Chapter 29 — Qal–Hiphil–Hophal Contrast Drill (Weak Roots)

BBH Chapter 29 · Hophal Weak Verbs

This drill presents five weak-root triplets. Each group of three shows the same root in Qal / Hiphil / Hophal (all Perfect 3ms). For each form: (1) identify the stem, (2) parse, (3) translate. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the answer row.

Stem distinguishers (weak roots): Qal: base root vowels, no special prefix (hollow roots contract to one syllable). Hiphil: הֵ/הוֹ prefix in Perfect; chiriq-yod in hollow stems (הֵשִׁיב, הֵקִים, הֵבִיא); הוֹ in some I-י (הוֹרִיד, הוֹלִיד). Hophal: הוּ prefix (shureq) in all weak Hophal Perfects; contracted stem for hollow roots.

Part A — Root: בוא (Hollow) — "to come / to bring / to be brought"

#Hebrew FormStemConjugationPGNTranslation
1 בָּא
Qal · Perfect · 3ms — he came · Hollow root בוא contracts to a single syllable; qamets under first consonant is characteristic of Qal Perfect 3ms of hollow roots.
2 הֵבִיא
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms — he brought · Hiphil marker: הֵ prefix (tsere) + chiriq-yod in the contracted stem of the hollow root.
3 הוּבָא
Hophal · Perfect · 3ms — he was brought · Hophal marker: הוּ prefix (shureq) = characteristic of all weak Hophal forms; long ā vowel in contracted hollow stem.

Part B — Root: ירד (I-י) — "to go down / to bring down / to be brought down"

#Hebrew FormStemConjugationPGNTranslation
4 יָרַד
Qal · Perfect · 3ms — he went down · Qal Perfect 3ms: base qamets-patach vowels; I-י root has no special prefix marking.
5 הוֹרִיד
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms — he brought down · Hiphil of I-י root ירד: הוֹ prefix (holem-waw) + chiriq-yod in stem. The holem-waw compensates for the dropped י.
6 הוּרַד
Hophal · Perfect · 3ms — he was brought down · Hophal marker: הוּ prefix (shureq). Compare Hiphil הוֹ (holem-waw) vs. Hophal הוּ (shureq) — both are o-class but the Hophal uses the closer ū vowel.

Part C — Root: שׁוב (Hollow) — "to return / to bring back / to be brought back"

#Hebrew FormStemConjugationPGNTranslation
7 שָׁב
Qal · Perfect · 3ms — he returned · Hollow root שׁוב contracts; Qal Perfect 3ms: qamets under שׁ.
8 הֵשִׁיב
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms — he returned (it) / brought back · Hiphil hollow: הֵ prefix (tsere) + chiriq-yod in contracted stem (הֵשִׁיב).
9 הוּשַׁב
Hophal · Perfect · 3ms — he was brought back · Hophal hollow: הוּ prefix (shureq) + contracted stem with patach. Compare Hiphil הֵשִׁיב (tsere + chiriq-yod) vs. Hophal הוּשַׁב (shureq + patach).

Part D — Root: קום (Hollow) — "to arise / to raise up / to be raised up"

#Hebrew FormStemConjugationPGNTranslation
10 קָם
Qal · Perfect · 3ms — he arose · Hollow root קום: Qal Perfect contracts to one syllable (קָם); qamets under the first consonant.
11 הֵקִים
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms — he established / raised up · Hiphil hollow: הֵ prefix (tsere) + chiriq-yod in contracted stem. Used frequently of God "establishing" covenants or kings.
12 הוּקַם
Hophal · Perfect · 3ms — he was raised up / was established · Hophal hollow: הוּ prefix (shureq) + contracted stem with patach. Exo 40:17: the tabernacle was erected (הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן).

Part E — Root: ילד (I-י) — "to bear/father / to beget / to be born"

#Hebrew FormStemConjugationPGNTranslation
13 יָלַד
Qal · Perfect · 3ms — he fathered / he bore · Qal Perfect 3ms of I-י root ילד: base qamets-patach; the initial י is retained in Perfect (unlike Imperfect where it drops).
14 הוֹלִיד
Hiphil · Perfect · 3ms — he begat / caused to be born · Hiphil I-י: הוֹ prefix (holem-waw compensating for dropped י) + chiriq-yod in stem. Used in genealogy lists: "X begat Y."
15 הוּלַד
Hophal · Perfect · 3ms — he was born · Hophal I-י: הוּ prefix (shureq). The implied agent is the parent (or God). Compare Hiphil הוֹ (holem-waw) vs. Hophal הוּ (shureq).
Discussion Questions
  1. Using root בוא (Part A), describe the subject's role in each stem: in the Qal, who is acting? In the Hiphil, who is causing whom to act? In the Hophal, who receives the causation?
  2. Compare the Hiphil Perfect 3ms forms across all five roots. Hollow roots use הֵ + chiriq-yod (הֵבִיא, הֵשִׁיב, הֵקִים); I-י roots use הוֹ + chiriq-yod (הוֹרִיד, הוֹלִיד). What phonological principle explains why I-י roots use הוֹ rather than הֵ in the Hiphil?
  3. All five Hophal Perfect 3ms forms begin with הוּ. How does this help you identify a Hophal of a weak root instantly, without knowing the root class?
  4. The root ילד yields הוּלַד "he was born" (Hophal). Who is the implied agent causing the birth? How does using the Hophal (rather than simply the Niphal) shape the theological meaning when this form appears in narratives about God's action?