BBH Chapter 25 — Niphal Weak Verbs (נִפְעַל)¶
Apply the Niphal stem patterns to weak root classes: I-guttural (compensatory lengthening instead of dagesh forte), I-נ (double assimilation), III-ה (characteristic III-ה endings across all conjugations), hollow, and geminate roots. The goal is to recognize a Niphal form even when the diagnostic nun is obscured by root behavior, and to distinguish Niphal from Qal in ambiguous cases.
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Basics of Biblical Hebrew, Pratico & Van Pelt Builds on Ch24 (Niphal Strong Verbs). Weak forms only — semantic functions not repeated.
Scope: This chapter extends the Niphal paradigm to five weak-root classes. Each class modifies the strong pattern in a predictable, phonologically motivated way. Functions (Passive / Reflexive / Reciprocal / Simple Action / Middle-Tolerative) were covered in Ch24 and are not repeated here.
1. The Eight Weak Classes — Overview¶
| Class | Label | Representative roots | What changes | Affected conjugations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| III-א (Lamed-Aleph) | lamed-aleph |
מָצָא, יָרֵא | Final א quiesces; preceding vowel may lengthen | Perfect 3fs, imperfect, participle |
| III-ה (Lamed-He) | lamed-he |
גָּלָה, רָאָה | Final ה is a vowel letter; endings contract | All conjugations |
| III-ח/ע (Lamed-Guttural) | lamed-guttural |
שָׁמַע, שָׁלַח | Patach furtive before word-final ח/ע; tsere shifts to patach in short forms | Perfect 3ms/3fs/3cp, imperfect, wayyiqtol, imperative, participle ms |
| I-guttural (Pe-Guttural) | pe-guttural |
עָמַד, אָמַר | Guttural rejects dagesh forte; compensatory lengthening | Imperfect, wayyiqtol, imperative, infinitives |
| I-נ (Pe-Nun) | pe-nun |
נָגַשׁ, נָצַל | Root's own נ assimilates into R2 | All conjugations |
| I-י (Pe-Yod) | pe-yod |
יָלַד, יָדַע | Splits into two sub-patterns: נוֹ- vs. יִוָּ- | All conjugations |
| Biconsonantal (II-י/ו) | biconsonantal |
קוּם, שׁוּב | נָ prefix (qamets) in perfect/participle; dagesh in R1 elsewhere | All conjugations |
| Geminate (II=III, Ayin-Doubled) | geminate |
סָבַב, תָּמַם | R2 = R3; doubled consonant may collapse; נָ prefix in perfect/participle (like Biconsonantal) | All conjugations |
Key principle: None of these classes requires learning a new stem. Every change follows from a standard phonological rule — quiescence, compensatory lengthening, patach furtive, or assimilation — applied to the strong Niphal pattern. Learn the rule; the form follows.
2. III-א (Lamed-Aleph) Verbs¶
Pattern¶
The final א of the root quiesces (becomes silent) in word-final position. The vowel that would stand under it is drawn to the preceding syllable instead, often producing a final long vowel. The Niphal prefix and dagesh patterns are otherwise identical to the strong root.
Diagnostic markers: - Perfect 3ms: נִמְצָא — looks like the strong root except the final vowel extends under א (which is silent) - Imperfect/Wayyiqtol: יִמָּצֵא — the final syllable ends in silent א after tsere; the form looks like a strong root - Participle ms: נִמְצָא — identical in pointing to the perfect 3ms; context distinguishes them
Full Paradigm¶
