Chapter 24 — "Spot the Niphal" Passage Exercise

Genesis 37, 44, 45, 47, 49 · The Joseph Narrative

Instructions: For each numbered verb, answer Is it Niphal? (Yes / No). Then for every verb:
  1. Parse it — give conjugation, person-gender-number, and root.
  2. State the semantic function (Passive / Reflexive / Simple action — or "NOT Niphal" for distractors).
Three verbs in this exercise are not Niphal — drawn from Qal already studied. Click ▶ Answer on any row to reveal the correct parsing inline.

Passage A — Genesis 37:7, 36

37:7
וְהִנֵּה קָ֣מָה אֲלֻמָּתִ֗י וְגַם נִצָּ֑בָה
"and behold, my sheaf [1] ____ and [2] ____."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
1 קָמָה
✗ קָמָה ✗ No — Qal | Perfect 3fs | קוּם | NOT Niphal — Qal: arose; biconsonantal Qal perfect 3fs; no נ prefix or dagesh forte
2 נִצָּבָה
✓ נִצָּבָה ✓ Yes — Niphal | Perfect 3fs | נָצַב | Reflexive — it stood upright (the sheaf stationed itself)
37:36
וְהַ֨מְּדָנִ֔ים מָכְר֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ … וַיִּמָּכֵ֤ר יוֹסֵף֙ אֶל־מִצְרָ֔יִם
"Now the Midianites [3] ____ him … and Joseph [4] ____ into Egypt."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
3 מָכְרוּ
✗ מָכְרוּ ✗ No — Qal | Perfect 3cp | מָכַר | NOT Niphal — Qal: had sold; active Qal; contrast with #4 Niphal passive of the same root
4 וַיִּמָּכֵר
✓ וַיִּמָּכֵר ✓ Yes — Niphal | Wayyiqtol 3ms | מָכַר | Passive — he was sold

Passage B — Genesis 44:9–20

44:9
אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִמָּצֵ֥א אִתּ֛וֹ מֵעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וָמֵ֑ת
"With whichever of your servants [5] ____ [the cup] shall die."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
5 יִמָּצֵא
✓ יִמָּצֵא ✓ Yes — Niphal | Imperfect 3ms | מָצָא | Passive — is found
44:12
וַיִּמָּצֵא֙ הַגָּבִ֔יעַ בְּאַמְתַּ֖חַת בִּנְיָמִֽן
"And the cup [6] ____ in Benjamin's sack."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
6 וַיִּמָּצֵא
✓ וַיִּמָּצֵא ✓ Yes — Niphal | Wayyiqtol 3ms | מָצָא | Passive — was found
44:20
יֶ֣שׁ לָ֜נוּ אָ֣ב זָקֵ֗ן וְיֶ֤לֶד זְקֻנִים֙ קָטָ֔ן וְאָחִ֥יו מֵ֖ת וַיִּוָּתֵ֣ר ה֑וּא
"We have an aged father and a young child of his old age … and he alone [7] ____."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
7 וַיִּוָּתֵר
✓ וַיִּוָּתֵר ✓ Yes — Niphal | Wayyiqtol 3ms | יָתַר | Passive/Middle — was left, remained

Passage C — Genesis 45:1, 16

45:1
וְלֹא־יָכֹל֩ יוֹסֵ֨ף לְהִתְאַפֵּ֜ק לְכֹ֣ל הַנִּצָּבִ֣ים עָלָ֗יו
"Joseph [8] ____ no longer control himself before all those [9] ____ near him."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
8 יָכֹל
✗ יָכֹל ✗ No — Qal | Perfect 3ms | יָכֹל | NOT Niphal — Qal: was able / could; Qal stative with no Niphal counterpart
9 הַנִּצָּבִים
✓ הַנִּצָּבִים ✓ Yes — Niphal | Participle mp | נָצַב | Reflexive — those standing (having stationed themselves)
45:16
וְהַקֹּ֣ל נִשְׁמַ֗ע בֵּ֤ית פַּרְעֹה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בָּ֥אוּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף
"And the report [10] ____ in Pharaoh's household, 'Joseph's brothers have come.'"
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
10 נִשְׁמַע
✓ נִשְׁמַע ✓ Yes — Niphal | Perfect 3ms | שָׁמַע | Passive — was heard

