BBH Chapters 25 & 27 · Niphal and Hiphil Weak Verbs
For each form: (1) identify the stem (Niphal or Hiphil), (2) parse (conjugation + PGN), (3) identify the weak class (Biconsonantal or Geminate), (4) give the root and translate.
| Feature | Biconsonantal (II-י/ו) | Geminate (R2=R3) |
|---|---|---|
| Root | R1-ו/י-R3 (e.g. קוּם, שׁוּב) | R1-R2-R2 (e.g. סָבַב, שָׁלַל) |
| Niphal perfect 3ms | נָקִים (נָ qamets) | נָסַב (נָ qamets) — identical |
| Hiphil perfect 3ms | הֵקִים (הֵ tsere) | הֵסֵב (הֵ tsere) — identical |
| Hiphil imperfect 3ms | יָקִים (יָ qamets) | יָסֵב (יָ qamets) — identical |
| Distinguisher | Medial vowel letter ו/י in stem | Dagesh forte in R2 when doubled |
| # | Form | Reference | Context | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Class | Root | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | נָכוֹן | Gen 41:32 | "the thing is ___ by God" | ||||||
| Niphal · Perfect/Participle · 3ms/ms · Biconsonantal · כּוּן — "is established / firm"; נָ prefix (qamets) = Niphal Biconsonantal; medial ו vowel letter identifies Biconsonantal, not Geminate | |||||||||
| 2 | נָסַב | 1 Kgs 7:24 | "the gourds ___ it, ten to a cubit" | ||||||
| Niphal · Perfect · 3ms · Geminate · סָבַב — "encircled / went around"; נָ prefix (qamets) = Niphal; R2=R3=ב identifies Geminate; compare Biconsonantal נָכוֹן (medial ו) vs. Geminate נָסַב (no medial vowel letter) | |||||||||
| 3 | יִכּוֹן | Psa 93:2 | "your throne ___ from of old" | ||||||
| Niphal · Imperfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · כּוּן — "is established"; יִ prefix + dagesh in כּ (Niphal pattern) + holem-vav = Biconsonantal; the dagesh here is Niphal's assimilation pattern, not R2=R3 doubling | |||||||||
| 4 | יִסֹּב | Num 21:4 | "they traveled ___ Mount Edom" | ||||||
| Niphal · Imperfect · 3ms · Geminate · סָבַב — "went around"; יִ prefix + dagesh in סּ (R2=R3 doubled) + holem = Geminate; contrast Biconsonantal יִכּוֹן which retains medial ו vowel letter | |||||||||
| 5 | הֵכּוֹן | Psa 57:8 | "my heart is ___, O God" | ||||||
| Niphal · Perfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · כּוּן — "is ready / prepared"; הֵ + dagesh + holem-vav = Niphal Biconsonantal perfect variant; context (readied heart) confirms passive sense | |||||||||
| 6 | הֵסֹּב | Num 34:4 | "your border ___ from the south" | ||||||
| Niphal · Perfect · 3ms · Geminate · סָבַב — "turned / went around"; הֵ + dagesh in סּ (R2=R3) + holem = Niphal Geminate perfect; contrast Biconsonantal הֵכּוֹן (medial ו retained) | |||||||||
| 7 | נָשׁוּב | Lam 3:40 | "let us examine and ___ to the LORD" | ||||||
| Niphal · Cohortative · 1cp · Biconsonantal · שׁוּב — "let us return"; נָ prefix + medial ו vowel letter = Niphal Biconsonantal; cohortative sense from context (exhortation to repentance) | |||||||||
| 8 | נָתֹם | 1 Sam 3:12 | "when I ___ what I have spoken" | ||||||
| Niphal · Infinitive Construct · — · Geminate · תָּמַם — "to be completed / finished"; נָ prefix + holem = Niphal Geminate inf. construct; root תָּמַם has R2=R3=מ | |||||||||
| # | Form | Reference | Context | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Class | Root | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | הֵקִים | Gen 6:18 | "I will ___ my covenant with you" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · קוּם — "established / raised up"; הֵ prefix (tsere) = Hiphil; medial ו vowel letter = Biconsonantal; contrast Geminate הֵסֵב | |||||||||
| 10 | הֵסֵב | 2 Sam 2:22 | "___ from following me" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms · Geminate · סָבַב — "turned aside"; הֵ prefix (tsere) = Hiphil; no medial vowel letter, R2=R3=ב = Geminate; הֵקִים retains medial ו, הֵסֵב does not | |||||||||
| 11 | יָקִים | Deut 18:15 | "the LORD your God will ___ a prophet" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Imperfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · קוּם — "will raise up"; יָ prefix (qamets) = Hiphil Biconsonantal imperfect; medial ו vowel letter retained; contrast Geminate יָסֵב (no medial vowel letter) | |||||||||
