Chapter 31 — Piel Weak-Form Identification Drill

BBH Chapter 31 · Piel Weak Verbs

For each form: (1) identify the weak class, (2) parse (conjugation + PGN), (3) identify the root.

Class	Key diagnostic signal in Piel
III-he	Final ה retained in perfect (כִּלָּה) and imperfect (יְכַלֶּה); dropped (apocopated) in wayyiqtol (יְכַל); וֹת in inf. construct
I-guttural	Hateph vowel under R1 instead of simple shewa; dagesh lene absent under prefix consonant; composite shewa visible before R1 guttural
Geminate	Root has R2=R3; the Piel dagesh forte doubles the already-doubled consonant; imperfect 3mp shows composite shewa before vocalic ending (יְהַלֲלוּ)
I-nun	Nun (R1) visible throughout — does NOT assimilate into dagesh in R2 (contrast Qal/Hiphil where nun assimilates); dagesh forte in R2 is the Piel stem marker, not an assimilation dagesh

Part A — By Class

Form

Reference

Conjugation

PGN

Root

יְכַל

Gen 2:2

Wayyiqtol · 3ms · כָּלָה — and he finished; apocopated Piel III-he wayyiqtol: final ה dropped, short patach under R2 (כַ)

יְצַו

Gen 2:16

Wayyiqtol · 3ms · צָוָה — and he commanded; apocopated: ה dropped; patach under צ; R2=ו (vav takes dagesh forte)

צִוִּיתִי

Gen 3:11

Perfect · 1cs · צָוָה — I commanded; chiriq-yod vowel letter before תִּי suffix; dagesh forte in ו (R2); III-he perfect 1cs

יְחַיּוּ

Gen 12:12

Imperfect · 3mp · חָיָה — they will let live; shureq 3mp ending; dagesh forte in יּ (R2); III-he Piel imperfect 3mp

כִּלָּה

Gen 17:22

Perfect · 3ms · כָּלָה — he finished; qamets + ה ending; dagesh forte in ל (R2) — Piel perfect 3ms III-he

#	Form	Reference
6	עִנּוּ	Gen 15:13
Perfect · 3cp · עָנָה — they afflicted; hiriq under ע (R1); dagesh forte in נ (R2); shureq 3cp ending; I-guttural: ע rejects simple shewa and dagesh lene in preceding prefix
7	יְעַנֶּה	Exo 22:21
Imperfect · 3ms · עָנָה — he afflicts/will afflict; hateph-patach under ע (I-guttural); dagesh forte in נ; seghol + ה (III-he ending) — doubly weak: I-guttural + III-he
8	עַנּוֹת	Exo 10:3
Inf. Construct · — · עָנָה — to humble/afflict; patach under ע; dagesh forte in נ; וֹת ending = Piel inf. construct III-he
9	מְחַיֶּה	Neh 9:6
Participle · ms · חָיָה — one who gives life; מְ prefix + hateph-patach under ח (guttural R1) + dagesh forte in יּ + seghol + ה — Piel participle ms doubly weak (I-guttural + III-he)
10	תְּחַנֶּן	1 Kgs 8:33
Imperfect · 2ms/3fs · חָנַן — you implore/seek favor; תְּ prefix; hateph-patach under ח (I-guttural); dagesh forte in נ (R2); seghol final

Form

Reference

Conjugation

PGN

Root

עִנּוּ

Gen 15:13

Perfect · 3cp · עָנָה — they afflicted; hiriq under ע (R1); dagesh forte in נ (R2); shureq 3cp ending; I-guttural: ע rejects simple shewa and dagesh lene in preceding prefix

יְעַנֶּה

Exo 22:21

Imperfect · 3ms · עָנָה — he afflicts/will afflict; hateph-patach under ע (I-guttural); dagesh forte in נ; seghol + ה (III-he ending) — doubly weak: I-guttural + III-he

עַנּוֹת

Exo 10:3

Inf. Construct · — · עָנָה — to humble/afflict; patach under ע; dagesh forte in נ; וֹת ending = Piel inf. construct III-he