Paradigm verb: מצא.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol | Weqatal | Imperative | Inf. Cs. | Inf. Ab. | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נִמְצָא | יִמָּצֵא | וַיִּמָּצֵא | וְנִמְצָא | 2ms: הִמָּצֵא | הִמָּצֵא | נִמְצוֹא | ms: נִמְצָא |
| 3fs / fs | נִמְצְאָה | תִּמָּצֵא | וַתִּמָּצֵא | וְנִמְצְאָה | 2fs: הִמָּֽצְאִי | fs: נִמְצָאָה | ||
| 2ms / mp | נִמְצֵ֫אתָ | תִּמָּצֵא | וַתִּמָּצֵא | וְנִמְצֵ֫אתָ | 2mp: הִמָּֽצְאוּ | mp: נִמְצָאִים | ||
| 2fs / fp | נִמְצֵאת | תִּמָּֽצְאִי | וַתִּמָּֽצְאִי | וְנִמְצֵאת | 2fp: הִמָּצֶ֫אנָה | fp: נִמְצָאוֹת | ||
| 1cs | נִמְצֵ֫אתִי | אֶמָּצֵא | וָאֶמָּצֵא | וְנִמְצֵ֫אתִי | — | |||
| 3cp | נִמְצְאוּ | יִמָּֽצְאוּ | וַיִּמָּֽצְאוּ | וְנִמְצְאוּ | — | |||
| 2mp | נִמְצֵאתֶם | תִּמָּֽצְאוּ | וַתִּמָּֽצְאוּ | וְנִמְצֵאתֶם | — | |||
| 2fp | נִמְצֵאתֶן | תִּמָּצֶ֫אנָה | וַתִּמָּצֶ֫אנָה | וְנִמְצֵאתֶן | — | |||
| 1cp | נִמְצֵ֫אנוּ | נִמָּצֵא | וַנִּמָּצֵא | וְנִמְצֵ֫אנוּ | — |
Key Corpus Examples¶
- נִמְצָא (Gen 44:9) — "whoever is found [with the cup]" — perfect 3ms; the silent א is invisible but the quiescence is real
- וַיִּמָּצֵא (Gen 44:12) — "and it was found" — wayyiqtol; classic passive in the Joseph narrative
- הִמָּצֵא יִמָּצֵא (Exo 22:3) — inf. absolute + imperfect; emphatic construction stressing the certainty of discovery
- אִם יִמָּצֵא (Gen 44:10) — imperfect 3ms; conditional clause in the brothers' oath
3. III-ה (Lamed-He) Verbs¶
Pattern¶
The final ה of these roots is not a true consonant but a vowel letter (mater lectionis). The Niphal of III-ה verbs shows distinctive contracted endings throughout the paradigm. The main patterns to learn:
Diagnostic markers: - Perfect 3ms: נִגְלָה — final ָה (qamets + he) instead of the strong root's final consonant - Imperfect 3ms: יִגָּלֶה — final seghol + he instead of tsere; the dagesh pattern is the same as the strong root - Wayyiqtol 3ms: וַיִּגָּל — the ה is apocopated (dropped) in this form; compare וַיִּקָּטֵל → וַיִּגָּל - Inf. Construct: הִגָּלוֹת — the ת is added to the base (cf. Qal inf. construct of III-ה roots) - Participle ms: נִגְלֶה — final seghol + he
Full Paradigm¶
Paradigm verb: בנה (Niphal: נִבְנָה).
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol | Weqatal | Imperative | Inf. Cs. | Inf. Ab. | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נִבְנָה | יִבָּנֶה | וַיִּבָּן | וְנִבְנָה | 2ms: הִבָּנֵה | הִבָּנוֹת | נִבְנֹה | ms: נִבְנֶה |
| 3fs / fs | נִבְנְתָה | תִּבָּנֶה | וַתִּבָּנֶה | וְנִבְנְתָה | 2fs: הִבָּנִי | fs: נִבְנָה | ||
| 2ms / mp | נִבְנֵ֫יתָ | תִּבָּנֶה | וַתִּבָּנֶה | וְנִבְנֵ֫יתָ | 2mp: הִבָּנוּ | mp: נִבְנִים | ||
| 2fs / fp | נִבְנֵית | תִּבָּנִי | וַתִּבָּנִי | וְנִבְנֵית | 2fp: הִבָּנֶ֫ינָה | fp: נִבְנוֹת | ||
| 1cs | נִבְנֵ֫יתִי | אֶבָּנֶה | וָאֶבָּנֶה | וְנִבְנֵ֫יתִי | — | |||
| 3cp | נִבְנוּ | יִבָּנוּ | וַיִּבָּנוּ | וְנִבְנוּ | — | |||
| 2mp | נִבְנֵיתֶם | תִּבָּנֶ֫ינָה | וַתִּבָּנֶ֫ינָה | וְנִבְנֵיתֶם | — | |||
| 2fp | נִבְנֵיתֶן | תִּבָּנוּ | וַתִּבָּנוּ | וְנִבְנֵיתֶן | — | |||
| 1cp | נִבְנֵ֫ינוּ | נִבָּנֶה | וַנִּבָּנֶה | וְנִבְנֵ֫ינוּ | — |
Note: The Wayyiqtol 3ms (וַיִּבָּן) apocopates the final ה. This is the distinctive marker of III-ה verbs in the Wayyiqtol.