| 12 | יָסֵב | Eccl 1:6 | "the wind ___ to the south" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Imperfect · 3ms · Geminate · סָבַב — "causes to go around / turns"; יָ prefix (qamets) = Hiphil; no medial vowel letter = Geminate; contrast Biconsonantal יָקִים (medial ו retained) | |||||||||
| 13 | הָקֵם | Deut 27:26 | "\'___ the words of this law\'" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Imperative · 2ms · Biconsonantal · קוּם — "raise up! / confirm!"; הָ prefix (qamets) = Hiphil imperative; tsere vowel in stem + no doubling = Biconsonantal; contrast Geminate הָסֵב | |||||||||
| 14 | הָסֵב | 2 Sam 2:22 | "___ from following me" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Imperative · 2ms · Geminate · סָבַב — "turn aside!"; הָ prefix (qamets) = Hiphil imperative; same form as Biconsonantal הָקֵם except root is R2=R3=ב (Geminate); tsere vowel = contracted Geminate stem | |||||||||
| 15 | מֵקִים | 1 Sam 2:8 | "He ___ the poor from the dust" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Participle · ms · Biconsonantal · קוּם — "one who raises up"; מֵ prefix (tsere) = Hiphil participle; medial ו retained = Biconsonantal; contrast Geminate מֵסֵב (no medial vowel letter) | |||||||||
| 16 | מֵסֵב | Ezek 41:7 | "the structure surrounding the house ___ upward" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Participle · ms · Geminate · סָבַב — "going around / surrounding"; מֵ prefix (tsere) = Hiphil participle; no medial vowel letter, tsere stem vowel = Geminate contracted form; compare Biconsonantal מֵקִים | |||||||||
Identify stem (Niphal or Hiphil) and class (Biconsonantal or Geminate) from the form and context alone.
| # | Form | Reference | Context | Stem | Conjugation | PGN | Class | Root | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | נָמֹוג | Isa 14:31 | "all Philistia ___" | ||||||
| Niphal · Perfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · מוּג — "melted / dissolved"; נָ prefix + medial ו = Niphal Biconsonantal; root מוּג = to melt/dissolve | |||||||||
| 18 | הֵמַס | Josh 2:11 | "the LORD ___ our hearts" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms · Geminate · מסס — "caused to melt"; הֵ prefix (tsere) = Hiphil; no medial vowel letter, R2=R3=ס = Geminate; patach under R2 in contracted stem | |||||||||
| 19 | יָרֻם | Isa 52:13 | "my servant shall be high and ___ up" | ||||||
| Niphal · Imperfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · רוּם — "will be exalted / lifted up"; יָ prefix + qibbutz under R2 (passive nuance) = Niphal Biconsonantal imperfect; contrast Hiphil יָרִים (chiriq under R2) | |||||||||
| 20 | יָרֹם | Psa 99:2 | "great is the LORD, and ___ above all peoples" | ||||||
| Niphal · Imperfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · רוּם — "is exalted / high"; יָ prefix + holem under R2 = Niphal Biconsonantal imperfect; compare Hiphil יָרִים (chiriq = causative) | |||||||||
| 21 | הֵרִים | Gen 14:22 | "I have ___ my hand to the LORD" | ||||||
| Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · רוּם — "lifted up"; הֵ prefix (tsere) + chiriq-yod in stem = Hiphil Biconsonantal perfect; causative: caused the hand to rise = swore an oath | |||||||||
| 22 | הוּרַם | Lev 4:10 | "just as it is ___ from the ox of peace offerings" | ||||||
| Hophal · Perfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · רוּם — "was lifted off / removed"; הוּ prefix (holem-vav) = Hophal (passive of Hiphil), not Hiphil or Niphal; Biconsonantal root רוּם; Hophal Biconsonantal prefix = הוּ | |||||||||
| 23 | יָשׁוּב | Hos 14:8 | "they ___ in the shade" | ||||||
| Qal · Imperfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · שׁוּב — "will dwell / return"; יָ prefix + שׁוּב in Qal (no Niphal נ-prefix assimilation, no Hiphil causative marker); Biconsonantal medial ו retained; reminder: not every Biconsonantal form is Niphal or Hiphil | |||||||||
| 24 | יָשֹׁב | Lam 1:11 | "all her people ___ to find bread" | ||||||
| Qal · Imperfect · 3ms · Biconsonantal · שׁוּב — "returned / went around searching"; holem vowel in stem (יָשֹׁב) vs. shureq in יָשׁוּב; both are Qal Biconsonantal but with different vowel grades; neither is Niphal or Hiphil — no נ/הֵ/הָ prefix marker | |||||||||