Chapter 27 — Hiphil Weak-Form Identification Drill

BBH Chapter 27 · Hiphil Weak Verbs

For each form: (1) identify the weak class, (2) parse (conjugation + PGN), (3) identify the root.

ClassKey diagnostic signal
I-gutturalהֶ prefix (perfect); composite shewa under R1; no dagesh in R1 throughout
III-ח/עPatach furtive before final ח/ע (open syllable); patach (not tsere) in wayyiqtol/imperative before final guttural
III-אSilent final א; chiriq-yod before silent א (perfect/imperfect/inf.); tsere before silent א (wayyiqtol/imperative)
III-הQamets + ה (perfect 3ms); seghol + ה (imperfect/participle); apocopated wayyiqtol (ה dropped); וֹת (inf. construct)
I-נDagesh forte in R2 throughout entire paradigm; root נ invisible
I-יהוֹ prefix (perfect/imperative/inf.); יוֹ/תּוֹ/אוֹ/נוֹ prefix (imperfect); וַיּוֹ (wayyiqtol); מוֹ (participle)
Biconsonantalהֵ prefix (perfect); qamets under prefix consonant (imperfect/wayyiqtol); הָ prefix (imperative/inf. construct); מֵ prefix (participle ms)
Geminateהֵ prefix (perfect); qamets under prefix (imperfect/wayyiqtol); הָ prefix (imperative/inf. construct); מֵ prefix (participle) — nearly identical to Biconsonantal; root identification (R2=R3) is the only reliable distinguisher