Note on רָאָה: Where גָּלָה/בָּנָה shows יִגָּלֶה, רָאָה shows יֵרָאֶה (compensatory lengthening before ר). Both are III-ה; the difference is the I-position consonant.
Key Corpus Examples¶
- וַיֵּרָא יְהוָה אֶל־אַבְרָם (Gen 12:7) — wayyiqtol 3ms; apocopated form — the LORD appeared to Abram
- תֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה (Gen 1:9) — imperfect/jussive 3fs; let the dry land appear (tolerative)
- נִגְלָה כְּבוֹד יְהוָה (Isa 40:5) — perfect 3ms; the glory of the LORD will be revealed
- לְהֵרָאוֹת אֶת־פְּנֵי (Exo 34:24) — inf. construct; to appear before the LORD three times a year
4. I-guttural (Pe-Guttural) Verbs¶
Pattern¶
Guttural consonants (א ה ח ע) cannot receive dagesh forte. In the conjugations where the Niphal normally doubles R1 (imperfect, wayyiqtol, imperative, infinitives), the dagesh is rejected and the preceding vowel is lengthened compensatorily instead: hiriq → tsere (יִ → יֵ / הִ → הֵ).
In the perfect, the guttural takes a composite shewa (hateph) instead of a simple vocal shewa, and the prefix vowel often shifts to seghol (נִ → נֶ).
Diagnostic markers: - Perfect 3ms: נֶאֱמַר / נֶעֱמַד — seghol under נ + composite shewa under the guttural - Imperfect 3ms: יֵאָמֵר / יֵעָמֵד — tsere under the prefix (not hiriq); no dagesh in R1 - Wayyiqtol 3ms: וַיֵּאָמֵר — same lengthening; the tsere is the marker - Imperative/Inf. Construct: הֵאָמֵר / הֵעָמֵד — tsere under ה (not hiriq); no dagesh in R1
Full Paradigm¶
Paradigm verb: עזב (Niphal: נֶעֱזַב).
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol | Weqatal | Imperative | Inf. Cs. | Inf. Ab. | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נֶעֱזַב | יֵעָזֵב | וַיֵּעָזֵב | וְנֶעֱזַב | 2ms: הֵעָזֵב | הֵעָזֵב | נַעֲזוֹב | ms: נֶעֱזָב |
| 3fs / fs | נֶעֶזְבָה | תֵּעָזֵב | וַתֵּעָזֵב | וְנֶעֶזְבָה | 2fs: הֵעָֽזְבִי | הֵעָזוֹב | fs: נֶעֱזֶ֫בֶת | |
| 2ms / mp | נֶעֱזַ֫בְתָּ | תֵּעָזֵב | וַתֵּעָזֵב | וְנֶעֱזַ֫בְתָּ | 2mp: הֵעָֽזְבוּ | mp: נֶעֱזָבִים | ||
| 2fs / fp | נֶעֱזַבְתְּ | תֵּעָֽזְבִי | וַתֵּעָֽזְבִי | וְנֶעֱזַבְתְּ | 2fp: הֵעָזַ֫בְנָה | fp: נֶעֱזָבוֹת | ||
| 1cs | נֶעֱזַ֫בְתִּי | אֵעָזֵב | וָאֵעָזֵב | וְנֶעֱזַ֫בְתִּי | — | |||
| 3cp | נֶעֶזְבוּ | יֵעָֽזְבוּ | וַיֵּעָֽזְבוּ | וְנֶעֶזְבוּ | — | |||
| 2mp | נֶעֱזַבְתֶּם | תֵּעָזַ֫בְנָה | וַתֵּעָזַ֫בְנָה | וְנֶעֱזַבְתֶּם | — | |||
| 2fp | נֶעֱזַבְתֶּן | תֵּעָֽזְבוּ | וַתֵּעָֽזְבוּ | וְנֶעֱזַבְתֶּן | — | |||
| 1cp | נֶעֱזַ֫בְנוּ | נֵעָזֵב | וַנֵּעָזֵב | וְנֶעֱזַ֫בְנוּ | — |
Key Corpus Examples¶
- וַיֵּאָמֵר (Gen 10:9; etc.) — wayyiqtol 3ms of אָמַר; "it was said" — extremely frequent
- נֶאֱמַר (various legal texts) — perfect; "it has been said / it is written"
- הֵעָמֵד (cf. Exo 9:16) — imperative; "set yourself / be made to stand"
- נֶאֱסְפוּ (Gen 49:1) — perfect 3cp of אָסַף (I-א); "gathered together" — א rejects dagesh, seghol under נ
5. I-נ (Pe-Nun) Verbs¶
Pattern¶
In I-נ roots, the root's own first radical (נ) assimilates into R2 in the same conjugations where it would assimilate in a regular verb. Because the Niphal also has a נ prefix that assimilates in the imperfect/wayyiqtol/imperative/infinitives, both assimilations converge in those forms:
- Perfect: The Niphal נִ prefix stays (no assimilation in the perfect), but the root's own R1 (נ) also assimilates into R2 → R2 shows dagesh. The form appears to have only two root letters visible.
