Chapter 34 — "Spot the Hithpael" Passage Exercise

Stem: Hithpael (הִתְקַטֵּל) — Strong Verbs  |  Passages: 1 Kgs 8:28–30 · Gen 20:7 · Jos 3:5 · Exo 19:22 · Gen 22:17–18 · 2 Sam 10:12

Instructions: For each bolded/numbered verb, fill in: (1) Is it Hithpael? (Yes/No) (2) Conjugation (3) PGN (4) Root (5) Stem/Function. Distractors are drawn from stems already studied: Piel, Pual, and Hiphil. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the key for that row.

Hithpael diagnostic: Look for the הִתְ- prefix (perfect/imperative), יִתְ- prefix (imperfect), or מִתְ- prefix (participle), plus an i-class vowel under R1 and dagesh forte in R2 (same pattern as Piel, but preceded by the תְ infix).

Passage A — 1 Kings 8:28–30 · Genesis 20:7

Context: Solomon dedicates the Temple; God directs Abimelech to return Sarah.

וּפָנִ֗יתָ אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֤ת עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְאֶל־תְּחִנָּת֔וֹ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהָ֑י לִשְׁמֹ֤עַ אֶל־הָרִנָּה֙ וְאֶל־הַתְּפִלָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַבְדְּךָ֛ מִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל [1] לְפָנֶ֖יךָ הַיּֽוֹם׃

"Turn to the prayer of your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying [1] before you today." (1 Kgs 8:28)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
1מִתְפַּלֵּל
✓ Yes — Hithpael | Participle | ms | פלל | Denominative — "praying"; מִתְ- prefix marks Hithpael participle. Root פלל has no Qal stem in OT; Hithpael is its only active form, denominative from תְּפִלָּה (prayer).
וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֗ אֶל־תְּחִנַּ֤ת עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְעַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִתְפַּלְּל֖וּ [2] אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה

"…and listen to the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray [2] toward this place." (1 Kgs 8:30)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
2יִתְפַּלְּלוּ
✓ Yes — Hithpael | Imperfect | 3mp | פלל | Denominative — "they pray"; יִתְ- prefix + i-class vowel under R1 + dagesh forte in doubled ל (R2=R3 geminate: יִתְפַּלְּלוּ). The geminate doubling of ל ל is the hallmark of this root.
וְעַתָּ֗ה הָשֵׁ֤ב אֵֽשֶׁת־הָאִישׁ֙ כִּֽי־נָבִ֣יא ה֔וּא וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל [3]־בַּעַדְךָ֖ וֶחְיֵ֑ה

"Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray [3] for you, and you will live." (Gen 20:7)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
3יִתְפַּלֵּל
✓ Yes — Hithpael | Imperfect | 3ms | פלל | Denominative — "he will pray"; יִתְ- prefix + patach under R1 (פַּ) + tsere + geminate ל ל; same root as #1–2 in imperfect 3ms.
הִתְפַּלֵּ֥ל [4] אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃

"Pray [4] to the LORD." (Gen 20:7b)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
4הִתְפַּלֵּל
✓ Yes — Hithpael | Imperative | 2ms | פלל | Denominative — "Pray!"; הִתְ- prefix + patach under R1 + tsere + ל ל. Hithpael imperative looks exactly like the perfect 3ms (same form as #1 in some contexts) — context distinguishes them.
Distractor alert — Piel: The next verb is a Piel, NOT a Hithpael. Look carefully at what is (and is not) on the prefix.
וְטִהֲר֥וֹ [5] לְכַפֵּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃

"…and purify [5] it to make atonement for it." (Exo 29:36)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
5וְטִהֲרוֹ
✗ No — Piel | Weqatal | 3ms + 3ms suffix | טהר | Piel — Factitive — "he shall purify it"; Piel pattern: Hireq under R1 (טִ) + R2 guttural ה rejects dagesh (compensatory lengthening: patach → qamets). No הִתְ prefix = NOT Hithpael.

Passage B — Joshua 3:5 · Exodus 19:22

Context: Israel prepares to cross the Jordan; priests prepare to approach the LORD.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ אֶל־הָעָ֖ם הִתְקַדְּשׁ֑וּ [6] כִּ֣י מָחָ֔ר יַעֲשֶׂ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֖ם נִפְלָאֽוֹת׃

"And Joshua said to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves [6], for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.'" (Jos 3:5)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
6הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ
✓ Yes — Hithpael | Imperative | 2mp | קדש | Reflexive — "consecrate yourselves!"; הִתְ- prefix + patach under R1 (קַ) + dagesh forte in R2 (דּ) + shewa + שׁ + 2mp suffix וּ. Reflexive: they bring themselves to a state of holiness.
וְגַ֣ם הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים הַנִּגָּשִׁ֛ים אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה יִתְקַדָּ֖שׁוּ [7] פֶּן־יִפְרֹ֥ץ בָּהֶֽם׃

