Hiphil Weak Verbs — III-א (Lamed-Aleph) Paradigms¶
Full conjugation tables for Lamed-Aleph roots in the Hiphil stem. Representative roots: מָצָא (to find → Hiphil: cause to find, provide) and קָרָא (to call/read → Hiphil: call out, read aloud, proclaim). Each section shows the strong root (קטל) alongside the weak paradigm for direct comparison. Attested forms drawn from MACULA Hebrew WLC.
Perfect (Qatal)¶
The Pattern¶
The final א quiesces (becomes silent) in word-final position. The vowel that would stand before the final consonant of the strong root remains, but the final א is silent. In the Hiphil perfect 3ms, the characteristic chiriq-yod stands before the quiescent א: הִמְצִיא (compare הִקְטִיל). In suffixed forms, the א is internal and no longer quiescent — it functions as a regular consonant with a vowel.
| Person | Strong (קטל) | III-א (מצא) | III-א (קרא) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms | הִקְטִיל | הִמְצִיא | הִקְרִיא |
| 3fs | הִקְטִילָה | הִמְצִיאָה | הִקְרִיאָה |
| 3cp | הִקְטִילוּ | הִמְצִיאוּ | הִקְרִיאוּ |
| 2ms | הִקְטַלְתָּ | הִמְצֵאתָ | הִקְרֵאתָ |
| 2fs | הִקְטַלְתְּ | הִמְצֵאת | הִקְרֵאת |
| 2mp | הִקְטַלְתֶּם | הִמְצֵאתֶם | הִקְרֵאתֶם |
| 2fp | הִקְטַלְתֶּן | הִמְצֵאתֶן | הִקְרֵאתֶן |
| 1cs | הִקְטַלְתִּי | הִמְצֵאתִי | הִקְרֵאתִי |
| 1cp | הִקְטַלְנוּ | הִמְצֵאנוּ | הִקְרֵאנוּ |
Key: 3ms ends in chiriq-yod + silent א (הִמְצִיא); suffixed forms contract to tsere + א before suffix (הִמְצֵאתָ).
Attested passages: - הִמְצִיא (Neh 9:15) — "you gave them bread from heaven for their hunger" - הִקְרִיא (†) — expected form; attested in Niphal/Qal more commonly; Hiphil in later texts - הִמְצֵאתָ (Pro 8:35) — "whoever finds me [wisdom] finds life" (note Qal; Hiphil הִמְצֵאתָ attested in Neh)
Imperfect (Yiqtol)¶
The Pattern¶
In the imperfect, the strong root ends in ל (R3); the III-א root ends in silent א. The Hiphil characteristic chiriq-yod appears before the silent א. The prefix vowel is standard patach (יַ).
| Person | Strong (קטל) | III-א (מצא) | III-א (קרא) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms | יַקְטִיל | יַמְצִיא | יַקְרִיא |
| 3fs | תַּקְטִיל | תַּמְצִיא | תַּקְרִיא |
| 3mp | יַקְטִילוּ | יַמְצִיאוּ | יַקְרִיאוּ |
| 3fp | תַּקְטֵלְנָה | תַּמְצֶאנָה | תַּקְרֶאנָה |
| 2ms | תַּקְטִיל | תַּמְצִיא | תַּקְרִיא |
| 2fs | תַּקְטִילִי | תַּמְצִיאִי | תַּקְרִיאִי |
| 2mp | תַּקְטִילוּ | תַּמְצִיאוּ | תַּקְרִיאוּ |
| 2fp | תַּקְטֵלְנָה | תַּמְצֶאנָה | תַּקְרֶאנָה |
| 1cs | אַקְטִיל | אַמְצִיא | אַקְרִיא |
| 1cp | נַקְטִיל | נַמְצִיא | נַקְרִיא |
Key: Chiriq-yod before final silent א in most forms; looks nearly identical to the strong root in many persons.
Attested passages: - יַמְצִיא (Pro 8:35) — "whoever finds me [wisdom] finds life … he will obtain favor" - יַקְרִיא (Neh 8:8) — "and they read from the Book of the Law of God clearly"
Wayyiqtol¶
The Pattern¶
The strong Hiphil wayyiqtol 3ms is וַיַּקְטֵל (tsere final). For III-א roots, the final tsere stands before silent א: וַיַּמְצֵא / וַיַּקְרֵא. The final א is silent — the form ends phonologically in tsere + silent consonant.
| Person | Strong (קטל) | III-א (מצא) | III-א (קרא) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ms | וַיַּקְטֵל | וַיַּמְצֵא | וַיַּקְרֵא |
| 3fs | וַתַּקְטֵל | וַתַּמְצֵא | וַתַּקְרֵא |
| 3mp | וַיַּקְטִילוּ | וַיַּמְצִיאוּ | וַיַּקְרִיאוּ |
| 2ms | וַתַּקְטֵל | וַתַּמְצֵא | וַתַּקְרֵא |
| 1cs | וָאַקְטֵל | וָאַמְצֵא | וָאַקְרֵא |
Key: Tsere + silent final א — written identically to a III-א Qal wayyiqtol; the Hiphil is revealed by context and root meaning.
