Chapter 33 — "Spot the Pual" Passage Exercise

Stem: Pual (פֻּעַל) — Weak Verbs  |  Passages: Gen 4:18, 4:26; 46:22 · Lev 7:36; Num 3:9 · Lev 8:35; Num 22:6; Psa 72:17

Instructions: For each bolded/numbered verb, fill in: (1) Is it Pual? (Yes/No) (2) Conjugation (3) PGN (4) Root (5) Stem/Function. For each Pual form, also identify the weak-root type (I-י, I-נ, or III-ה). Distractors are drawn from Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hithpael, and Hophal. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the key for that row.

Weak-root Pual diagnostic: The base Pual signature (Qibbuts under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2) still applies — but watch how each weak class behaves:

Passage A — Genesis Genealogies (Gen 4:18; 4:26; 46:22)

Context: Birth notices — the Pual passive of ילד (I-י) appears repeatedly for "was born/begotten."

וַיִּוָּלֵ֤ד לַחֲנוֹךְ֙ אֶת־עִירָ֔ד וְעִירָ֕ד יָלַ֖ד [1] אֶת־מְחוּיָאֵ֑ל

"And to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered [1] Mehujael." (Gen 4:18)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
1יָלַד
✗ No — Qal | Perfect | 3ms | ילד | Qal — "fathered/begat" (active). Qal Perf 3ms vowel pattern (Qamets-Patach). No Qibbuts under R1 with Dagesh Forte in R2.
אָ֣ז הוּחַ֔ל [2] לִקְרֹ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃

"At that time people began [2] to call upon the name of the LORD." (Gen 4:26)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
2הוּחַל
✗ No — Hophal | Perfect | 3ms | חלל | Hophal passive — "was begun." The הוּ prefix (Shureq under הּ) = Hophal Perfect marker. Geminate root חלל. No Qibbuts under R1 with Dagesh in R2.
אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י רָחֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֖ר יֻלַּ֥ד [3] לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃

"These are the sons of Rachel who were born [3] to Jacob." (Gen 46:22)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
3יֻלַּד
✓ Yes — Pual | Perfect | 3ms | ילד | Passive — I-י root: "was born/begotten." Qibbuts under R1 (יֻ) + Dagesh Forte in R2 (לּ) = Pual. I-י: the initial י is simply R1 taking Qibbuts; no assimilation occurs in the Pual. Piel of ילד = "to beget" → Pual passive = "to be born."
וַיִּוָּלְד֥וּ [4] לָהֶ֖ם בָנִ֑ים

"And sons were born [4] to them." (Gen 6:1)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
4וַיִּוָּלְדוּ
✗ No — Niphal | Wayyiqtol | 3mp | ילד | Niphal passive — "were born." The יִוָּ pattern = Niphal Wayyiqtol with I-י root (yod assimilates to following consonant with Dagesh). Contrast Pual יֻלַּד: no Qibbuts under R1 here.

Passage B — Leviticus 7:36; Numbers 3:9

Context: Priestly legislation — Pual passive of נתן (I-נ root) for what "was given."

I-נ Pual note: Unlike the Qal Imperfect where נ assimilates (יִתֵּן), in the Pual the נ stays as R1 and takes Qibbuts. The Dagesh Forte falls on R2 (ת), not on an assimilated נ. So: נֻתַּן = Qibbuts under נ (R1) + Dagesh in ת (R2).
אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֤ה [5] יְהוָה֙ לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֔ם בְּי֛וֹם מָשְׁח֥וֹ אֹתָ֖ם

"…which the LORD commanded [5] to give to them on the day he anointed them." (Lev 7:36)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
5צִוָּה
✗ No — Piel | Perfect | 3ms | צוה | Piel active — "commanded." Hireq/i-class under R1 (צִ) = Piel marker; Dagesh in R2 (וּ) confirms Piel, not Pual. The Pual passive counterpart (צֻוָּה) would have Qibbuts (צֻ) under R1.
וְנָתַתָּ֥ [6] אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּלְבָנָ֑יו נְתֻנִ֤ים [7] נְתֻנִים֙ הֵ֔מָּה

"And you shall give [6] the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are given [7], given." (Num 3:9)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
6וְנָתַתָּ
✗ No — Qal | Weqatal | 2ms | נתן | Qal — "and you shall give." Qal Weqatal 2ms. No u-class vowel under R1 with Dagesh in R2.
7נְתֻנִים
✓ Yes — Pual | Participle | mp | נתן | Passive — I-נ root: "given" (substantival use). Pual Ptc. mp: מְ prefix reduces to נְ (shewa), then Qibbuts under תֻ + Dagesh in נּ (R3 has doubled for plural pattern). The I-נ root retains נ as R1 in the Pual unlike Qal Imperfect.
נֻתְּנ֧וּ [8] לִ֛י הֵ֖מָּה מִתּ֥וֹךְ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

"They were given [8] to me from among the people of Israel." (Num 3:9, continuation)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
8נֻתְּנוּ
✓ Yes — Pual | Perfect | 3cp | נתן | Passive — I-נ root: "were given." Qibbuts under R1 (נֻ) + Dagesh Forte in R2 (תּ) + 3cp suffix וּ. The נ of the I-נ root is R1 receiving Qibbuts — it does NOT assimilate in the Pual as it does in Qal Imperfect.

Passage C — Leviticus 8:35; Numbers 22:6; Psalm 72:17

Context: Pual of צוה (III-ה) and ברך (R2=ר compensatory lengthening).

