Chapter 24 — Qal–Niphal Contrast Drill

For each Niphal form below: (1) translate it into English, (2) name the semantic function (Passive / Reflexive / Simple Action), and (3) explain in one sentence how the Niphal meaning relates to the Qal.

Part A — Transitive Roots (Qal acts on an object)

These roots take a direct object in the Qal. The Niphal turns the object into the subject — the classic passive pattern.

#	Root	Qal Meaning	Niphal Form	Ref
1	מָכַר	to sell	וַיִּמָּכֵר (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 37:36
he was sold into Egypt — Passive — The object of selling (Joseph) becomes the subject; Qal "to sell" → Niphal "to be sold"
2	מָצָא	to find	יִמָּצֵא (Imperfect 3ms)	Gen 44:9
is found (with the cup) — Passive — The thing found becomes the subject; Qal "to find" → Niphal "to be found"
3	שָׁמַע	to hear	נִשְׁמַע (Perfect 3ms)	Gen 45:16
was heard (in Pharaoh's house) — Passive — The report receives the hearing; Qal "to hear" → Niphal "to be heard / become audible"
4	אָסַף	to gather	וַיֵּאָסֶף (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 49:33
was gathered to his people — Passive — Jacob receives the action of being gathered in; Qal "to gather" → Niphal "to be gathered" (euphemism for dying)
5	כָּרַת	to cut off	וְנִכְרְתָה (Weqatal 3fs)	Exo 12:15
will be cut off from Israel — Passive — The person receives the covenant-exclusion penalty; Qal "to cut off" → Niphal "to be cut off"
6	נָתַן	to give	נִתְּנוּ (Perfect 3mp)	Gen 9:2
they are given into your hand — Passive — The animals receive the action of being given/placed; Qal "to give" → Niphal "to be given"
7	אָכַל	to eat	יֵאָכֵל (Imperfect 3ms)	Exo 12:46
it shall be eaten — Passive — The Passover lamb receives the action of eating; Qal "to eat" → Niphal "to be eaten"
8	שָׁמַר	to keep / guard	הִשָּׁמְרוּ (Imperative 2mp)	Exo 19:12
take heed for yourselves! — Reflexive — Guard yourself; the subject directs the keeping action back on itself; Qal "to guard something" → Niphal "to guard oneself / take heed"

Root

Qal Meaning

Niphal Form

Ref

Translation

Function

מָכַר

to sell

וַיִּמָּכֵר (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 37:36

he was sold into Egypt — Passive — The object of selling (Joseph) becomes the subject; Qal "to sell" → Niphal "to be sold"

מָצָא

to find

יִמָּצֵא (Imperfect 3ms)

Gen 44:9

is found (with the cup) — Passive — The thing found becomes the subject; Qal "to find" → Niphal "to be found"

שָׁמַע

to hear

נִשְׁמַע (Perfect 3ms)

Gen 45:16

was heard (in Pharaoh's house) — Passive — The report receives the hearing; Qal "to hear" → Niphal "to be heard / become audible"

אָסַף

to gather

וַיֵּאָסֶף (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 49:33

was gathered to his people — Passive — Jacob receives the action of being gathered in; Qal "to gather" → Niphal "to be gathered" (euphemism for dying)

כָּרַת

to cut off

וְנִכְרְתָה (Weqatal 3fs)

Exo 12:15

will be cut off from Israel — Passive — The person receives the covenant-exclusion penalty; Qal "to cut off" → Niphal "to be cut off"

נָתַן

to give

נִתְּנוּ (Perfect 3mp)

Gen 9:2

they are given into your hand — Passive — The animals receive the action of being given/placed; Qal "to give" → Niphal "to be given"

אָכַל

to eat

יֵאָכֵל (Imperfect 3ms)

Exo 12:46

it shall be eaten — Passive — The Passover lamb receives the action of eating; Qal "to eat" → Niphal "to be eaten"

שָׁמַר

to keep / guard

הִשָּׁמְרוּ (Imperative 2mp)

Exo 19:12

take heed for yourselves! — Reflexive — Guard yourself; the subject directs the keeping action back on itself; Qal "to guard something" → Niphal "to guard oneself / take heed"

Part B — Stative / Intransitive Roots

These roots describe states. Their Niphal expresses the subject coming into or remaining in a state, or placing itself in a position.