- Imperfect/Wayyiqtol/Imperative/Inf.: The Niphal prefix נ and the root's נ both assimilate into R2 → still a single dagesh in R2.
The result: I-נ Niphal forms consistently show dagesh forte in R2, with R1 (נ) invisible throughout the paradigm.
Diagnostic markers: - Perfect 3ms: נִגַּשׁ (from נָגַשׁ) — only two consonants visible after the נִ prefix; dagesh in R2 - Imperfect 3ms: יִגַּשׁ — looks like a Qal imperfect; the dagesh in R2 is the Niphal signal - Wayyiqtol 3ms: וַיִּגַּשׁ — same; compare to strong וַיִּקָּטֵל (dagesh in R1) vs. I-נ (dagesh in R2) - Participle ms: נִגָּשׁ — qamets under R2 (like the strong root participle, but only two consonants visible)
Full Paradigm¶
Paradigm verb: נצל (Niphal: נִצַּל).
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol | Weqatal | Imperative | Inf. Cs. | Inf. Ab. | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נִצַּל | יִנָּצֵל | וַיִּנָּצֵל | וְנִצַּל | 2ms: הִנָּצֵל | הִנָּצֵל | הִנָּצֵל | ms: נִצָּל |
| 3fs / fs | נִצְּלָה | תִּנָּצֵל | וַתִּנָּצֵל | וְנִצְּלָה | 2fs: הִנָּֽצְלִי | נִצּוֹל | fs: נִצֶּ֫לֶת | |
| 2ms / mp | נִצַּ֫לְתָּ | תִּנָּצֵל | וַתִּנָּצֵל | וְנִצַּ֫לְתָּ | 2mp: הִנָּֽצְלוּ | mp: נִצָּלִים | ||
| 2fs / fp | נִצַּלְתְּ | תִּנָּֽצְלִי | וַתִּנָּֽצְלִי | וְנִצַּלְתְּ | 2fp: הִנָּצַ֫לְנָה | fp: נִצָּלוֹת | ||
| 1cs | נִצַּ֫לְתִּי | אֶנָּצֵל | וָאֶנָּצֵל | וְנִצַּ֫לְתִּי | — | |||
| 3cp | נִצְּלוּ | יִנָּֽצְלוּ | וַיִּנָּֽצְלוּ | וְנִצְּלוּ | — | |||
| 2mp | נִצַּלְתֶּם | תִּנָּצַ֫לְנָה | וַתִּנָּצַ֫לְנָה | וְנִצַּלְתֶּם | — | |||
| 2fp | נִצַּלְתֶּן | תִּנָּֽצְלוּ | וַתִּנָּֽצְלוּ | וְנִצַּלְתֶּן | — | |||
| 1cp | נִצַּ֫לְנוּ | נִנָּצֵל | וַנִּנָּצֵל | וְנִצַּ֫לְנוּ | — |
Key Corpus Examples¶
- וַיִּגַּשׁ יְהוּדָה (Gen 44:18) — wayyiqtol 3ms of נָגַשׁ; "Judah drew near" — one of the most frequent Niphal wayyiqtol forms in Genesis
- וַיִּנָּצֵל יַעֲקֹב (Gen 32:31) — wayyiqtol 3ms of נָצַל; "Jacob was delivered" — after the wrestling at Peniel
- הִנָּצֵל (Prov 6:3) — imperative; "deliver yourself!" — reflexive force of the Niphal clear
- נִצַּלְתֶּם (Exo 12:27) — perfect 2mp of נָצַל; "you were passed over / spared"
6. I-י (Pe-Yod) Verbs¶
Pattern¶
I-י verbs show the most complex split of the five classes, creating two distinct sub-paradigms within the same stem:
| Conjugations | Prefix | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Perfect, Weqatal, Participle | נוֹ- | נִ + י contracts → נוֹ (nô) |
| Imperfect, Wayyiqtol, Imperative, Inf. | יִוָּ- / הִוָּ- | Both the Niphal's נ and the root's י assimilate into R2 |
This is the only Niphal weak class with a split inside the paradigm. The נוֹ- forms can resemble Qal active participles of I-י roots — vowel under R2 distinguishes them (tsere = Qal participle; patah/qamets = Niphal perfect/participle).