"And also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves [7], lest the LORD break out against them." (Exo 19:22)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
7יִתְקַדָּשׁוּ
✓ Yes — Hithpael | Imperfect | 3mp | קדש | Reflexive — "let them consecrate themselves"; יִתְ- prefix + patach under R1 (קַ) + qamets under R2 (דָּ, lengthened in pause/stressed form) + שׁ + 3mp suffix וּ. Same root as #6 — compare imperative vs. imperfect prefix.
Distractor alert — Pual: The next verb looks like it could be Piel or Hithpael, but it is neither. The u-class vowel under R1 is the giveaway.
קֻדַּ֥שׁ [8] הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ

"The altar was consecrated [8]." (Lev 8:15)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
8קֻדַּשׁ
✗ No — Pual | Perfect | 3ms | קדש | Pual — Passive — "was consecrated"; Qibbuts (u-class vowel) under R1 (קֻ) + dagesh forte in R2 (דּ) = Pual passive. No הִתְ prefix. Compare: Hithpael reflexive הִתְקַדֵּשׁ vs. Pual passive קֻדַּשׁ — same root, opposite in agency.

Passage C — Genesis 22:17–18 · 2 Samuel 10:12

Context: the Abrahamic oath of blessing; Joab's battle speech.

וְהִתְבָּרֲכ֣וּ [9] בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ בְּקֹלִֽי׃

"…and in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves [9], because you have obeyed my voice." (Gen 22:18)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
9וְהִתְבָּרֲכוּ
✓ Yes — Hithpael | Weqatal | 3cp | ברך | Reflexive/Estimative — "shall bless themselves" or "shall invoke blessing on themselves"; הִתְ- prefix + R2=ר rejects dagesh (compensatory lengthening: patach → qamets הִתְבָּ) + chateph-patach under R3 (guttural ר does not take dagesh but ר is not guttural — R1=ב rejects? No: R2=ר rejects dagesh, vowel compensates). 3cp suffix וּ. Weqatal = result/consequence of the promise.
חֲזַ֤ק וְנִתְחַזְּקָ֙ה [10]֙ בְּעַ֣ד עַמֵּ֔נוּ וּבְעַ֖ד עָרֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַיהוָ֖ה יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַטּ֛וֹב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

"Be strong, and let us be courageous [10] for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in his sight." (2 Sam 10:12)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
10וְנִתְחַזְּקָה
✓ Yes — Hithpael | Cohortative | 1cp | חזק | Reflexive — "let us strengthen ourselves / be courageous"; נִתְ- prefix is the Hithpael cohortative form (נ + יִתְ contracted); + patach under R1 (חַ) + dagesh forte in R2 (זּ) + qamets + ה cohortative ending. Compare Hiphil of חזק = הֶחֱזִיק (causative "to strengthen someone else").
Distractor alert — Hiphil: The next verb begins with הִ- but has NO תְ after it. That tells you immediately it is NOT Hithpael.
הִצְדִּ֥יק [11] אֶת־הָרָשָׁ֖ע

"He declared the wicked righteous [11]." (Prov 17:15, excerpt)

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
11הִצְדִּיק
✗ No — Hiphil | Perfect | 3ms | צדק | Hiphil — Declarative — "declared righteous / justified"; הִ- prefix (no תְ) + Hireq-Yod under R2 (דִּי) = classic Hiphil perfect pattern. Contrast with Hithpael הִצְטַדֵּק (Ch35 — I-צ metathesis form of "justify oneself").
Reflection Questions
  1. In Passage A, verbs 1–4 all come from the root פלל. Walk through each conjugation form and identify the diagnostic Hithpael marker in each (prefix for participle, imperfect, and perfect/imperative). Why is פלל considered a denominative Hithpael?
  2. Verb 8 (קֻדַּשׁ) has Qibbuts under R1 and dagesh in R2 — it looks similar to a Piel. What single vowel under the prefix preformative most quickly distinguishes a Pual perfect from a Piel perfect? From a Hithpael perfect?
  3. Verb 9 (וְהִתְבָּרֲכוּ, Gen 22:18) is sometimes translated "shall be blessed" (passive) and sometimes "shall bless themselves" (reflexive). Which translation does the Hithpael stem favor, and why does the distinction matter theologically?

Quick Answer Key

#VerbHithpael?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
1מִתְפַּלֵּלYesParticiplemsפללHithpael — Denominative
2יִתְפַּלְּלוּYesImperfect3mpפללHithpael — Denominative
3יִתְפַּלֵּלYesImperfect3msפללHithpael — Denominative
4הִתְפַּלֵּלYesImperative2msפללHithpael — Denominative
5וְטִהֲרוֹNoWeqatal3msטהרPiel — Factitive
6הִתְקַדְּשׁוּYesImperative2mpקדשHithpael — Reflexive
7יִתְקַדָּשׁוּYesImperfect3mpקדשHithpael — Reflexive
8קֻדַּשׁNoPerfect3msקדשPual — Passive
9וְהִתְבָּרֲכוּYesWeqatal3cpברךHithpael — Reflexive/Estimative
10וְנִתְחַזְּקָהYesCohortative1cpחזקHithpael — Reflexive
11הִצְדִּיקNoPerfect3msצדקHiphil — Declarative