וּפֶ֜תַח אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ תֵּֽשְׁב֔וּ יוֹמָ֖ם וָלַ֑יְלָה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צֻוֵּ֧יתִי [9] אֲנִ֛י כֵּ֥ן צֻוֵּיתֶ֖ם [10]

"At the entrance of the tent of meeting you shall remain day and night, as I was commanded [9], so you were commanded [10]." (Lev 8:35)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
9צֻוֵּיתִי
✓ Yes — Pual | Perfect | 1cs | צוה | Passive — III-ה root: "I was commanded." Qibbuts under R1 (צֻ) + Dagesh in R2 (וּ) + III-ה Perfect 1cs suffix יתִי. III-ה roots use י before personal suffixes in the Perfect. Compare Piel active: צִוָּה (Hireq under R1).
10צֻוֵּיתֶם
✓ Yes — Pual | Perfect | 2mp | צוה | Passive — III-ה root: "you were commanded." Same Pual diagnostic: Qibbuts under R1 (צֻ) + Dagesh in R2 (וּ) + 2mp suffix יתֶם. This verse dramatically parallels Aaron's experience of being commanded with Israel's obligation.
ברך in Pual — reminder from Ch32: Because R2 = ר rejects Dagesh Forte, the vowel under R1 compensatorily lengthens from expected Qibbuts to Qamets. This is a weak-root behavior (R2=ר) that appears in both Ch32 and Ch33.
כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ [11] מְבֹרָ֔ךְ [12] וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר יוּאָֽר [13]

"…for I know that he whom you bless [11] is blessed [12], and he whom you curse is cursed [13]." (Num 22:6)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
11תְּבָרֵךְ
✗ No — Piel | Imperfect | 2ms | ברך | Intensive — "you bless" (active). Piel Impf: תְּ prefix + tsere under R2 (ר). R2=ר rejects dagesh but this is Piel because tsere (e-class) appears under R2, not Qamets of Pual.
12מְבֹרָךְ
✓ Yes — Pual | Participle | ms | ברך | Passive — R2=ר (weak): "blessed one." Qamets under R1 (בֹ) is the compensatory lengthening for Qibbuts, because ר rejects Dagesh Forte. Pual Ptc. ms: מְ prefix + Qibbuts→Qamets under R1 + ר (no dagesh).
13יוּאָר
✗ No — Hophal | Imperfect | 3ms | ארר | Hophal passive — "shall be cursed." יוּ prefix (Shureq = u-class on the preformative consonant) = Hophal Imperfect. Contrast: Pual Imperfect would be יְבֹרַךְ-type pattern with Qibbuts/Qamets under R1.
יְבֹרַ֥ךְ [14] שְׁמ֑וֹ לְעוֹלָ֑ם יִתְנַהֵ֥ל [15] לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֗מֶשׁ שְׁמ֑וֹ

"May his name be blessed [14] forever; may his name endure [15] before the sun." (Psa 72:17)

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
14יְבֹרַךְ
✓ Yes — Pual | Imperfect | 3ms | ברך | Passive — R2=ר (weak): "may his name be blessed." Pual Imperfect: יְ prefix (shewa) + Qamets under R1 (בֹ, compensatory for ר rejecting dagesh) + Patach under R3. Used here as a jussive expressing a prayer for the king's lasting reputation.
15יִתְנַהֵל
✗ No — Hithpael | Imperfect | 3ms | נהל | Hithpael reflexive/iterative — "may his name endure/continue." יִתְ prefix = Hithpael marker. Not Pual — no Qibbuts under R1 with Dagesh in R2.
Reflection Questions
  1. In Passage A, verb 3 (יֻלַּד, I-י Pual Perfect) and verb 4 (וַיִּוָּלְדוּ, Niphal Wayyiqtol) both come from the same root ילד and both express passive meaning. What visual feature most immediately distinguishes the Pual from the Niphal in these I-י forms? Why does the Qal Imperfect pattern (יֵלֵד) look different from both?
  2. Verbs 7–8 (נְתֻנִים / נֻתְּנוּ, I-נ Pual) show that in the Pual, the נ of the I-נ root remains as R1 and takes Qibbuts, rather than assimilating. Compare the Qal Imperfect of נתן (יִתֵּן — נ assimilates into R2). What grammatical principle causes the difference in behavior between the Qal Imperfect and the Pual?
  3. Verbs 9–10 (צֻוֵּיתִי / צֻוֵּיתֶם, III-ה Pual) parallel verb 5 (צִוָּה, Piel active). In each form, what single vowel under R1 most quickly identifies whether you are reading the active Piel or the passive Pual? How does this same i/u distinction work in the strong root paradigm (e.g., קִטֵּל vs. קֻטַּל)?

Quick Answer Key

#VerbPual?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
1יָלַדNoPerfect3msילדQal — fathered
2הוּחַלNoPerfect3msחללHophal — was begun
3יֻלַּדYesPerfect3msילדPual — Passive (I-י): was born/begotten
4וַיִּוָּלְדוּNoWayyiqtol3mpילדNiphal — Passive: were born
5צִוָּהNoPerfect3msצוהPiel — commanded
6וְנָתַתָּNoWeqatal2msנתןQal — and you shall give
7נְתֻנִיםYesParticiplempנתןPual — Passive (I-נ): given
8נֻתְּנוּYesPerfect3cpנתןPual — Passive (I-נ): were given
9צֻוֵּיתִיYesPerfect1csצוהPual — Passive (III-ה): I was commanded
10צֻוֵּיתֶםYesPerfect2mpצוהPual — Passive (III-ה): you were commanded
11תְּבָרֵךְNoImperfect2msברךPiel — Intensive: you bless
12מְבֹרָךְYesParticiplemsברךPual — Passive (R2=ר): blessed
13יוּאָרNoImperfect3msאררHophal — Passive: shall be cursed
14יְבֹרַךְYesImperfect3msברךPual — Passive (R2=ר): may his name be blessed
15יִתְנַהֵלNoImperfect3msנהלHithpael — Reflexive: may endure