Diagnostic markers: - Perfect 3ms: נוֹלַד / נוֹדַע — the נוֹ prefix is the immediate marker; patah under R2 (not tsere) - Imperfect 3ms: יִוָּלֵד / יִוָּדַע — יִוָּ cluster is distinctive; tsere or patah under R2 reflects the root's vowel class - Wayyiqtol 3ms: וַיִּוָּלֵד — the וַיִּוָּ cluster is visually unique and highly frequent in genealogies - Participle ms: נוֹלָד / נוֹדָע — נוֹ prefix + qamets under R2 (cf. perfect: patah under R2)
Full Paradigm¶
Paradigm verb: ישב (Niphal: נוֹשַׁב).
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol | Weqatal | Imperative | Inf. Cs. | Inf. Ab. | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נוֹשַׁב | יִוָּשֵׁב | וַיִּוָּשֵׁב | וְנוֹשַׁב | 2ms: הִוָּשֵׁב | הִוָּשֵׁב | — | ms: נוֹשַׁב |
| 3fs / fs | נוֹשְׁבָה | תִּוָּשֵׁב | וַתִּוָּשֵׁב | וְנוֹשְׁבָה | 2fs: הִוָּֽשְׁבִי | fs: נוֹשֶׁ֫בֶת | ||
| 2ms / mp | נוֹשַׁ֫בְתָּ | תִּוָּשֵׁב | וַתִּוָּשֵׁב | וְנוֹשַׁ֫בְתָּ | 2mp: הִוָּֽשְׁבוּ | mp: נוֹשָׁבִים | ||
| 2fs / fp | נוֹשַׁבְתְּ | תִּוָּֽשְׁבִי | וַתִּוָּֽשְׁבִי | וְנוֹשַׁבְתְּ | 2fp: הִוָּשַׁ֫בְנָה | fp: נוֹשָׁבוֹת | ||
| 1cs | נוֹשַׁ֫בְתִּי | אִוָּשֵׁב | וָאִוָּשֵׁב | וְנוֹשַׁ֫בְתִּי | — | |||
| 3cp | נוֹשְׁבוּ | יִוָּֽשְׁבוּ | וַיִּוָּֽשְׁבוּ | וְנוֹשְׁבוּ | — | נוֹשָׁב | ||
| 2mp | נוֹשַׁבְתֶּם | תִּוָּשַׁ֫בְנָה | וַתִּוָּשַׁ֫בְנָה | וְנוֹשַׁבְתֶּם | — | |||
| 2fp | נוֹשַׁבְתֶּן | תִּוָּֽשְׁבוּ | וַתִּוָּֽשְׁבוּ | וְנוֹשַׁבְתֶּן | — | |||
| 1cp | נוֹשַׁ֫בְנוּ | נִוָּשֵׁב | וַנִּוָּשֵׁב | וְנוֹשַׁ֫בְנוּ | — |
Note: The Infinitive Absolute is not securely attested in the Niphal for I-י verbs. An alternative Inf. Cs. form (נוֹשָׁב) appears in the source paradigm at the 3cp row.
Key Corpus Examples¶
- כִּי נוֹלַד לוֹ (Gen 21:3) — perfect 3ms; "for a son has been born to him" — birth announcement formula
- וַיִּוָּלֵד לַחֲנוֹךְ (Gen 4:18) — wayyiqtol 3ms; antediluvian genealogical chain — the וַיִּוָּ cluster appears scores of times in genealogies
- יִוָּדַע יֹוסֵף (Gen 45:1) — imperfect/wayyiqtol context; "Joseph made himself known"
- נוֹדָע בִּיהוּדָה אֱלֹהִים (Psa 76:2) — participle ms; "God is known in Judah"
- בֶּן מֵאָה שָׁנָה בְּהִוָּלֶד לוֹ יִצְחָק (Gen 21:5) — inf. construct; "when Isaac was born to him"
7. III-ח/ע (Lamed-Guttural) Verbs¶
Pattern¶
Gutturals (ח and ע) at R3 prefer a-class vowels. In the Niphal, this produces two effects:
- Patach furtive (פַּתַח גְּנוּבָה) appears before word-final ח/ע in open syllables — inserted between the preceding vowel and the guttural, and pronounced before it (הִשָּׁמַע = "hish-SHA-ma").
