Hiphil Weak Verbs — Geminate (Ayin-Doubled, II=III) Paradigms¶
Full conjugation tables for Geminate (Ayin-Doubled) roots in the Hiphil stem. Representative roots: סָבַב (to go around → Hiphil: cause to go around, surround) and שָׁלַל (to plunder → Hiphil: cause to plunder, despoil). Each section shows the strong root (קטל) alongside the weak paradigm for direct comparison. Attested forms drawn from MACULA Hebrew WLC.
Overview of the Class¶
Geminate roots (R2 = R3) in the Hiphil produce forms that closely resemble the Biconsonantal (Hollow) Hiphil paradigm. This is the most important confusable pair for this class.
Key parallels and distinctions:
| Feature | Biconsonantal (קוּם) | Geminate (סָבַב) |
|---|---|---|
| Perfect 3ms | הֵקִים (tsere) | הֵסֵב (tsere — same!) |
| Imperfect 3ms | יָקִים (qamets) | יָסֵב (qamets — same!) |
| Wayyiqtol 3ms | וַיָּקֶם (qamets) | וַיָּסֶב (qamets — same!) |
| Root structure | ק + וּ + ם (hollow) | ס + ב + ב (doubled R2=R3) |
The Geminate Hiphil is phonologically nearly identical to the Biconsonantal Hiphil. The root itself (three consonants with R2=R3) is the only reliable way to distinguish the two classes once you know the root. In practice, if you know the root, you know the class; the forms themselves cannot always be distinguished.
Perfect (Qatal)¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil perfect 3ms: הִקְטִיל. Geminate Hiphil perfect 3ms: הֵסֵב — the הֵ prefix (tsere under הֵ) and a contracted root with tsere under R1. This is the same הֵ prefix as the Biconsonantal Hiphil perfect (הֵקִים).
| Person | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) | Geminate (שלל) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms | הִקְטִיל | הֵסֵב | הֵשֵׁל |
| 3fs | הִקְטִילָה | הֵסֵבָּה | הֵשֵׁלָּה |
| 3cp | הִקְטִילוּ | הֵסֵבּוּ | הֵשֵׁלּוּ |
| 2ms | הִקְטַלְתָּ | הֲסִבּוֹתָ | הֲשִׁלּוֹתָ |
| 2fs | הִקְטַלְתְּ | הֲסִבּוֹת | הֲשִׁלּוֹת |
| 2mp | הִקְטַלְתֶּם | הֲסִבּוֹתֶם | הֲשִׁלּוֹתֶם |
| 1cs | הִקְטַלְתִּי | הֲסִבּוֹתִי | הֲשִׁלּוֹתִי |
| 1cp | הִקְטַלְנוּ | הֲסִבּוֹנוּ | הֲשִׁלּוֹנוּ |
Key: 3ms has הֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal הֵקִים. Suffixed forms reduce to shewa under הֲ + doubled R2.
Attested passages: - הֵסֵב (1 Kgs 21:4) — "he turned his face toward the wall" — perfect 3ms from סָבַב; הֵ prefix (tsere) is unmistakable - הֵסֵב (Lam 3:11) — "he turned me aside and tore me to pieces" — Hiphil causative meaning clearly active - וְהֵסֵב (1 Sam 5:8) — "and let them move the ark of the God of Israel" — weqatal 3mp; the הֵ prefix is retained
Imperfect (Yiqtol)¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil imperfect: יַקְטִיל. Geminate Hiphil imperfect: יָסֵב — qamets under the prefix consonant (יָ), contracted doubled root. Again, this matches the Biconsonantal imperfect pattern (יָקִים).
| Person | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) | Geminate (שלל) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms | יַקְטִיל | יָסֵב | יָשֵׁל |
| 3fs | תַּקְטִיל | תָּסֵב | תָּשֵׁל |
| 3mp | יַקְטִילוּ | יָסֵבּוּ | יָשֵׁלּוּ |
| 2ms | תַּקְטִיל | תָּסֵב | תָּשֵׁל |
| 1cs | אַקְטִיל | אָסֵב | אָשֵׁל |
| 1cp | נַקְטִיל | נָסֵב | נָשֵׁל |
Key: Qamets under the prefix consonant (יָ / תָּ / אָ / נָ) — same as Biconsonantal יָקִים. If you know it is from סָבַב rather than קוּם, you know the class.
Attested passages: - יָסֵב (Isa 44:20) — "a deluded heart has led him astray" — imperfect 3ms Hiphil from סָבַב (causative: "turns away") - תָּסֵב (Num 36:9) — "no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another" — imperfect 3fs; qamets prefix
Wayyiqtol¶
The Pattern¶
Geminate Hiphil wayyiqtol: וַיָּסֶב — qamets + seghol in the short form. Matches the Biconsonantal wayyiqtol (וַיָּקֶם).
| Person | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | וַיַּקְטֵל | וַיָּסֶב |
| 3fs | וַתַּקְטֵל | וַתָּסֶב |
| 3mp | וַיַּקְטִילוּ | וַיָּסֵבּוּ |
Key: וַיָּ prefix (qamets) + contracted root + seghol final. Same visual pattern as וַיָּקֶם (Biconsonantal).
