Chapter 28 — "Spot the Hophal" Passage Exercise

Stem: Hophal (הֻפְעַל) — passive of the Hiphil causative  |  Passages: Gen 22:20 · Gen 39:1 · Gen 42:28 · Gen 43:18 · Exo 5:14–16 · Exo 10:8 · Exo 40:17–18 · Num 35:16–18, 30–31

Instructions: For each numbered verb, fill in: (1) Hophal? Yes/No (2) Conjugation (3) PGN (4) Root (5) Gloss. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the parse and the KJV translation.

Passage A — Genesis 22:20

Context: Following the account of Abraham's offering of Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22), news arrives from Mesopotamia.

וַיְהִ֗י אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַיֻּגַּ֥ד [1] לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֤ה יָלְדָה֙ מִלְכָּ֔ה
#VerbHophal?ConjugationPGNRootGloss
1 וַיֻּגַּד
✓ וַיֻּגַּד Yes Wayyiqtol 3ms נגד it was told / reported
KJV (Gen 22:20): "And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor."

Passage B — Exodus 5:14–16

Context: Pharaoh's taskmasters beat the Israelite foremen for failing to meet brick-making quotas.

וַיֻּכּ֗וּ [2] שֹׁטְרֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣מוּ עֲלֵהֶ֔ם נֹגְשֵׂ֥י פַרְעֹ֖ה
#VerbHophal?ConjugationPGNRootGloss
2 וַיֻּכּוּ
✓ וַיֻּכּוּ Yes Wayyiqtol 3mp נכה were beaten / struck
KJV (Exo 5:14): "And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten…"
Parsing challenge — Passage B: Verb 3 (נִתָּן) is a Niphal Participle, not a Hophal. Both are passive. The נ prefix (vs. מֻ) distinguishes Niphal from Hophal. Verb 4 (מֻכִּים) is the Hophal — the מֻ prefix + Qibbuts marks it as Hophal Participle.
לָ֚מָּה תַעֲשֶׂ֣ה כֹ֔ה לַעֲבָדֶ֑יךָ׃ תֶּ֗בֶן אֵ֤ין נִתָּן֙ [3] לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּלְבֵנִ֛ים אֹמְרִ֥ים לָ֖נוּ עֲשׂ֑וּ וְהִנֵּ֧ה עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ מֻכִּ֖ים [4]
#VerbHophal?ConjugationPGNRootGloss
3 נִתָּן
✗ נִתָּן No — Niphal Participle ms נתן is given (Niphal, not Hophal)
KJV (Exo 5:16): "There is no straw given unto thy servants…"
4 מֻכִּים
✓ מֻכִּים Yes Participle mp נכה being beaten (Hophal)
KJV (Exo 5:16): "…and, behold, thy servants are beaten…"

Passage C — Numbers 35:16–18, 30–31

Context: Torah legislation on murder and the death penalty.

Key form to watch: The formula מוֹת יוּמַת appears 4× in this passage. יוּמַת (Hophal Imperfect) is always Hophal. יָמוּת (Qal Imperfect) appears in the conditional clauses. The prefix vowel distinguishes them: יָ (Qal Pathach) vs. יוּ (Hophal Shureq).
וְאִם֩ בִּכְלִ֨י בַרְזֶ֧ל הִכָּ֛הוּ וַיָּמֹ֖ת מֽוֹת־יוּמַ֖ת [5] הָרֹצֵֽחַ׃
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5 יוּמַת
✓ יוּמַת Yes Imperfect 3ms מות shall be put to death
KJV (Num 35:16): "…the murderer shall surely be put to death."
וְאִם֩ בְּאֶ֨בֶן יָ֜ד אֲשֶׁר־יָמ֤וּת [6] בָּהּ֙ הִכָּ֔הוּ וַיָּמֹ֖ת מֽוֹת־יוּמַ֖ת [7] הָרֹצֵֽחַ׃ וְאִ֨ם בִּכְלִי֩ עֵ֨ץ יָ֜ד אֲשֶׁר־יָמ֤וּת [8] בָּהּ֙ הִכָּ֔הוּ וַיָּמֹ֖ת מֽוֹת־יוּמַ֖ת [9] הָרֹצֵֽחַ׃
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6 יָמוּת
✗ יָמוּת No — Qal Imperfect 3ms מות dies / could die (Qal)
KJV (Num 35:17): "Or if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die…"
7 יוּמַת
✓ יוּמַת Yes Imperfect 3ms מות shall be put to death
KJV (Num 35:17): "…the murderer shall surely be put to death."
8 יָמוּת
✗ יָמוּת No — Qal Imperfect 3ms מות dies / could die (Qal)
KJV (Num 35:18): "Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die…"
9 יוּמַת
✓ יוּמַת Yes Imperfect 3ms מות shall be put to death
KJV (Num 35:18): "…the murderer shall surely be put to death."
עַל־פִּ֣י עֵדִים֮ יֵרָצֵ֣חַ [10] הָרֹצֵחַ֒ … כִּי־מ֖וֹת יוּמָֽת [11]׃
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10 יֵרָצֵחַ
✗ יֵרָצֵחַ No — Niphal Imperfect 3ms רצח shall be slain / put to death (Niphal)
KJV (Num 35:30): "Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses…"
11 יוּמַת
✓ יוּמַת Yes Imperfect 3ms מות shall surely be put to death
KJV (Num 35:31): "…he shall surely be put to death."

