Chapter 27 — Niphal–Hiphil Contrast Drill

BBH Chapters 25 & 27 · Niphal and Hiphil Weak Verbs

Part A — Roots with Contrasting Niphal and Hiphil Meanings

#FormReferenceContextStemConjugationPGNRootWeak Class
1נִשְׁמַעEst 1:20"the decree ___ throughout all the kingdom"
נִשְׁמַעEst 1:20NiphalPerfect3msשָׁמַעIII-ח/ענִ prefix + Pathach furtive before final ע = Niphal III-ח/ע perfect
2הִשְׁמִיעַ1 Kgs 15:22"Asa ___ this throughout all Judah"
הִשְׁמִיעַ1 Kgs 15:22HiphilPerfect3msשָׁמַעIII-ח/עהִ prefix + chiriq-yod + Pathach furtive before ע = Hiphil III-ח/ע perfect
3יִמָּצֵאGen 44:10"only the one with whom it is found ___ my slave"
יִמָּצֵאGen 44:10NiphalImperfect3msמָצָאIII-איִמָּ cluster + Tsere + silent final א = Niphal III-א imperfect
4הִמְצִיאNeh 9:15"you ___ them bread from heaven"
הִמְצִיאNeh 9:15HiphilPerfect3msמָצָאIII-אהִ prefix + chiriq-yod + silent final א = Hiphil III-א perfect
5נִגְלָהIsa 40:5"the glory of the LORD will ___"
נִגְלָהIsa 40:5NiphalPerfect3msגָּלָהIII-הנִ prefix + final ָה = Niphal III-ה perfect
6הֶעֱלָה1 Sam 12:6"the LORD who ___ Moses and Aaron"
הֶעֱלָה1 Sam 12:6HiphilPerfect3msעָלָהIII-ה + I-gutturalהֶ prefix (Seghol) + composite Shewa = Hiphil III-ה + I-guttural perfect
7וַיִּגַּשׁGen 44:18"Judah ___ close to him"
וַיִּגַּשׁGen 44:18NiphalWayyiqtol3msנָגַשׁI-נוַיִּ + dagesh in ג (R2) = Niphal I-נ wayyiqtol; נ has assimilated
8הִגִּישׁ2 Sam 17:29"they ___ food to David"
הִגִּישׁ2 Sam 17:29HiphilPerfect3msנָגַשׁI-נהִ prefix + dagesh forte in ג (R2) + chiriq = Hiphil I-נ perfect

Part B — Shared Roots, Weak-Class Focus

#FormReferenceContextStemConjugationPGNRootWeak Class
9נוֹלַדGen 21:5"when Isaac was ___"
נוֹלַדGen 21:5NiphalPerfect3msיָלַדI-ינוֹ prefix + Pathach under R2 = Niphal I-י perfect
10וַיּוֹלֶדGen 10:8"Cush ___ Nimrod"
וַיּוֹלֶדGen 10:8HiphilWayyiqtol3msיָלַדI-יוַיּוֹ prefix (Holem Waw) = Hiphil I-י wayyiqtol; contrast Niphal וַיִּוָּלֵד
11יִוָּלֵדGen 17:17"shall a child be born to a man who is 100 years old?"
יִוָּלֵדGen 17:17NiphalImperfect3msיָלַדI-ייִוָּ cluster = Niphal I-י imperfect; Holem Waw prefix would be Hiphil
12יוֹרִיד1 Sam 2:6"the LORD ___ to Sheol and raises up"
יוֹרִיד1 Sam 2:6HiphilImperfect3msיָרַדI-ייוֹ prefix (Holem Waw) = Hiphil I-י imperfect; chiriq-yod in root
13וַיִּוָּדַעEst 2:22"the matter became known"
וַיִּוָּדַעEst 2:22NiphalWayyiqtol3msיָדַעI-יוַיִּוָּ = Niphal I-י wayyiqtol; Pathach under R2 (יָדַע class)
14הֵקִיםGen 6:18"I will ___ my covenant with you"
הֵקִיםGen 6:18HiphilPerfect3msקוּםBiconsonantalהֵ prefix (Tsere) + chiriq-yod = Hiphil Biconsonantal perfect
15נָכוֹןGen 41:32"the thing is ___ / fixed by God"
נָכוֹןGen 41:32NiphalPerfect / Participle3ms / msכּוּןBiconsonantalנָ prefix (Qamets) = Niphal Biconsonantal perfect or participle

Part C — Mixed Review

#FormReferenceContextStemConjugationPGNRootWeak Class
16וַיַּעַלGen 8:20"and Noah ___ burnt offerings on the altar"
וַיַּעַלGen 8:20HiphilWayyiqtol3msעָלָהIII-ה + I-gutturalApocopated: ה dropped; short Pathach under R2; also I-guttural composite Shewa
17וַיִּגָּלNum 24:4"the man whose eyes are unveiled"
וַיִּגָּלNum 24:4NiphalWayyiqtol3msגָּלָהIII-הApocopated: ה dropped; וַיִּגָּ cluster = Niphal III-ה wayyiqtol
18הָסֵב2 Sam 5:23"___ around behind them"
הָסֵב2 Sam 5:23HiphilImperative2msסָבַבGeminateהָ prefix (Qamets) = Hiphil imperative; Tsere in contracted R2=R3 = Geminate
19מַעֲמִידִיםNeh 4:7"those who ___ behind the whole house"
מַעֲמִידִיםNeh 4:7HiphilParticiplempעָמַדI-gutturalמַ + composite Shewa under ע + chiriq + ים = Hiphil I-guttural participle mp
20הֵרָאֵה1 Kgs 18:1"___ yourself to Ahab"
הֵרָאֵה1 Kgs 18:1NiphalImperative2msרָאָהIII-ההֵ prefix (Tsere; compensatory for ר) + final ֵה = Niphal III-ה imperative

Discussion Questions

  1. Items 1–2 (שָׁמַע) and items 3–4 (מָצָא): in each pair the Niphal and Hiphil forms share the same root but have opposite meanings. Pick one pair and explain in one sentence what the Niphal adds and what the Hiphil adds.
  2. Items 9–11 are all from the root יָלַד (I-י). Two are Niphal and one is Hiphil. Both stems use a Holem Waw cluster, yet they are distinguishable. What is the precise difference between וַיּוֹלֶד (Hiphil) and וַיִּוָּלֵד (Niphal)?
  3. Items 16–17 both show apocopated wayyiqtol forms from III-ה roots. Item 16 is Hiphil and item 17 is Niphal. Without the prefix helping you, how do you determine the stem of an apocopated form?
  4. Items 18 (הָסֵב) and 20 (הֵרָאֵה) are both imperatives. One is Hiphil Geminate, the other is Niphal III-ה. What is the prefix vowel difference, and what does it signal in each case?