Chapter 32 — "Spot the Pual" Passage Exercise

Stem: Pual (פֻּעַל) — Strong Verbs | Passages: Num 22:6, 12; 23:8, 20 · Gen 25:8, 10 · Exo 14:4 / Isa 43:23

Instructions: For each bolded/numbered verb, fill in: (1) Stem (2) Conjugation (3) PGN (4) Root. Distractors are drawn from stems already studied: Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hophal. Click ▶ Answer to reveal the key for that row.

Pual diagnostic: Qibbuts (ֻ) under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2. When R2 = ר (which rejects Dagesh), the vowel under R1 lengthens compensatorily to Qamets. Contrast with Piel (Hireq/i-class under R1) and Hophal (u-class under the prefix consonant, no Dagesh in R2).

Passage A — Numbers 22:6, 12; 23:8, 20

Context: The Balaam cycle — Balak summons Balaam to curse Israel; God instructs Balaam; Balaam delivers oracles.

כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ [1] מְבֹרָ֔ךְ [2] וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר יוּאָֽר [3]׃

"…for I know that he whom you bless [1] is blessed [2], and he whom you curse is cursed [3]." (Num 22:6)

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
1	תְּבָרֵךְ
		Piel	Imperfect	2ms	ברך
2	מְבֹרָךְ
		Pual	Participle	ms	ברך
3	יוּאָר
		Hophal	Imperfect	3ms	ארר

לֹ֥א תֵלֵ֖ךְ עִמָּהֶ֑ם לֹ֥א תָאֹ֖ר [4] אֶת־הָעָ֑ם כִּ֥י בָר֖וּךְ [5] הֽוּא׃

"You shall not go with them. You shall not curse [4] the people, for they are blessed [5]." (Num 22:12)

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
4	תָאֹר
		Qal	Imperfect	2ms	ארר
5	בָּרוּךְ
		Pual	Participle	ms	ברך

מַה־אֶקֹּ֕ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה [6] אֵ֑ל וּמַה־אֶזְעֹ֕ם לֹ֥א זָעַ֖ם [7] יְהוָֽה׃

"How shall I curse what God has not cursed [6], and how shall I denounce what the LORD has not denounced [7]?" (Num 23:8)

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
6	קַבֹּה
		Qal	Inf. Absolute	—	קבב
7	זָעַם
		Qal	Perfect	3ms	זעם

הִנֵּ֥ה בָרֵ֖ךְ [8] לָקָ֑חְתִּי וּבֵרַ֖ךְ וְלֹ֥א אֲשִׁיבֶֽנָּה׃

"Behold, I have received a command to bless [8]; he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it." (Num 23:20)

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
8	בָרֵךְ
		Piel	Inf. Absolute	—	ברך

Passage B — Genesis 25:8, 10

Context: The death and burial of Abraham (Gen 25:7–10).

Watch for Qal active vs. Pual passive of the same root: Verbs 11 and 12 both come from קבר (to bury). Verb 11 is Qal active (“they buried him”); verb 12 is Pual passive (“he was buried”). Spot the Pual diagnostic: Qibbuts (ֻ) under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2.

וַיִּגְוַע וַיָּמָת [9] אַבְרָהָם בְּשֵיבָה טוֹבָה זָקֵן וְשָבֵעַ וַיֵּאָסֶף [10] אֶל עַמָּיו־ְ

“He expired, and Abraham died [9] at a good old age, old and full of years, and was gathered [10] to his people.” (Gen 25:8)

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
9	וַיָּמָת
		Qal	Wayyiqtol	3ms	מות
10	וַיֵּאָסֶף
		Niphal	Wayyiqtol	3ms	אסף

וַיִּקְבְרוּ [11] אֹתֹו יִצְחָק וְיִשְמָעֵאל בָּנָיו אֶל מְעָרַת הַמַכְפֵלָה… שָׁמָּה קֻּבַּר [12] אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ

“And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him [11] in the cave of Machpelah… There Abraham was buried [12], and Sarah his wife.” (Gen 25:9–10)

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
11	וַיִּקְבְּרוּ
		Qal	Wayyiqtol	3mp	קבר
12	קֻבַּר
		Pual	Perfect	3ms	קבר

Passage C — Exodus 14:4; Isaiah 43:23; Numbers 9:15

Context: Pual of כבד ("be honored") and Hophal distractor הוּקַם.

