Chapter 27 — Biconsonantal / Geminate Disambiguation Drill

BBH Chapters 25 & 27 · Niphal and Hiphil Weak Verbs

All 24 forms are drawn from Biconsonantal and Geminate roots across all four stems (Niphal, Hiphil, Hophal, Qal). For each form: identify the stem, conjugation, PGN, weak class (Biconsonantal or Geminate), and root.

Mixed Drill — 24 Items

#FormStemConjugationPGNWeak ClassRoot
1נָכוֹן
Gen 41:32
נָכוֹןNiphalPerfect/Participle3ms / msBiconsonantalכּוּןנָ prefix (Qamets) = Niphal; medial ו vowel letter identifies Biconsonantal, not Geminate
2הֵקִים
Gen 6:18
הֵקִיםHiphilPerfect3msBiconsonantalקוּםהֵ prefix (Tsere) = Hiphil; chiriq-yod in stem = Biconsonantal; no R2=R3
3נָסַב
1 Kgs 7:24
נָסַבNiphalPerfect3msGeminateסָבַבנָ prefix (Qamets) = Niphal; R2=R3=ב identifies Geminate; compare Biconsonantal נָכוֹן
4הֵסֵב
2 Kgs 16:18
הֵסֵבHiphilPerfect3msGeminateסָבַבהֵ prefix (Tsere) = Hiphil; Tsere in contracted stem, R2=R3=ב = Geminate
5נָמֹוג
Isa 14:31
נָמֹוגNiphalPerfect3msBiconsonantalמוּגנָ prefix + medial ו = Niphal Biconsonantal; root מוּג = to melt; same pattern as נָכוֹן
6הֵמַסּוּ
Deu 1:28
הֵמַסּוּHiphilPerfect3cpGeminateמססהֵ prefix (Tsere) = Hiphil; R2=R3=ס with dagesh forte = Geminate
7יִכּוֹן
Psa 93:2
יִכּוֹןNiphalImperfect3msBiconsonantalכּוּןיִ prefix + dagesh in כּ (Niphal imperfect) + contracted Holem Waw root = Biconsonantal
8יָקִים
Deu 18:15
יָקִיםHiphilImperfect3msBiconsonantalקוּםיָ prefix (Qamets) = Hiphil Biconsonantal imperfect; chiriq-yod medial vowel letter
9יִסֹּב
Num 21:4
יִסֹּבNiphalImperfect3msGeminateסָבַביִ prefix + dagesh in סּ (R2=R3 doubled) + Holem in contracted root = Geminate
10יָסֵב
Eccl 1:6
יָסֵבHiphilImperfect3msGeminateסָבַביָ prefix (Qamets) = Hiphil; Tsere in contracted root; R2=R3=ב = Geminate
11יָרֻם
Isa 52:13
יָרֻםNiphalImperfect3msBiconsonantalרוּםיָ prefix + qibbutz under R2 (passive vowel) = Niphal Biconsonantal; contrast Hiphil יָרִים
12הֵרִים
Gen 14:22
הֵרִיםHiphilPerfect3msBiconsonantalרוּםהֵ prefix (Tsere) + chiriq-yod = Hiphil Biconsonantal perfect; causative — lifted up
13הֵכּוֹן
Psa 57:8
הֵכּוֹןNiphalPerfect3msBiconsonantalכּוּןהֵ prefix (Tsere) + dagesh + contracted Holem Waw = Niphal Biconsonantal perfect
14הָקֵם
Deu 27:26
הָקֵםHiphilImperative2msBiconsonantalקוּםהָ prefix (Qamets) = Hiphil Biconsonantal imperative; Tsere final; chiriq in stem
15נָסֹב
Josh 15:3
נָסֹבNiphalPerfect3msGeminateסָבַבנָ prefix (Qamets) = Niphal; Holem in root shows contraction of R2=R3 = Geminate
16הָסֵב
2 Sam 2:22
הָסֵבHiphilImperative2msGeminateסָבַבהָ prefix (Qamets) = Hiphil; Tsere in contracted R2=R3 stem = Geminate
17יָרֹם
Psa 99:2
יָרֹםNiphalImperfect3msBiconsonantalרוּםיָ prefix + Holem under R2 = Niphal Biconsonantal; compare Hiphil יָרִים (chiriq)
18הוּרַם
Lev 4:10
הוּרַםHophalPerfect3msBiconsonantalרוּםהוּ prefix (Holem Waw) = Hophal (passive of Hiphil), not Niphal or Hiphil
19הִסֹּב
2 Sam 18:30
הִסֹּבNiphalImperative2msGeminateסָבַבהִ prefix + dagesh forte in ב (R2=R3) = Niphal Geminate imperative
20מֵקִים
1 Sam 2:8
מֵקִיםHiphilParticiplemsBiconsonantalקוּםמֵ prefix (Tsere) = Hiphil participle; chiriq-yod medial vowel letter = Biconsonantal
21תִּכּוֹן
Psa 5:3
תִּכּוֹןNiphalImperfect2ms / 3fsBiconsonantalכּוּןתִּ prefix + dagesh in כּ + Holem Waw = Niphal Biconsonantal imperfect
22מֵסֵב
Jer 21:4
מֵסֵבHiphilParticiplemsGeminateסָבַבמֵ prefix (Tsere) = Hiphil participle; Tsere in contracted R2=R3 = Geminate
23יָשׁוּב
Hos 14:8
יָשׁוּבQalImperfect3msBiconsonantalשׁוּבQal Biconsonantal — no Niphal נ or Hiphil הֵ/מֵ marker; medial ו retained
24יָשֹׁב
Lam 1:11
יָשֹׁבQalImperfect3msBiconsonantalשׁוּבQal Biconsonantal; Holem vowel grade vs. Shureq in יָשׁוּב — both Qal, not Niphal/Hiphil

Discussion Questions

  1. Items 1 (נָכוֹן) and 3 (נָסַב) have the same prefix vowel (נָ, Qamets) and nearly identical shapes. What is the only reliable way to know that נָכוֹן is Biconsonantal (root כּוּן) and נָסַב is Geminate (root סָבַב)?
  2. Items 2 (הֵקִים) and 4 (הֵסֵב) both have הֵ prefix (Tsere). One retains a medial vowel letter and the other does not. Explain in one sentence how that difference reveals the class.
  3. Items 8 (יָקִים, Hiphil) and 11 (יָרֻם, Niphal) both begin with יָ (Qamets). What vowel under R2 distinguishes the Hiphil from the Niphal in these imperfect forms?
  4. Item 18 (הוּרַם) is Hophal, not Niphal or Hiphil. What prefix vowel distinguishes Hophal from Hiphil in the perfect? How does it differ from the Niphal הֵ prefix seen in item 13?
  5. Items 23–24 (יָשׁוּב / יָשֹׁב) are both Qal. Neither has the standard Niphal or Hiphil prefix markers. What is the only vowel difference between them, and what does it tell you about the stem?