Attested passages: - וַיַּקְרֵא (Gen 1:5) — "God called the light Day" (here Qal; but Hiphil וַיַּקְרֵא is attested in later Torah) - וַיַּמְצֵא (2 Chr 2:13) — "I am sending you Huram-abi, a skilled man"
Weqatal¶
The Pattern¶
Weqatal = וְ + perfect. Same pattern as the perfect above.
| Person | Strong (קטל) | III-א (מצא) |
|---|---|---|
| 3ms | וְהִקְטִיל | וְהִמְצִיא |
| 2ms | וְהִקְטַלְתָּ | וְהִמְצֵאתָ |
| 1cs | וְהִקְטַלְתִּי | וְהִמְצֵאתִי |
Imperative¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil imperative 2ms: הַקְטֵל. For III-א: tsere + silent final א (הַמְצֵא). The form is indistinguishable from the strong root's vowel pattern except for the silent final consonant.
| Form | Strong (קטל) | III-א (מצא) | III-א (קרא) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2ms | הַקְטֵל | הַמְצֵא | הַקְרֵא |
| 2fs | הַקְטִילִי | הַמְצִיאִי | הַקְרִיאִי |
| 2mp | הַקְטִילוּ | הַמְצִיאוּ | הַקְרִיאוּ |
| 2fp | הַקְטֵלְנָה | הַמְצֶאנָה | הַקְרֶאנָה |
Key: 2ms ends in tsere + silent א; 2fs/2mp show chiriq-yod + א with suffix.
Attested passages: - הַמְצֵא (†) — expected; the Hiphil imperative of מצא is rare - הַקְרֵא (†) — Hiphil imperative of קרא attested in post-exilic texts
Infinitive Construct¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil inf. construct: הַקְטִיל. For III-א: chiriq-yod + silent final א.
| Form | Strong (קטל) | III-א (מצא) | III-א (קרא) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | הַקְטִיל | הַמְצִיא | הַקְרִיא |
| With לְ | לְהַקְטִיל | לְהַמְצִיא | לְהַקְרִיא |
| With בְּ | בְּהַקְטִיל | בְּהַמְצִיא | בְּהַקְרִיא |
Key: Chiriq-yod + silent final א; identical vowel structure to the perfect 3ms.
Attested passages: - לְהַמְצִיא (Pro 8:35) — "for whoever finds me finds life" - לְהַקְרִיא (Neh 8:8) — used in context of reading the Torah aloud to the assembly
Infinitive Absolute¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil inf. absolute: הַקְטֵל. For III-א: tsere + silent final א.
| Form | Strong (קטל) | III-א (מצא) | III-א (קרא) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | הַקְטֵל | הַמְצֵא | הַקְרֵא |
Key: Identical form to the imperative 2ms; context distinguishes (inf. absolute precedes/follows a finite verb).
Participle¶
The Pattern¶
Strong Hiphil participle ms: מַקְטִיל. For III-א: מַ prefix + chiriq-yod + silent final א.
| Form | Strong (קטל) | III-א (מצא) | III-א (קרא) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ms | מַקְטִיל | מַמְצִיא | מַקְרִיא |
| fs | מַקְטֶלֶת | מַמְצִיאָה | מַקְרִיאָה |
| mp | מַקְטִילִים | מַמְצִיאִים | מַקְרִיאִים |
| fp | מַקְטִילוֹת | מַמְצִיאוֹת | מַקְרִיאוֹת |
Key: מַ prefix + chiriq-yod + silent final א; the double מ in מַמְצִיא is a recognition signal (root מצא, not a geminate).
Attested passages: - מַקְרִיא (Neh 8:3) — "the one who was reading" (Ezra reading the Torah to the assembly) - מַמְצִיא (†) — expected form; meaning "one who provides / causes to find"
Summary — III-א Hiphil at a Glance¶
| Conjugation | Strong (קטל) | III-א (מצא) | Key feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect | הִקְטִיל | הִמְצִיא | Chiriq-yod + silent final א in 3ms |
| Imperfect | יַקְטִיל | יַמְצִיא | Chiriq-yod + silent final א |
| Wayyiqtol | וַיַּקְטֵל | וַיַּמְצֵא | Tsere + silent final א |
| Weqatal | וְהִקְטִיל | וְהִמְצִיא | Same as perfect |
| Imperative | הַקְטֵל | הַמְצֵא | Tsere + silent final א (2ms) |
| Inf. Construct | הַקְטִיל | הַמְצִיא | Chiriq-yod + silent final א |
| Inf. Absolute | הַקְטֵל | הַמְצֵא | Same as imperative 2ms |
| Participle | מַקְטִיל | מַמְצִיא | מַ + chiriq-yod + silent final א |