Chapter 35 — Hithpael Semantic Function Sorting (Weak Roots)

BBH Chapter 35 · Hithpael Weak Verbs

Classify each Hithpael verb as R (Reflexive), Re (Reciprocal), I (Intensive/Iterative), or SA (Simple Action). All forms use weak roots. Type your answer, then click ▶ Answer to check.

Code	Function	Diagnostic question
R	Reflexive	Is the subject doing the action to or for itself? (Subject = object)
Re	Reciprocal	Are multiple subjects acting on one another mutually?
I	Intensive/Iterative	Is the action repeated, habitual, or intensified?
SA	Simple Action	Is the Hithpael the primary lexical form with no Qal/Piel reflexive force visible?

Code

Function

Diagnostic question

Reflexive

Is the subject doing the action to or for itself? (Subject = object)

Reciprocal

Are multiple subjects acting on one another mutually?

Intensive/Iterative

Is the action repeated, habitual, or intensified?

Simple Action

Is the Hithpael the primary lexical form with no Qal/Piel reflexive force visible?

Tip: Subject acts on itself → Reflexive. Subjects act on one another → Reciprocal. Action repeated/intensified → Intensive. Hithpael = the standard word for this meaning → Simple Action.

#	Hebrew	Conjugation	Root	Ref	Gloss
1	הִתְגַּלָּה	Perfect 3ms	גלה	Gen 35:7	"God revealed himself"
R — Reflexive · Root: גלה (III-ה) · God revealed himself — subject is both agent and recipient; III-ה: perfect ends in Qamets + ה
2	הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה	Perfect 3ms	שׁחה	Gen 22:5	"we will worship / bow down"
R — Reflexive · Root: שׁחה (sibilant metathesis + III-ה) · Bowing = acting on one's own body in submission; הִתְ + שׁ → הִשְׁתְּ
3	הִתְהַלֵּל	Perfect 3ms	הלל	Jer 9:23	"let him not boast"
R — Reflexive · Root: הלל (geminate) · Boasting = directing praise toward oneself; הִתְ prefix + Dagesh in R2/R3 (לּ)
4	הִתְפַּלֵּל	Perfect 3ms	פלל	Gen 20:7	"he prayed"
SA — Simple Action · Root: פלל · Prayer became the fixed lexical meaning of this Hithpael; the original reflexive force ("plead one's own case") has lexicalized into a simple action term
5	הִתְעַנָּה	Perfect 3ms	ענה	Ezr 8:21	"we afflicted ourselves / fasted"
R — Reflexive · Root: ענה (III-ה) · "We afflicted ourselves" — the subject enacts deprivation upon itself (fasting, mourning); III-ה: הִתְ + Dagesh in R2 (נּ) + Qamets + ה
6	יִתְגַּלֶּה	Imperfect 3ms	גלה	—	"he will reveal himself / it will be revealed"
R — Reflexive · Root: גלה (III-ה) · Subject is both agent and recipient; III-ה imperfect: Seghol + ה ending (יִתְגַּלֶּה)
7	יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה	Imperfect 3ms	שׁחה	—	"he will bow down"
R — Reflexive · Root: שׁחה (sibilant + III-ה) · Self-directed act of submission; imperfect: יִשְׁתַּ– prefix with III-ה ending (יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה)
8	יִתְהַלֵּל	Imperfect 3ms	הלל	Jer 9:23	"let him boast"
R — Reflexive · Root: הלל (geminate) · Subject directs praise to itself; יִתְ– prefix + Dagesh in R2/R3 (לּ)
9	יִתְפַּלֵּל	Imperfect 3ms	פלל	—	"he will pray"
SA — Simple Action · Root: פלל · Prayer as the standard lexicalized meaning of this Hithpael form
10	וַיִּתְגַּל	Wayyiqtol 3ms	גלה	Gen 9:21	"he uncovered himself"
R — Reflexive · Root: גלה (III-ה) · Noah acted upon his own body; wayyiqtol apocopation: ה dropped (וַיִּתְגַּל not *וַיִּתְגַּלֶּה)
11	וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ	Wayyiqtol 3ms	שׁחה	Gen 22:5	"and he bowed down"
R — Reflexive · Root: שׁחה (sibilant + III-ה) · Self-directed prostration; wayyiqtol apocopation: ה dropped (וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ)
12	וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל	Wayyiqtol 3ms	פלל	Gen 20:17	"Abraham prayed"
SA — Simple Action · Root: פלל · "Abraham prayed" — the primary meaning of this Hithpael; no reflexive force perceived by native readers
13	הִתְנַבֵּא	Perfect 3ms	נבא	1 Sam 10:10	"he prophesied"
SA — Simple Action · Root: נבא (I-nun) · The Hithpael of נבא is the primary form for prophesying in Biblical Hebrew; I-nun: nun is retained in Hithpael (unlike Hiphil)
14	הִתְחַזֵּק	Perfect 3ms	חזק	2 Sam 10:12	"take courage! / be strong!"
R — Reflexive (Estimative) · Root: חזק · "Strengthen yourself / take courage" — subject applies strength to itself; a reflexive-estimative: present yourself as strong
15	הִתְנַחֵם	Perfect 3ms	נחם	Gen 24:67	"Isaac was comforted"
R — Reflexive (shading to passive-like) · Root: נחם · "Was comforted" — subject receives the state inwardly; the Hithpael's reflexive force shades into a passive-like reading here
16	הִתְבָּרֵךְ	Perfect 3ms	ברך	Gen 22:18	"all nations will bless themselves"
R — Reflexive · Root: ברך · Nations enacting blessing for/upon themselves; the Abrahamic promise formula (Gen 12:3; 22:18) — reflexive or passive-like reading are both debated
17	הִצְטַדֵּק	Perfect 3ms	צדק	—	"he justified himself"
R — Reflexive · Root: צדק (sibilant צ: הִתְ + צ → הִצְטְ) · Subject claims righteousness for itself; self-justification often carries a negative connotation in OT context
18	הִתְרַגֵּז	Perfect 3ms	רגז	—	"he trembled / was agitated"
I — Intensive/Iterative · Root: רגז · Trembling = repeated, intense inner agitation; the body's ongoing shaking response captured by the Hithpael's iterative force
19	הִתְחַנֵּן	Perfect 3ms	חנן	—	"he pleaded for mercy / implored"
I — Intensive/Iterative · Root: חנן (I-guttural) · Pleading = repeated, urgent supplication; the iterative force captures the intensity of the appeal for grace
20	הִתְנַהֵג	Perfect 3ms	נהג	—	"he conducted himself / behaved"
R — Reflexive · Root: נהג · "Conducted himself" = directed his own behavior; subject governs itself — classic reflexive with subject as its own object