Part A — By Class

Group 1 — I-guttural
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
1הֶעֱמִיד1 Kgs 7:21
Perfect · 3ms · עָמַד — he set up; seghol under הֶ + hateph-seghol under ע are the twin I-guttural markers
2וַיַּעֲמֵד2 Chr 4:4
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · עָמַד — and he set it; patach prefix (standard Hiphil) + hateph-patach under ע + tsere final
3יַעֲמִידPsa 107:29
Imperfect · 3ms · עָמַד — he causes to stand still; patach prefix + composite shewa under ע; no dagesh in R1
4הַעֲמֵדNum 27:19
Imperative · 2ms · עָמַד — set him before; הַ + composite shewa under ע + tsere
5מַעֲמִידNeh 4:7
Participle · ms · עָמַד — one who stations; מַ + composite shewa under ע + chiriq
Group 2 — III-ח/ע
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
6הִשְׁמִיעַIsa 48:6
Perfect · 3ms · שָׁמַע — he caused to hear; patach furtive written below the chiriq-yod, before final ע
7וַיַּשְׁלַחGen 3:23
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · שָׁלַח — and he sent out; patach (not tsere) before final ח — guttural forces vowel lowering in the shortened wayyiqtol form
8יַשְׁמִיעַIsa 42:2
Imperfect · 3ms · שָׁמַע — he will cause to hear; patach furtive before final ע in open syllable
9הַשְׁמַעDeu 4:10
Imperative · 2ms · שָׁמַע — make them hear; patach before final ע (not tsere) — shortened form before guttural
10מַשְׁמִיעַIsa 41:26
Participle · ms · שָׁמַע — one who announces; מַ + chiriq-yod + patach furtive before final ע
Group 3 — III-א
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
11הִמְצִיאNeh 9:15
Perfect · 3ms · מָצָא — he provided / caused to find; chiriq-yod + silent final א
12וַיַּמְצֵא2 Chr 2:13
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · מָצָא — and he provided; tsere + silent final א (standard Hiphil wayyiqtol vowel + silent R3)
13יַמְצִיאPro 8:35
Imperfect · 3ms · מָצָא — he will cause to find; chiriq-yod + silent final א
14וַיַּקְרֵאGen 1:5
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · קָרָא — and he called; tsere + silent final א; one of the most frequent forms in Genesis 1
15מַקְרִיאNeh 8:3
Participle · ms · קָרָא — one who reads aloud; מַ + chiriq-yod + silent final א
Group 4 — III-ה
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
16הֶעֱלָהGen 8:20
Perfect · 3ms · עָלָה — he offered up; qamets + ה ending; also I-guttural: seghol under הֶ + hateph-seghol under ע
17וַיַּעַלGen 22:2
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · עָלָה — and he went up / offered up; apocopated — ה dropped; short patach under R2 (ע)
18יַעֲלֶהLev 14:20
Imperfect · 3ms · עָלָה — he shall offer up; seghol + ה ending; composite shewa under ע (I-guttural interaction)
19הַרְאֵהExo 33:18
Imperative · 2ms · רָאָה — show me; tsere + ה retained (not apocopated in imperative)
20לְהַעֲלוֹתExo 3:17
Inf. Construct · — · עָלָה — to bring up; ends in וֹת — the most reliable III-ה Hiphil inf. construct marker
Group 5 — I-נ
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
21הִפִּילGen 2:21
Perfect · 3ms · נָפַל — he caused to fall; dagesh forte in R2 (פ) — נ has assimilated; root נָפַל
22וַיַּפֵּלGen 2:21
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · נָפַל — and he cast; patach prefix + dagesh in R2 (פ) + tsere final
23יַפִּילPro 19:15
Imperfect · 3ms · נָפַל — causes to fall; patach prefix + dagesh in R2 + chiriq
24הַגֵּשׁGen 27:25
Imperative · 2ms · נָגַשׁ — bring near; הַ + dagesh forte in R2 (ג) + tsere
25מַגִּישׁMal 1:7
Participle · ms · נָגַשׁ — one who brings near; מַ + dagesh in R2 + chiriq
Group 6 — I-י
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
26הוֹצִיאGen 15:7
Perfect · 3ms · יָצָא — he brought out; הוֹ prefix (holem-vav) — the signature I-י/ו Hiphil marker
27וַיּוֹצֵאGen 1:12
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · יָצָא — and it brought forth; וַיּוֹ prefix — dagesh in יּ + holem-vav
28יוֹרִיד1 Sam 2:6
Imperfect · 3ms · יָרַד — he brings down; יוֹ prefix (holem-vav under imperfect prefix consonant)
29הוֹרֵדGen 42:38
Imperative · 2ms · יָרַד — bring down; הוֹ prefix (not הַ) + tsere final — distinguishes I-י from strong Hiphil imperative
30מוֹצִיאDeu 8:14
Participle · ms · יָצָא — the one who brings out; מוֹ prefix (holem-vav under מ) — not מַ of the strong Hiphil
Group 7 — Biconsonantal
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
31הֵקִיםGen 6:18
Perfect · 3ms · קוּם — he established; הֵ prefix (tsere) instead of הִ (hiriq) — the primary biconsonantal marker
32וַיָּקֶםGen 23:20
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · קוּם — and it was confirmed/set; qamets under prefix consonant + apocopated seghol final
33יָקִיםDeu 18:15
Imperfect · 3ms · קוּם — he will raise up; qamets under prefix consonant (יָ) — not the patach of the strong Hiphil (יַ)
34הָקֵםExo 40:2
Imperative · 2ms · קוּם — set up; הָ prefix (qamets) + tsere; contrast with strong הַקְטֵל (patach prefix)
35מֵקִים1 Sam 2:8
Participle · ms · קוּם — one who raises up; מֵ prefix (tsere) — not מַ (patach) of the strong/most-weak-class Hiphil participle
Group 8 — Geminate
#FormReferenceConjugationPGNRoot
36הֵסֵב1 Kgs 21:4
Perfect · 3ms · סָבַב — he turned his face; הֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal הֵקִים; root ס-ב-ב has R2=R3 (Geminate)
37וַיָּסֶבJosh 6:14
Wayyiqtol · 3ms · סָבַב — and they marched around; qamets under prefix + apocopated seghol final — same pattern as Biconsonantal וַיָּקֶם
38יָסֵבIsa 44:20
Imperfect · 3ms · סָבַב — it leads astray; qamets under prefix consonant (יָ) — same as Biconsonantal יָקִים; root knowledge required to distinguish
39הָסֵב2 Sam 2:22
Imperative · 2ms · סָבַב — turn aside!; הָ prefix (qamets) — same as Biconsonantal הָקֵם; only root identity (ס-ב-ב vs. hollow) distinguishes
40מֵסֵב(expected)
Participle · ms · סָבַב — one who surrounds; מֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal מֵקִים; Geminate class requires root knowledge

Part B — Mixed

Identify the weak class first, then parse fully.