מְחַיֶּה

Neh 9:6

Participle · ms · חָיָה — one who gives life; מְ prefix + hateph-patach under ח (guttural R1) + dagesh forte in יּ + seghol + ה — Piel participle ms doubly weak (I-guttural + III-he)

תְּחַנֶּן

1 Kgs 8:33

Imperfect · 2ms/3fs · חָנַן — you implore/seek favor; תְּ prefix; hateph-patach under ח (I-guttural); dagesh forte in נ (R2); seghol final

#	Form	Reference
11	הִלֵּל	Isa 14:12
Perfect · 3ms · הָלַל — he boasted/shone; hiriq under R1 (ה); dagesh forte in ל (R2=R3 doubled); tsere under R2 — Geminate Piel perfect 3ms
12	יְהַלֵּל	Prov 27:2
Imperfect · 3ms · הָלַל — let him praise; patach under prefix (יְ→יְ); hateph-patach under ה (I-guttural interaction); dagesh forte in ל; tsere final
13	יְהַלֲלוּ	Ps 22:24
Imperfect · 3mp · הָלַל — they will praise; dagesh forte in first ל; composite shewa under second ל before vocalic ending (shureq) — Geminate 3mp marker
14	הַלְלוּ	Ps 113:1
Imperative · 2mp · הָלַל — praise!; patach under ה + ל + shewa + ל + וּ; no prefix consonant in Piel imperative; Geminate root visible in doubled ל
15	מְהַלֵּל	Gen 12:15
Participle · ms · הָלַל — one who praises; מְ prefix + patach under ה + dagesh forte in ל + tsere — Piel participle ms Geminate

Form

Reference

Conjugation

PGN

Root

הִלֵּל

Isa 14:12

Perfect · 3ms · הָלַל — he boasted/shone; hiriq under R1 (ה); dagesh forte in ל (R2=R3 doubled); tsere under R2 — Geminate Piel perfect 3ms

יְהַלֵּל

Prov 27:2

Imperfect · 3ms · הָלַל — let him praise; patach under prefix (יְ→יְ); hateph-patach under ה (I-guttural interaction); dagesh forte in ל; tsere final

יְהַלֲלוּ

Ps 22:24

Imperfect · 3mp · הָלַל — they will praise; dagesh forte in first ל; composite shewa under second ל before vocalic ending (shureq) — Geminate 3mp marker

הַלְלוּ

Ps 113:1

Imperative · 2mp · הָלַל — praise!; patach under ה + ל + shewa + ל + וּ; no prefix consonant in Piel imperative; Geminate root visible in doubled ל

מְהַלֵּל

Gen 12:15

Participle · ms · הָלַל — one who praises; מְ prefix + patach under ה + dagesh forte in ל + tsere — Piel participle ms Geminate

#	Form	Reference
16	יְנַחֵם	Gen 5:29
Imperfect · 3ms · נָחַם — he will comfort; nun (R1) visible and retained; patach under נ; dagesh forte in ח (R2); tsere final — I-nun Piel imperfect: nun stays
17	יְנַחֲמוּ	Gen 37:35
Imperfect · 3mp · נָחַם — they comforted him; nun visible; composite shewa under ח (guttural) before vocalic ending; shureq 3mp
18	וַיְנַגַּע	Gen 12:17
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · נָגַע — and he struck/afflicted; nun visible; dagesh forte in ג (R2); patach under ג before final ע — guttural lowers the stem vowel in III-ח/ע pattern
19	נִסָּה	Gen 22:1
Perfect · 3ms · נָסָה — he tested; נ is R1 (not a prefix); dagesh forte in ס (R2); qamets + ה ending (III-he Piel perfect 3ms)
20	יְנַסֶּה	Deu 8:16
Imperfect · 3ms · נָסָה — to test; nun visible (not assimilated); dagesh forte in ס; seghol + ה ending — I-nun Piel imperfect III-he root

Form

Reference

Conjugation

PGN

Root

יְנַחֵם

Gen 5:29

Imperfect · 3ms · נָחַם — he will comfort; nun (R1) visible and retained; patach under נ; dagesh forte in ח (R2); tsere final — I-nun Piel imperfect: nun stays

יְנַחֲמוּ

Gen 37:35

Imperfect · 3mp · נָחַם — they comforted him; nun visible; composite shewa under ח (guttural) before vocalic ending; shureq 3mp