Passage D — Genesis 39:1

Context: Joseph is sold into Egypt; the Ishmaelite traders bring him down and sell him to Potiphar.

וְיוֹסֵ֗ף הוּרַ֣ד [12] מִצְרַ֔יְמָה וַיִּקְנֵ֗הוּ [13] פּוֹטִיפַ֞ר סְרִ֤יס פַּרְעֹה֙ שַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֔ים אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מִיַּ֖ד הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹרִ֖דֻהוּ [14] שָֽׁמָּה׃
#VerbHophal?ConjugationPGNRootGloss
12 הוּרַד
✓ הוּרַד Yes Perfect 3ms ירד was brought down
KJV (Gen 39:1): "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt…"
13 וַיִּקְנֵהוּ
✗ וַיִּקְנֵהוּ No — Qal Wayyiqtol 3ms קנה bought him (Qal)
KJV (Gen 39:1): "…and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh…bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites…"
14 הוֹרִדֻהוּ
✗ הוֹרִדֻהוּ No — Hiphil Perfect 3cp ירד had brought him down (Hiphil)
KJV (Gen 39:1): "…which had brought him down thither."

Passage E — Exodus 40:17–18

Context: The tabernacle is set up on the first day of the first month of the second year after the Exodus.

וַיְהִ֗י בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֜וֹן בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֗ית בְּאֶחָד֙ לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ הוּקַ֖ם [15] הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃ וַיָּ֥קֶם [16] מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן
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15 הוּקַם
✓ הוּקַם Yes Perfect 3ms קום was set up / erected
KJV (Exo 40:17): "And it came to pass in the first month…that the tabernacle was reared up."
16 וַיָּקֶם
✗ וַיָּקֶם No — Hiphil Wayyiqtol 3ms קום set up / erected (Hiphil)
KJV (Exo 40:18): "And Moses reared up the tabernacle…"

Passage F — Genesis 42:28

Context: On the journey home from Egypt, one of Joseph's brothers discovers his silver has been returned in his sack.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֶל־אֶחָ֔יו הוּשַׁ֣ב [17] כַּסְפִּ֔י וְהִנֵּ֖ה הוּא֙ בְּאַמְתַּחְתִּ֑י וַיֵּצֵ֤א לִבָּם֙ וַיֶּחֶרְד֣וּ [18] אִ֔ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר
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17 הוּשַׁב
✓ הוּשַׁב Yes Perfect 3ms שׁוב was returned / restored
KJV (Gen 42:28): "My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack…"
18 וַיֶּחֶרְדוּ
✗ וַיֶּחֶרְדוּ No — Qal Wayyiqtol 3mp חרד trembled / were afraid (Qal)
KJV (Gen 42:28): "…and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another…"

Passage G — Exodus 10:8

Context: Pharaoh calls Moses and Aaron back to resume negotiations during the plague of locusts.

וַיּוּשַׁ֞ב [19] אֶת מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶת אַהֲרֹ֗ן אֶל פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֖ם לְכ֥וּ עִבְד֛וּ אֶת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם
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19 וַיּוּשַׁב
✓ וַיּוּשַׁב Yes Wayyiqtol 3ms שׁוב were brought back
KJV (Exo 10:8): "And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God…"

Passage H — Genesis 43:18

Context: On their second journey to Egypt, the brothers fear that finding the returned silver will be used as a pretext to arrest them.

וַיִּֽירְא֤וּ הָאֲנָשִׁים֙ כִּ֤י הוּבְאוּ [20] בֵּ֥ית יוֹסֵ֖ף
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20 הוּבְאוּ
✓ הוּבְאוּ Yes Perfect 3cp בוא were brought in
KJV (Gen 43:18): "And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house…"
Reflection Questions
  1. Verbs 5, 7, 9, 11 all use the formula מוֹת יוּמַת. What two verb forms make up this formula? One is the Qal Infinitive Absolute (מוֹת) and one is the Hophal Imperfect (יוּמַת). What intensifying effect does the cognate absolute construction produce, and why does the law use the Hophal rather than the Qal יָמוּת?
  2. In Passage B, verbs 3 (נִתָּן, Niphal) and 4 (מֻכִּים, Hophal) are both passive. What does the difference in stem tell you about the kind of passive? What Hiphil causative does the Hophal of נכה passivize?
  3. Passage D (Gen 39:1) contains both a Hophal (הוּרַד, verb 12) and a Hiphil (הוֹרִדֻהוּ, verb 14) from the same root ירד. What is the difference in meaning between "Joseph was brought down" (Hophal) and "the Ishmaelites had brought him down" (Hiphil), and why does the narrator use both in the same verse?
  4. Passage E (Exo 40:17–18) also uses both stems of קום — הוּקַם (Hophal, verb 15) and וַיָּקֶם (Hiphil, verb 16). What grammatical feature distinguishes them? (Hint: prefix vowel and root behavior in biconsonantal roots.)