#	Root	Qal Meaning	Niphal Form	Ref
9	נָצַב	to be stationed, stand	נִצָּבָה (Perfect 3fs)	Gen 37:7
it stood upright — Reflexive — The sheaf stations itself in the standing position; it acts on itself
10	יָתַר	to remain, be left over	וַיִּוָּתֵר (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 44:20
he alone was left — Passive/Middle — The state of being-left-over fell upon him; shades toward middle (it happened to him)
11	שָׁאַר	to remain, be left	נִשְׁאַר (Perfect 3ms)	Exo 14:28
not one of them remained — Middle — The soldiers were in the state of having been left; stative/middle nuance

Root

Qal Meaning

Niphal Form

Ref

Translation

Function

נָצַב

to be stationed, stand

נִצָּבָה (Perfect 3fs)

Gen 37:7

it stood upright — Reflexive — The sheaf stations itself in the standing position; it acts on itself

יָתַר

to remain, be left over

וַיִּוָּתֵר (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 44:20

he alone was left — Passive/Middle — The state of being-left-over fell upon him; shades toward middle (it happened to him)

שָׁאַר

to remain, be left

נִשְׁאַר (Perfect 3ms)

Exo 14:28

not one of them remained — Middle — The soldiers were in the state of having been left; stative/middle nuance

Part C — Roots with No Standard Qal

These roots occur almost exclusively in the Niphal. The Niphal form is the standard lexical entry.

#	Root	Qal Situation	Niphal Form	Ref
12	לָחַם	no standard Qal	הִלָּחֵם (Imperative 2ms)	Exo 17:9
fight against Amalek! — Simple action — Niphal is the base form; "to fight" is the standard meaning with no causative or passive layer
13	נָחַם	no standard Qal	וַיִּנָּחֶם (Wayyiqtol 3ms)	Gen 6:6
the LORD regretted / relented — Simple action — Niphal is the base form; to regret / relent / be comforted is the standard Niphal meaning
14	שָׁבַע	to seven / complete (rare)	הִשָּׁבְעָה (Imperative 2ms)	Gen 47:31
swear to me! — Reflexive — The subject binds himself by oath; שָׁבַע Niphal = to bind oneself by oath; reflexive force is clear

Root

Qal Situation

Niphal Form

Ref

Translation

Function

לָחַם

no standard Qal

הִלָּחֵם (Imperative 2ms)

Exo 17:9

fight against Amalek! — Simple action — Niphal is the base form; "to fight" is the standard meaning with no causative or passive layer

נָחַם

no standard Qal

וַיִּנָּחֶם (Wayyiqtol 3ms)

Gen 6:6

the LORD regretted / relented — Simple action — Niphal is the base form; to regret / relent / be comforted is the standard Niphal meaning

שָׁבַע

to seven / complete (rare)

הִשָּׁבְעָה (Imperative 2ms)

Gen 47:31

swear to me! — Reflexive — The subject binds himself by oath; שָׁבַע Niphal = to bind oneself by oath; reflexive force is clear

Discussion Questions

For the transitive roots in Part A, describe the pattern in one sentence: what does the Niphal consistently do to the Qal meaning?
Items 9–11 all involve verbs of position or remaining (נָצַב, יָתַר, שָׁאַר). How does "reflexive" vs. "middle" vs. "passive" help explain the subtle difference in agency across these three?
לָחַם (item 12) and נָחַם (item 13) are both "lexical Niphal" roots. How does a student recognize this in lexicon work? What should they look for in a dictionary entry?