וַיְנַגַּע

Gen 12:17

Wayyiqtol · 3ms · נָגַע — and he struck/afflicted; nun visible; dagesh forte in ג (R2); patach under ג before final ע — guttural lowers the stem vowel in III-ח/ע pattern

נִסָּה

Gen 22:1

Perfect · 3ms · נָסָה — he tested; נ is R1 (not a prefix); dagesh forte in ס (R2); qamets + ה ending (III-he Piel perfect 3ms)

יְנַסֶּה

Deu 8:16

Imperfect · 3ms · נָסָה — to test; nun visible (not assimilated); dagesh forte in ס; seghol + ה ending — I-nun Piel imperfect III-he root

Part B — Mixed

Form

Reference

Weak class

Conjugation

PGN

Root

צִוָּה

Gen 6:22

III-he · Perfect · 3ms · צָוָה — he commanded; qamets + ה; dagesh forte in ו (R2); standard Piel III-he perfect 3ms

מְחַלֵּל

Exo 31:14

Geminate · Participle · ms · חָלַל — one who profanes; מְ prefix + composite shewa under ח (guttural) + dagesh forte in ל + tsere; root ח-ל-ל (R2=R3)

יְנַסֶּה

Deu 4:34

I-nun (also III-he) · Imperfect · 3ms · נָסָה — to test; nun visible; dagesh forte in ס; seghol + ה III-he ending

כִּלָּה

Gen 24:19

III-he · Perfect · 3ms · כָּלָה — he finished; qamets + ה; dagesh forte in ל (R2)

יְעַנּוּ

Gen 15:13

I-guttural (also III-he) · Imperfect · 3mp · עָנָה — they will afflict; composite shewa under ע; dagesh forte in נ; shureq 3mp ending; III-he root

יְהַלֵּל

Ps 69:31

Geminate · Imperfect · 3ms · הָלַל — he will praise; dagesh forte in ל; tsere final; I-guttural prefix interaction visible

יְכַלּוּ

Gen 2:1

III-he · Imperfect · 3mp · כָּלָה — they were finished/completed; dagesh forte in ל (R2); shureq 3mp ending; Piel imperfect 3mp III-he

נִחַם

Gen 6:7

I-nun · Perfect · 3ms · נָחַם — he relented/was comforted; hiriq under נ (R1); dagesh forte in ח (R2); patach final — Piel perfect 3ms I-nun

עִנָּה

Gen 16:6

I-guttural + III-he · Perfect · 3ms · עָנָה — he afflicted; hiriq under ע (I-guttural); dagesh forte in נ; qamets + ה (III-he perfect 3ms)

יְנַחֵל

Num 34:17

I-nun · Imperfect · 3ms · נָחַל — he will give as inheritance; nun (R1) visible and retained; dagesh forte in ח (R2); tsere final — I-nun Piel imperfect

Discussion Questions

Items 1–2 (יְכַל, יְצַו) are Piel wayyiqtol 3ms of III-he roots. The final ה is apocopated (dropped). How does this compare to what happens in the Piel perfect 3ms of the same roots (כִּלָּה, צִוָּה)? What form does the ה take in the perfect, and why is it dropped in the wayyiqtol?
Compare item 6 (עִנּוּ, I-guttural Piel perfect 3cp) with a normal Piel perfect 3cp like שִׁלְּחוּ (from שָׁלַח). In שִׁלְּחוּ the prefix consonant שׁ carries a dagesh lene. Why is no such dagesh found in עִנּוּ? What is it about the ע that prevents it?
Items 11–15 all come from the Geminate root הָלַל. What is the telltale structural feature that marks the Geminate Piel compared to a strong Piel? Specifically, where does the Piel's dagesh forte fall in a strong root (like שִׁלֵּם from שָׁלַם), and where does it fall in a Geminate root (like הִלֵּל from הָלַל)?
Items 16–20 (I-nun Piel) all retain the nun. In the Qal and Hiphil of the same roots, the nun typically assimilates into a dagesh forte in R2. Why does the Piel not follow this assimilation? What already occupies R2 in the Piel stem, and why does that prevent a second dagesh?