Passage D — Genesis 47:14, 31

47:14
וַיְלַקֵּ֨ט יוֹסֵ֜ף אֶת־כָּל־הַכֶּ֗סֶף הַנִּמְצָ֤א בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙
"And Joseph collected all the silver [11] ____ in the land of Egypt."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
11 הַנִּמְצָא
✓ הַנִּמְצָא ✓ Yes — Niphal | Participle ms | מָצָא | Passive — that was found / which was found
47:31
הִשָּׁ֣בְעָה לִ֔י וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ
"[12] ____ to me." And he [13] ____ to him."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
12 הִשָּׁבְעָה
✓ הִשָּׁבְעָה ✓ Yes — Niphal | Imperative 2ms | שָׁבַע | Reflexive — swear! (bind yourself by oath)
13 וַיִּשָּׁבַע
✓ וַיִּשָּׁבַע ✓ Yes — Niphal | Wayyiqtol 3ms | שָׁבַע | Reflexive — he swore (bound himself by oath)

Passage E — Genesis 49:1–2, 29, 33

49:1
הֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לָכֶ֔ם
"[14] ____ and I will tell you."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
14 הֵאָסְפוּ
✓ הֵאָסְפוּ ✓ Yes — Niphal | Imperative 2mp | אָסַף | Passive — gather yourselves!
49:29
אֲנִ֖י נֶאֱסָ֣ף אֶל־עַמִּ֑י
"I am [15] ____ to my people."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
15 נֶאֱסָף
✓ נֶאֱסָף ✓ Yes — Niphal | Participle ms | אָסַף | Passive — am about to be gathered (euphemism for dying)
49:33
וַיֵּאָ֥סֶף אֶל־עַמָּיו֙
"and he was [16] ____ to his people."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
16 וַיֵּאָסֶף
✓ וַיֵּאָסֶף ✓ Yes — Niphal | Wayyiqtol 3ms | אָסַף | Passive — was gathered (died and joined his ancestors)

Bonus — Exodus 19:12

19:12
וְהִשָּׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם … הִשָּׁמְר֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם
"And you shall [B1] ____ … [B2] ____ for yourselves."
#VerbNiphal?ConjugationPGNRootStem / Function
B1 וְהִשָּׁמַרְתֶּם
✓ וְהִשָּׁמַרְתֶּם ✓ Yes — Niphal | Weqatal 2mp | שָׁמַר | Reflexive — take heed for yourselves
B2 הִשָּׁמְרוּ
✓ הִשָּׁמְרוּ ✓ Yes — Niphal | Imperative 2mp | שָׁמַר | Reflexive — take heed! (guard yourselves)
Score guide: 13 Niphal + 3 non-Niphal + 2 bonus = 18 total. 15–18 = excellent; 11–14 = review the paradigm; below 11 = revisit §24.3–24.13 before the next class.
Non-Niphal (3): #1 (Qal Perf 3fs), #3 (Qal Perf 3cp), #8 (Qal Perf 3ms)
Niphal pairs to note: #15–16 (נֶאֱסָף / וַיֵּאָסֶף), #12–13 (הִשָּׁבְעָה / וַיִּשָּׁבַע)
Reflection Questions
  1. Several Niphal forms of אָסַף in this passage describe Jacob's death (Gen 49:29, 33). What does the passive "to be gathered to one's people" suggest about ancient Israelite views of death?
  2. In Gen 47:31, both הִשָּׁ֣בְעָה (#12, imperative) and וַיִּשָּׁבַע (#13, wayyiqtol) appear together. How does the narrative sequence reinforce the solemnity of Jacob's deathbed request?
  3. Compare נִצָּבָה (#2, Gen 37:7 — Reflexive: sheaf stands itself upright) with הַנִּצָּבִים (#9, Gen 45:1 — Reflexive participle: servants stationed before Joseph). Is the reflexive force the same in both? What does each communicate about agency?