Hebrew

Conjugation

Root

Ref

Gloss

Function

הִתְגַּלָּה

Perfect 3ms

גלה

Gen 35:7

"God revealed himself"

R — Reflexive · Root: גלה (III-ה) · God revealed himself — subject is both agent and recipient; III-ה: perfect ends in Qamets + ה

הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה

Perfect 3ms

שׁחה

Gen 22:5

"we will worship / bow down"

R — Reflexive · Root: שׁחה (sibilant metathesis + III-ה) · Bowing = acting on one's own body in submission; הִתְ + שׁ → הִשְׁתְּ

הִתְהַלֵּל

Perfect 3ms

הלל

Jer 9:23

"let him not boast"

R — Reflexive · Root: הלל (geminate) · Boasting = directing praise toward oneself; הִתְ prefix + Dagesh in R2/R3 (לּ)

הִתְפַּלֵּל

Perfect 3ms

פלל

Gen 20:7

"he prayed"

SA — Simple Action · Root: פלל · Prayer became the fixed lexical meaning of this Hithpael; the original reflexive force ("plead one's own case") has lexicalized into a simple action term

הִתְעַנָּה

Perfect 3ms

ענה

Ezr 8:21

"we afflicted ourselves / fasted"

R — Reflexive · Root: ענה (III-ה) · "We afflicted ourselves" — the subject enacts deprivation upon itself (fasting, mourning); III-ה: הִתְ + Dagesh in R2 (נּ) + Qamets + ה

יִתְגַּלֶּה

Imperfect 3ms

גלה

—

"he will reveal himself / it will be revealed"

R — Reflexive · Root: גלה (III-ה) · Subject is both agent and recipient; III-ה imperfect: Seghol + ה ending (יִתְגַּלֶּה)

יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה

Imperfect 3ms

שׁחה

—

"he will bow down"

R — Reflexive · Root: שׁחה (sibilant + III-ה) · Self-directed act of submission; imperfect: יִשְׁתַּ– prefix with III-ה ending (יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה)