- In shorter forms (wayyiqtol 3ms, imperative 2ms), the Niphal characteristic tsere (between R2 and R3) shifts to patach because the guttural prefers an a-class vowel.
Diagnostic markers: - Perfect 3ms: נִשְׁמַע — patach furtive beneath final ע; the form looks like the strong root except the furtive patach is visible - Imperfect 3ms: יִשָּׁמַע — patach under R3 (not tsere as in the strong root יִקָּטֵל); dagesh forte in R1 is unchanged - Wayyiqtol 3ms: וַיִּשָּׁמַע — patach before final ח/ע; no patach furtive (form already short) - Participle ms: נִשְׁמָע — patach furtive before final ח/ע in the ms form
Full Paradigm¶
Paradigm verb: שמע.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol | Weqatal | Imperative | Inf. Cs. | Inf. Ab. | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נִשְׁמַע | יִשָּׁמַע | וַיִּשָּׁמַע | וְנִשְׁמַע | 2ms: הִשָּׁמַע | הִשָּׁמַע | נִשְׁמֹעַ | ms: נִשְׁמָע |
| 3fs / fs | נִשְׁמְעָה | תִּשָּׁמַע | וַתִּשָּׁמַע | וְנִשְׁמְעָה | 2fs: הִשָּׁמְעִי | fs: נִשְׁמַ֫עַת | ||
| 2ms / mp | נִשְׁמַ֫עְתָּ | תִּשָּׁמַע | וַתִּשָּׁמַע | וְנִשְׁמַ֫עְתָּ | 2mp: הִשָּׁמְעוּ | mp: נִשְׁמָעִים | ||
| 2fs / fp | נִשְׁמַעְתְּ | תִּשָּׁמְעִי | וַתִּשָּׁמְעִי | וְנִשְׁמַעְתְּ | 2fp: הִשָּׁמַ֫עְנָה | fp: נִשְׁמָעוֹת | ||
| 1cs | נִשְׁמַ֫עְתִּי | אֶשָּׁמַע | וָאֶשָּׁמַע | וְנִשְׁמַ֫עְתִּי | — | |||
| 3cp | נִשְׁמְעוּ | יִשָּׁמְעוּ | וַיִּשָּׁמְעוּ | וְנִשְׁמְעוּ | — | |||
| 2mp | נִשְׁמַעְתֶּם | תִּשָּׁמַ֫עְנָה | וַתִּשָּׁמַ֫עְנָה | וְנִשְׁמַעְתֶּם | — | |||
| 2fp | נִשְׁמַעְתֶּן | תִּשָּׁמְעוּ | וַתִּשָּׁמְעוּ | וְנִשְׁמַעְתֶּן | — | |||
| 1cp | נִשְׁמַ֫עְנוּ | נִשָּׁמַע | וַנִּשָּׁמַע | וְנִשְׁמַ֫עְנוּ | — |
Key Corpus Examples¶
- נִשְׁמַע (Est 1:20) — "the decree will be heard throughout the kingdom" — perfect 3ms; patach furtive before final ע
- יִשָּׁמַע (Exo 28:35) — "its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place" — imperfect 3ms; patach before ע (not tsere)
- וַיִּשָּׁמַע (Gen 45:2) — "the sound was heard in Pharaoh's house" — wayyiqtol 3ms; patach before ע, no furtive
- נִשְׁמָע (Ecc 12:13) — "all has been heard" — participle ms; patach furtive signals the lamed-guttural
8. Biconsonantal (II-י/ו) Verbs¶
Pattern¶
Biconsonantal (Hollow) roots have only two true root consonants with a medial long vowel. In the Niphal, the hallmark pattern is the נָ prefix (qamets under נ) in the perfect and participle — in contrast to the normal נִ (hiriq) of the strong root. This single marker is the key to recognizing the biconsonantal Niphal.
In the imperfect, wayyiqtol, and imperative, the Niphal's prefix נ assimilates into R1 (dagesh forte in R1), as in all Niphal imperfects; the contracted root (R1 + medial vowel + R2) follows.