Attested passages: - וַיָּסֶב (Josh 6:14) — "and they marched around the city" — wayyiqtol 3ms from סָבַב; narrative chain in the Jericho account - וַיָּסֶב (1 Sam 18:11) — "and David turned aside from his presence" — wayyiqtol; causative/reflexive Hiphil
Weqatal¶
The Pattern¶
Weqatal of Geminate Hiphil uses the same base as the perfect.
| Person | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | וְהִקְטִיל | וְהֵסֵב |
Note: The weqatal maintains the הֵ prefix (tsere) of the perfect. The doubled R2 may take dagesh forte when a suffix follows.
Imperative¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil imperative 2ms: הַקְטֵל. Geminate Hiphil imperative: הָסֵב — qamets under הָ, matching the Biconsonantal imperative (הָקֵם).
| Form | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) | Geminate (שלל) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2ms | הַקְטֵל | הָסֵב | הָשֵׁל |
| 2fs | הַקְטִילִי | הָסֵבִּי | הָשֵׁלִּי |
| 2mp | הַקְטֵלוּ | הָסֵבּוּ | הָשֵׁלּוּ |
Key: הָ prefix (qamets) — same as Biconsonantal הָקֵם. Contrast with the strong Hiphil הַקְטֵל (patach).
Attested passages: - הָסֵב (2 Sam 2:22) — "turn aside from following me" — imperative 2ms from סָבַב; the qamets prefix distinguishes it from strong הַקְטֵל - הָסֵבּוּ (Num 21:4) — "they traveled around the land of Edom" — imperative used with circumambulatory sense
Infinitive Construct¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil inf. construct: הַקְטִיל. Geminate Hiphil inf. construct: הָסֵב — qamets under הָ + contracted root. Same form as the imperative.
| Form | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) |
|---|---|---|
| Inf. Construct | הַקְטִיל | הָסֵב |
Note: The inf. construct is identical to the 2ms imperative (הָסֵב). Verbal prepositions (לְ/בְּ) typically accompany the inf. construct, distinguishing it from the imperative.
Infinitive Absolute¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil inf. absolute: הַקְטֵל. Geminate Hiphil inf. absolute: הָסֵב or הַסֵּב — the inf. absolute is attested in both short and long forms; theoretically expected form follows the imperative pattern.
| Form | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) |
|---|---|---|
| Inf. Absolute | הַקְטֵל | הָסֵב (or הַסֵּב) † |
Participle¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil participle ms: מַקְטִיל. Geminate Hiphil participle ms: מֵסֵב — מֵ prefix (tsere). This matches the Biconsonantal Hiphil participle (מֵקִים).
| Form | Strong (קטל) | Geminate (סבב) | Geminate (שלל) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ms | מַקְטִיל | מֵסֵב | מֵשֵׁל |
| mp | מַקְטִילִים | מְסַבִּים | מְשַׁלְּלִים |
| fs | מַקְטִילָה | מְסַבָּה | מְשַׁלֶּלֶת |
Key: מֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal מֵקִים. Contrast with the strong Hiphil מַ prefix (patach).
Attested passages: - מֵסֵב (†) — expected form; the root סָבַב does not appear in attested Hiphil participle ms in the OT, but the form is theoretically regular - מְסַבִּים (1 Kgs 10:19) — "the throne had six steps and a back" (related noun); the root's circular meaning underlies the term
Summary — Geminate (II=III) Hiphil at a Glance¶
| Conjugation | Strong (קטל) | Geminate form | Key feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect 3ms | הִקְטִיל | הֵסֵב | הֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal |
| Imperfect 3ms | יַקְטִיל | יָסֵב | Qamets under prefix (יָ) — same as Biconsonantal |
| Wayyiqtol 3ms | וַיַּקְטֵל | וַיָּסֶב | וַיָּ + contracted root + seghol |
| Imperative 2ms | הַקְטֵל | הָסֵב | הָ prefix (qamets) — same as Biconsonantal |
| Inf. Construct | הַקְטִיל | הָסֵב | Same form as imperative |
| Inf. Absolute | הַקְטֵל | הָסֵב † | Expected; rare |
| Participle ms | מַקְטִיל | מֵסֵב | מֵ prefix (tsere) — same as Biconsonantal |
Critical confusable pair: Geminate Hiphil (הֵסֵב, יָסֵב, וַיָּסֶב) vs. Biconsonantal Hiphil (הֵקִים, יָקִים, וַיָּקֶם). The vowel patterns are nearly identical. The root is the only reliable distinguisher: Biconsonantal roots contain a hollow vowel letter (ו/י) as the medial; Geminate roots have an identical R2 and R3 (repeated consonant).