וְכָבַדְתִּ֤י [13] בְּפַרְעֹה֙ וּבְכָל־חֵיל֔וֹ וְיָדְע֥וּ מִצְרַ֖יִם כִּי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה׃

"And I will get glory [13] through Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." (Exo 14:4)

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
13	וְכָבַדְתִּי
		Niphal	Weqatal	1cs	כבד

לֹ֥א כֻבַּדְתַּ֖נִי [14] בְּקָרְבָּנֶ֑יךָ וְעָמַלְתַּ֥נִי בִּלְבוֹנָתֶֽךָ׃

"You have not honored me [14] with your offerings, or wearied me with your frankincense." (Isa 43:23)

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
14	כֻּבַּדְתַּנִי
		Pual	Perfect	2ms+1cs obj.	כבד

Distractor alert — Hophal: The next verb has a u-class vowel but is NOT Pual. Can you identify the difference?

הוּקַ֥ם [15] הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן בְּי֣וֹם הַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הָרִאשֽׁוֹן׃

"The tabernacle was set up [15] on the first day of the first month." (Exo 40:17)

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
15	הוּקַם
		Hophal	Perfect	3ms	קום

Reflection Questions

In Passage A, verbs 1 (תְּבָרֵךְ) and 2 (מְבֹרָךְ) come from the same root ברך but are in different stems. What is the active/passive relationship between them, and how does the Pual vowel pattern (Qamets under R1 instead of expected Qibbuts) reflect the fact that ר rejects Dagesh Forte?
Verb 3 (יוּאָר, Hophal) and verb 14 (כֻּבַּדְתַּנִי, Pual) both express passive meaning. What is the key visual feature that distinguishes a Hophal Imperfect from a Pual Perfect? What does each stem tell you about the corresponding active stem?
Verbs 11 (וַיִּקְבְּרוּ, Qal Wayyiqtol 3mp) and 12 (קֻבַּר, Pual Perfect 3ms) in Passage B both come from root קבר. One is Qal active (Isaac and Ishmael as subjects), the other is Pual passive (Abraham as the object). Describe the active/passive contrast. What does the Pual vowel pattern tell you about who is performing the burying action?

Quick Answer Key

#	Verb	Stem	Conjugation	PGN	Root
1	תְּבָרֵךְ	Piel	Imperfect	2ms	ברך
2	מְבֹרָךְ	Pual	Participle	ms	ברך
3	יוּאָר	Hophal	Imperfect	3ms	ארר
4	תָאֹר	Qal	Imperfect	2ms	ארר
5	בָּרוּךְ	Pual	Participle	ms	ברך
6	קַבֹּה	Qal	Inf. Absolute	—	קבב
7	זָעַם	Qal	Perfect	3ms	זעם
8	בָרֵךְ	Piel	Inf. Absolute	—	ברך
9	וַיָּמָת	Qal	Wayyiqtol	3ms	מות
10	וַיֵּאָסֶף	Niphal	Wayyiqtol	3ms	אסף
11	וַיִּקְבְּרוּ	Qal	Wayyiqtol	3mp	קבר
12	קֻבַּר	Pual	Perfect	3ms	קבר
13	וְכָבַדְתִּי	Niphal	Weqatal	1cs	כבד
14	כֻּבַּדְתַּנִי	Pual	Perfect	2ms	כבד
15	הוּקַם	Hophal	Perfect	3ms	קום