּבֵרַ֖ךְ וְלֹ֥א אֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃

"Behold, I have received a command to bless [8]; he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it." (Num 23:20)

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
8 | בָרֵךְ |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Piel | Inf. Absolute | — | ברך | Intensive — Piel Inf. Abs. used with לָקַח in a cognate-like construction ("I have been commanded to bless"). Tsere under R2 confirms Piel active, not Pual passive.

## Passage B — Exodus 29:36–37

### Context: Instructions for the consecration of the altar and tabernacle furnishings.

Watch for Piel vs. Pual: This passage contains active Piel forms (consecrate, purify) alongside a Niphal passive (become holy). Identify which stems are used and how they differ from what a Pual form would look like.
וּפַ֣ר חַטָּ֔את תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לַיּ֖וֹם עַל־הַכִּפֻּרִ֑ים וְחִטֵּאתָ֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ בְּכַפֶּרְךָ֖ עָלָ֑יו וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֥ [9] אֹת֖וֹ לְקַדְּשֽׁוֹ׃

"And a bull sin-offering you shall make each day for atonement, and you shall purify the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint [9] it to consecrate it." (Exo 29:36)

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
9 | וּמָשַׁחְתָּ |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Qal | Weqatal | 2ms | משח | Qal — "and you shall anoint." Qal Weqatal; no u-class vowel under R1 with Dagesh Forte in R2.

שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים תְּכַפֵּ֥ר עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ֣ [10] אֹת֑וֹ וְהָיָ֤ה [11] הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ קֹ֣דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֔ים כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בַּמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ יִקְדָּשׁ [12]׃

"Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate [10] it, and the altar shall be [11] most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall be consecrated [12]." (Exo 29:37)

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
10 | וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Piel | Weqatal | 2ms | קדש | Factitive — "and you shall consecrate it." Hireq under R1 (קִ) + Dagesh Forte in R2 (דּ) = Piel. The Pual passive counterpart would have Qibbuts (קֻ) under R1.
11 | וְהָיָה |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Qal | Weqatal | 3ms | היה | Qal — "and it shall be." III-ה root; standard Qal Weqatal.
12 | יִקְדָּשׁ |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Niphal | Imperfect | 3ms | קדש | Niphal passive/reflexive — "shall become holy / be consecrated." יִ prefix + Dagesh Forte in R1 (קּ) = Niphal contraction of נִ-. Compare: Pual would be יְקֻדַּשׁ (Shewa under prefix + Qibbuts under R1 + Dagesh in R2).

## Passage C — Exodus 14:4; Isaiah 43:23; Numbers 9:15

### Context: Pual of כבד ("be honored") and Hophal distractor הוּקַם.

וְכָבַדְתִּ֤י [13] בְּפַרְעֹה֙ וּבְכָל־חֵיל֔וֹ וְיָדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה׃

"And I will get glory [13] through Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." (Exo 14:4)

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
13 | וְכָבַדְתִּי |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Niphal | Weqatal | 1cs | כבד | Niphal reflexive/passive — "I will be glorified / get glory." The וְנִכְבַּד form has contracted prefix; Niphal of כבד. No Qibbuts under R1 — this is not Pual.

לֹ֥א כֻבַּדְתַּ֖נִי [14] בְּקָרְבָּנֶ֑יךָ וְעָמַלְתַּ֥נִי בִּלְבוֹנָתֶֽךָ׃

"You have not honored me [14] with your offerings, or wearied me with your frankincense." (Isa 43:23)

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
14 | כֻּבַּדְתַּנִי |  |  |  |  |  |
✓ Yes — Pual | Perfect | 2ms+1cs obj. | כבד | Passive — "you have not honored me." Qibbuts under R1 (כֻ) + Dagesh Forte in R2 (בּ) = Pual diagnostic. The 1cs object suffix נִי is added to the Pual Perfect 2ms base.

Distractor alert — Hophal: The next verb has a u-class vowel but is NOT Pual. Can you identify the difference?
הוּקַ֥ם [15] הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן בְּי֣וֹם הַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הָרִאשֽׁוֹן׃

"The tabernacle was set up [15] on the first day of the first month." (Exo 40:17)

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
15 | הוּקַם |  |  |  |  |  |
✗ No — Hophal | Perfect | 3ms | קום | Hophal passive — "was set up/raised." The הוּ prefix (Shureq under הּ) is the Hophal Perfect marker. No Dagesh Forte in R2 because this is a biconsonantal (hollow) root with no R2 to receive dagesh. Contrast Pual Perfect: קֻטַּל pattern.

Reflection Questions

1. In Passage A, verbs 1 (תְּבָרֵךְ) and 2 (מְבֹרָךְ) come from the same root ברך but are in different stems. What is the active/passive relationship between them, and how does the Pual vowel pattern (Qamets under R1 instead of expected Qibbuts) reflect the fact that ר rejects Dagesh Forte?
2. Verb 3 (יוּאָר, Hophal) and verb 14 (כֻּבַּדְתַּנִי, Pual) both express passive meaning. What is the key visual feature that distinguishes a Hophal Imperfect from a Pual Perfect? What does each stem tell you about the corresponding active stem?
3. Verbs 10 (וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ, Piel Weqatal) and 12 (יִקְדָּשׁ, Niphal Imperfect) from Exo 29:37 use the same root קדש. One is active (the priest consecrates the altar), the other is a passive/reflexive state result (things that touch become holy). How does this passage illustrate the difference between Piel (causative/factitive action) and Niphal (resulting state)?

## Quick Answer Key

# | Verb | Pual? | Conjugation | PGN | Root | Stem / Function
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | תְּבָרֵךְ | No | Imperfect | 2ms | ברך | Piel — Intensive
2 | מְבֹרָךְ | Yes | Participle | ms | ברך | Pual — Passive (compensatory Qamets)
3 | יוּאָר | No | Imperfect | 3ms | ארר | Hophal — Passive
4 | תָאֹר | No | Imperfect | 2ms | ארר | Qal
5 | בָּרוּךְ | Yes | Participle | ms | ברך | Pual — Passive
6 | קַבֹּה | No | Inf. Absolute | — | קבב | Qal
7 | זָעַם | No | Perfect | 3ms | זעם | Qal
8 | בָרֵךְ | No | Inf. Absolute | — | ברך | Piel — Intensive
9 | וּמָשַׁחְתָּ | No | Weqatal | 2ms | משח | Qal
10 | וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ | No | Weqatal | 2ms | קדש | Piel — Factitive
11 | וְהָיָה | No | Weqatal | 3ms | היה | Qal
12 | יִקְדָּשׁ | No | Imperfect | 3ms | קדש | Niphal — Passive/Reflexive
13 | וְכָבַדְתִּי | No | Weqatal | 1cs | כבד | Niphal — Reflexive/Passive
14 | כֻּבַּדְתַּנִי | Yes | Perfect | 2ms | כבד | Pual — Passive
15 | הוּקַם | No | Perfect | 3ms | קום | Hophal — Passive