Diagnostic markers: - Perfect 3ms: נָקוֹם / נָכוֹן — qamets under נ; the biconsonantal root's medial vowel letter (ו/י) visible - Imperfect 3ms: יִקּוֹם — dagesh forte in R1 (Niphal assimilation) + contracted root; can resemble Qal — context is essential - Participle ms: נָקוּם / נָכוּן — qamets under נ; same prefix as perfect 3ms
Full Paradigm¶
Paradigm verb: קום.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol | Weqatal | Imperative | Inf. Cs. | Inf. Ab. | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נָקוֹם | יִקּוֹם | וַיִּקּוֹם | וְנָקוֹם | 2ms: הִקּוֹם | הִקּוֹם | נָקוֹם | ms: נָקוּם |
| 3fs / fs | נָקוֹמָה | תִּקּוֹם | וַתִּקּוֹם | וְנָקוֹמָה | 2fs: הִקּוּמִי | fs: נָקוּמָה | ||
| 2ms / mp | נָקַ֫מְתָּ | תִּקּוֹם | וַתִּקּוֹם | וְנָקַ֫מְתָּ | 2mp: הִקּוּמוּ | mp: נָקוּמִים | ||
| 2fs / fp | נָקַמְתְּ | תִּקּוּמִי | וַתִּקּוּמִי | וְנָקַמְתְּ | 2fp: הִקּוֹ֫מְנָה | fp: נָקוּמוֹת | ||
| 1cs | נָקַ֫מְתִּי | אֶקּוֹם | וָאֶקּוֹם | וְנָקַ֫מְתִּי | — | |||
| 3cp | נָקוֹמוּ | יִקּוּמוּ | וַיִּקּוּמוּ | וְנָקוֹמוּ | — | |||
| 2mp | נָקַמְתֶּם | תִּקּוּמוּ | וַתִּקּוּמוּ | וְנָקַמְתֶּם | — | |||
| 2fp | נָקַמְתֶּן | תִּקּוֹ֫מְנָה | וַתִּקּוֹ֫מְנָה | וְנָקַמְתֶּן | — | |||
| 1cp | נָקַ֫מְנוּ | נִקּוֹם | וַנִּקּוֹם | וְנָקַ֫מְנוּ | — |
Key Corpus Examples¶
- נָכוֹן (Gen 41:32) — "the thing is fixed by God" — perfect 3ms from כּוּן; qamets under נ is the diagnostic marker
- נָכוֹן (Psa 51:12) — "restore to me a steadfast spirit" — same root, same pattern; extremely common in wisdom and psalmic poetry
- נָכוֹן (Psa 57:8) — "my heart is steadfast, O God" — participial use of נָכוֹן from כּוּן
- יִכּוֹן (Psa 93:2) — "your throne is established from of old" — imperfect 3ms; dagesh in כּ (R1) marks it as Niphal
9. Geminate (Ayin-Doubled, II=III) Verbs¶
Pattern¶
Geminate roots have R2 = R3 (e.g., סָבַב: ס-ב-ב; תָּמַם: ת-מ-מ). The doubled consonant can appear as dagesh forte in the doubled R2/R3 (the "heavy" form), or it may collapse with a long compensatory vowel (the "light" form). In the Niphal, the most important pattern is the perfect/participle, which shows the distinctive נָ prefix (qamets under נ) — the same marker as the Biconsonantal class.
Diagnostic markers: - Perfect 3ms: נָסַב — qamets under נָ; resembles Biconsonantal (e.g., נָכוֹן from כּוּן), but the root has three consonants with R2=R3 instead of a hollow vowel letter - Imperfect 3ms: יִסֹּב — dagesh forte in R2/R3 (ב written once but doubled) + holem - Wayyiqtol 3ms: וַיִּסֹּב — וַיִּ prefix + dagesh in R2/R3 - Participle ms: נָסַב — identical to perfect 3ms; context is the only distinguisher (parallels Biconsonantal and III-א ambiguity)
Full Paradigm¶
Paradigm verb: סבב.