#FormReferenceWeak classConjugationPGNRoot
41וַיַּשְׁמַע1 Sam 15:14
III-ח/ע · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · שָׁמַע — and he made heard; patach (not tsere) before final ע — guttural forces vowel lowering in shortened form
42הֵשִׂיםGen 45:9
Biconsonantal · Perfect · 3ms · שִׂים — he made / placed; הֵ prefix (tsere) identifies biconsonantal Hiphil perfect; root שׂ-י-מ contains medial hireq-yod vowel letter = Biconsonantal
43וַיַּעַלGen 22:2
III-ה · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · עָלָה — and he went up / offered; apocopated: ה dropped, short patach under R2; also I-guttural interaction visible
44הִגִּישׁAmos 9:13
I-נ · Perfect · 3ms · נָגַשׁ — he drew near / brought near; dagesh forte in R2 (ג); hiriq prefix (הִ) + dagesh identifies I-נ Hiphil perfect
45הָסֵב2 Sam 5:23
Geminate · Imperative · 2ms · סָבַב — circle around behind them; הָ prefix (qamets) looks exactly like Biconsonantal הָקֵם; only root knowledge (ס-ב-ב has R2=R3) identifies it as Geminate
46הֶרְאָהExo 25:9
III-ה · Perfect · 3ms · רָאָה — he showed; qamets + ה ending; seghol under הֶ (guttural ר causes compensatory lengthening)
47וַיּוֹרֶדGen 42:38
I-י · Wayyiqtol · 3ms · יָרַד — and he brought down; וַיּוֹ prefix (dagesh in יּ + holem-vav) uniquely identifies I-י/ו Hiphil wayyiqtol
48מַעֲמִידִיםNeh 4:7
I-guttural · Participle · mp · עָמַד — those who station; מַ + composite shewa under ע + chiriq + ים plural ending
49הַמְצֵא(†)
III-א · Imperative · 2ms · מָצָא — cause to find; tsere + silent final א; הַ prefix (patach) — compare הִמְצִיא (perfect) which has hiriq under הִ
50וָאָקִיםExo 6:4
Biconsonantal · Wayyiqtol · 1cs · קוּם — and I established; וָאָ prefix (1cs wayyiqtol) + qamets + chiriq-yod medial; "I also established my covenant with them"

Discussion Questions

  1. Compare הִמְצִיא (III-א perfect 3ms) and הַמְצֵא (III-א imperative 2ms). Both end with silent final א. How do you distinguish them? What is the key difference in the prefix vowel?
  2. הַשְׁמַע (III-ח/ע imperative) and הַעֲמֵד (I-guttural imperative) both begin with הַ. How does the vowel under R1 differ? What does that tell you about the class?
  3. וַיַּשְׁלַח (III-ח/ע wayyiqtol) and וַיַּקְרֵא (III-א wayyiqtol) both have patach under וַיַּ. The difference is in the final vowel. Explain what happens to the Hiphil tsere in each case and why.
  4. Compare הוֹרֵד (I-י imperative 2ms) and הָקֵם (Biconsonantal imperative 2ms). Both have a long prefix vowel rather than the patach (הַ) of the strong Hiphil imperative. What prefix vowel does each use, and how can you tell them apart?
  5. Items 36–40 (Geminate) and items 31–35 (Biconsonantal) share nearly identical vowel patterns in every conjugation: הֵ perfect, יָ/תָּ imperfect, הָ imperative, מֵ participle. What is the only reliable way to determine whether a Hiphil form belongs to the Geminate class or the Biconsonantal class? Why can the vocalization alone not always resolve this question?