יִתְהַלֵּל

Imperfect 3ms

הלל

Jer 9:23

"let him boast"

R — Reflexive · Root: הלל (geminate) · Subject directs praise to itself; יִתְ– prefix + Dagesh in R2/R3 (לּ)

יִתְפַּלֵּל

Imperfect 3ms

פלל

—

"he will pray"

SA — Simple Action · Root: פלל · Prayer as the standard lexicalized meaning of this Hithpael form

וַיִּתְגַּל

Wayyiqtol 3ms

גלה

Gen 9:21

"he uncovered himself"

R — Reflexive · Root: גלה (III-ה) · Noah acted upon his own body; wayyiqtol apocopation: ה dropped (וַיִּתְגַּל not *וַיִּתְגַּלֶּה)

וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ

Wayyiqtol 3ms

שׁחה

Gen 22:5

"and he bowed down"

R — Reflexive · Root: שׁחה (sibilant + III-ה) · Self-directed prostration; wayyiqtol apocopation: ה dropped (וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ)

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל

Wayyiqtol 3ms

פלל

Gen 20:17

"Abraham prayed"

SA — Simple Action · Root: פלל · "Abraham prayed" — the primary meaning of this Hithpael; no reflexive force perceived by native readers

הִתְנַבֵּא

Perfect 3ms

נבא

1 Sam 10:10

"he prophesied"

SA — Simple Action · Root: נבא (I-nun) · The Hithpael of נבא is the primary form for prophesying in Biblical Hebrew; I-nun: nun is retained in Hithpael (unlike Hiphil)

הִתְחַזֵּק

Perfect 3ms

חזק

2 Sam 10:12

"take courage! / be strong!"

R — Reflexive (Estimative) · Root: חזק · "Strengthen yourself / take courage" — subject applies strength to itself; a reflexive-estimative: present yourself as strong

הִתְנַחֵם

Perfect 3ms

נחם

Gen 24:67

"Isaac was comforted"

R — Reflexive (shading to passive-like) · Root: נחם · "Was comforted" — subject receives the state inwardly; the Hithpael's reflexive force shades into a passive-like reading here

הִתְבָּרֵךְ

Perfect 3ms

ברך

Gen 22:18

"all nations will bless themselves"

R — Reflexive · Root: ברך · Nations enacting blessing for/upon themselves; the Abrahamic promise formula (Gen 12:3; 22:18) — reflexive or passive-like reading are both debated

הִצְטַדֵּק

Perfect 3ms

צדק

—

"he justified himself"

R — Reflexive · Root: צדק (sibilant צ: הִתְ + צ → הִצְטְ) · Subject claims righteousness for itself; self-justification often carries a negative connotation in OT context

הִתְרַגֵּז

Perfect 3ms

רגז

—

"he trembled / was agitated"

I — Intensive/Iterative · Root: רגז · Trembling = repeated, intense inner agitation; the body's ongoing shaking response captured by the Hithpael's iterative force

הִתְחַנֵּן

Perfect 3ms

חנן

—

"he pleaded for mercy / implored"

I — Intensive/Iterative · Root: חנן (I-guttural) · Pleading = repeated, urgent supplication; the iterative force captures the intensity of the appeal for grace

הִתְנַהֵג

Perfect 3ms

נהג

—

"he conducted himself / behaved"

R — Reflexive · Root: נהג · "Conducted himself" = directed his own behavior; subject governs itself — classic reflexive with subject as its own object

Discussion Questions

Items 2, 7, and 11 all use root שׁחה. The forms show sibilant metathesis (הִשְׁתַּ– / יִשְׁתַּ–) plus III-ה endings (apocopation in wayyiqtol). Why is bowing down classified as Reflexive? What is the subject doing "to itself"?
Items 4, 9, and 12 (root פלל) are all classified as Simple Action. How does this illustrate the lexicalization of the Hithpael, where the original reflexive force becomes conventionalized and disappears from view?
Item 15 (הִתְנַחֵם, "was comforted") vs. item 14 (הִתְחַזֵּק, "took courage"): both describe an inner state. What is the difference between "comforted himself" and "was comforted" as translations of הִתְנַחֵם? Which is more accurate?
Items 16 (הִתְבָּרֵךְ, Gen 22:18) and 17 (הִצְטַדֵּק) both involve the subject acting on itself. What is the theological difference between blessing oneself and justifying oneself? Why might the second carry a negative connotation in the OT?