| PGN | Perfect | Imperfect | Wayyiqtol | Weqatal | Imperative | Inf. Cs. | Inf. Ab. | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms / ms | נָסַב | יִסֹּב | וַיִּסֹּב | וְנָסַב | 2ms: הִסֹּב | הִסֹּב | נִסֹּב | ms: נָסַב |
| 3fs / fs | נָסַ֫בָּה | תִּסֹּב | וַתִּסֹּב | וְנָסַ֫בָּה | 2fs: הִסֹּ֫בִּי | fs: נְסֻבָּה | ||
| 2ms / mp | נְסַבּ֫וֹתָ | תִּסֹּב | וַתִּסֹּב | וְנְסַבּ֫וֹתָ | 2mp: הִסֹּ֫בּוּ | mp: נְסַבִּים | ||
| 2fs / fp | נְסַבּוֹת | תִּסֹּ֫בִּי | וַתִּסֹּ֫בִּי | וְנְסַבּוֹת | 2fp: הִסֹּבְנָה | fp: נְסַבּוֹת | ||
| 1cs | נְסַבּ֫וֹתִי | אֶסֹּב | וָאֶסֹּב | וְנְסַבּ֫וֹתִי | — | |||
| 3cp | נָסַ֫בּוּ | יִסֹּ֫בּוּ | וַיִּסֹּ֫בּוּ | וְנָסַ֫בּוּ | — | |||
| 2mp | נְסַבּוֹתֶם | תִּסֹּ֫בּוּ | וַתִּסֹּ֫בּוּ | וְנְסַבּוֹתֶם | — | |||
| 2fp | נְסַבּוֹתֶן | תִּסֹּבְנָה | וַתִּסֹּבְנָה | וְנְסַבּוֹתֶן | — | |||
| 1cp | נְסַבּ֫וֹנוּ | נִסֹּב | וַנִּסֹּב | וְנְסַבּ֫וֹנוּ | — |
Key Corpus Examples¶
- נָסַב (Josh 15:3) — "the border went around toward Azmon" — perfect 3ms; qamets under נָ is the primary diagnostic
- וַיִּסֹּב (1 Sam 7:16) — "and he went on circuit" — wayyiqtol 3ms; Samuel's annual judicial circuit; dagesh in ב marks the doubled root
- הִסֹּב (2 Sam 18:30) — "turn aside, stand here" — imperative 2ms; הִ prefix + dagesh in ב
- תִּתַּמָּה (†) — theoretically: "it shall be completed" — imperfect 3fs from תָּמַם; dagesh in מ marks R2=R3
- נָסַבּוּ (Josh 6:3) — "march around the city" — perfect 3cp; dagesh visible in ב with 3cp suffix
10. High-Frequency Weak Niphal Lemmas¶
Torah-frequency counts (Genesis–Deuteronomy) for the most common Niphal lemmas belonging to one of the eight weak classes.
| Root | Class | Torah Niphal (×) | Niphal Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| שָׁבַע | I-י | 61 | swear an oath (reflexive) |
| רָאָה | III-ה | 49 | appear, be seen (middle) |
| עָשָׂה | III-ה | 36 | be done, be made (passive) |
| אָכַל | I-guttural (I-א) | 34 | be eaten (passive) |
| מָצָא | III-א | 30 | be found (passive) |
| יָלַד | I-י | 28 | be born (passive) |
| אָסַף | I-guttural (I-א) | 24 | be gathered, die (passive) |
| נָצַל | I-נ | 22 | be rescued, delivered (passive) |
| יָדַע | I-י | 20 | be known, become known (passive/middle) |
| גָּלָה | III-ה | 18 | be revealed, go into exile (passive) |
| אָמַר | I-guttural (I-א) | 17 | be said (passive) |
| שָׁמַע | III-ח/ע | 16 | be heard, be proclaimed (passive) |
| נָגַשׁ | I-נ | 14 | draw near, approach (reflexive) |
| יָרֵא | III-א | 12 | be feared, fearsome (passive/middle) |
| עָמַד | I-guttural (I-ע) | 10 | take a stand, be stationed (reflexive) |
| כּוּן | Biconsonantal | 9 | be established, be firm (stative) |
| חָבָא | III-א | 8 | hide oneself (reflexive) |
| שָׁלַח | III-ח/ע | 7 | be sent, be let go (passive) |
| סָבַב | Geminate | 6 | be surrounded, go around (reflexive/passive) |
| תָּמַם | Geminate | 5 | be finished, be complete (stative/passive) |
11. Practice¶
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Morphology Flashcard Deck | 40 cards across all eight weak classes. Import the .txt file into Anki for spaced-repetition drilling. |
| Passage Exercise | "Spot the Niphal" — parsing exercise from Gen 3, 6, and 21 with weak-root emphasis. Includes weak-class identification column. |
| Weak-Form Identification Drill | 40 forms across all eight classes in two parts: by class, then mixed. |