Chapter 33 — "Spot the Pual" Passage Exercise

Stem: Pual (פֻּעַל) — Weak Verbs  |  Passages: Gen 4:18, 4:26; 46:22 · Lev 7:36; Num 3:9 · Lev 8:35; Num 22:6; Psa 72:17

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

Weak-root Pual diagnostic: The base Pual signature (Qibbuts under R1 + Dagesh Forte in R2) still applies — but watch how each weak class behaves:

Passage A — Genesis Genealogies (Gen 4:18; 4:26; 46:22)

Context: Birth notices — the Pual passive of ילד (I-י) appears repeatedly for "was born/begotten."

וַיִּוָּלֵ֤ד לַחֲנוֹךְ֙ אֶת־עִירָ֔ד וְעִירָ֕ד יָלַ֖ד [1] אֶת־מְחוּיָאֵ֑ל

"And to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered [1] Mehujael." (Gen 4:18)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
1יָלַד
QalPerfect3msילד
אָ֣ז הוּחַ֔ל [2] לִקְרֹ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃

"At that time people began [2] to call upon the name of the LORD." (Gen 4:26)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
2הוּחַל
HophalPerfect3msחלל
אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י רָחֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֖ר יֻלַּ֥ד [3] לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃

"These are the sons of Rachel who were born [3] to Jacob." (Gen 46:22)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
3יֻלַּד
PualPerfect3msילד
וַיִּוָּלְד֥וּ [4] לָהֶ֖ם בָנִ֑ים

"And sons were born [4] to them." (Gen 6:1)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
4וַיִּוָּלְדוּ
NiphalWayyiqtol3mpילד

Passage B — Leviticus 7:36; Numbers 3:9

Context: Priestly legislation — Pual passive of נתן (I-נ root) for what "was given."

I-נ Pual note: Unlike the Qal Imperfect where נ assimilates (יִתֵּן), in the Pual the נ stays as R1 and takes Qibbuts. The Dagesh Forte falls on R2 (ת), not on an assimilated נ. So: נֻתַּן = Qibbuts under נ (R1) + Dagesh in ת (R2).
אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֤ה [5] יְהוָה֙ לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֔ם בְּי֛וֹם מָשְׁח֥וֹ אֹתָ֖ם

"…which the LORD commanded [5] to give to them on the day he anointed them." (Lev 7:36)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
5צִוָּה
PielPerfect3msצוה
וְנָתַתָּ֥ [6] אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּלְבָנָ֑יו נְתֻנִ֤ים [7] נְתֻנִים֙ הֵ֔מָּה

"And you shall give [6] the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are given [7], given." (Num 3:9)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
6וְנָתַתָּ
QalWeqatal2msנתן
7נְתֻנִים
PualParticiplempנתן
נֻתְּנ֧וּ [8] לִ֛י הֵ֖מָּה מִתּ֥וֹךְ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

"They were given [8] to me from among the people of Israel." (Num 3:9, continuation)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
8נֻתְּנוּ
PualPerfect3cpנתן

Passage C — Leviticus 8:35; Numbers 22:6; Psalm 72:17

Context: Pual of צוה (III-ה) and ברך (R2=ר compensatory lengthening).

וּפֶ֜תַח אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ תֵּֽשְׁב֔וּ יוֹמָ֖ם וָלַ֑יְלָה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צֻוֵּ֧יתִי [9] אֲנִ֛י כֵּ֥ן צֻוֵּיתֶ֖ם [10]

"At the entrance of the tent of meeting you shall remain day and night, as I was commanded [9], so you were commanded [10]." (Lev 8:35)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
9צֻוֵּיתִי
PualPerfect1csצוה
10צֻוֵּיתֶם
PualPerfect2mpצוה
ברך in Pual — reminder from Ch32: Because R2 = ר rejects Dagesh Forte, the vowel under R1 compensatorily lengthens from expected Qibbuts to Qamets. This is a weak-root behavior (R2=ר) that appears in both Ch32 and Ch33.
כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ [11] מְבֹרָ֔ךְ [12] וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּאֹ֖ר יוּאָֽר [13]

"…for I know that he whom you bless [11] is blessed [12], and he whom you curse is cursed [13]." (Num 22:6)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
11תְּבָרֵךְ
PielImperfect2msברך
12מְבֹרָךְ
PualParticiplemsברך
13יוּאָר
HophalImperfect3msארר
יְבֹרַ֥ךְ [14] שְׁמ֑וֹ לְעוֹלָ֑ם יִתְנַהֵ֥ל [15] לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֗מֶשׁ שְׁמ֑וֹ

"May his name be blessed [14] forever; may his name endure [15] before the sun." (Psa 72:17)

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
14יְבֹרַךְ
PualImperfect3msברך
15יִתְנַהֵל
HithpaelImperfect3msנהל
Reflection Questions
  1. In Passage A, verb 3 (יֻלַּד, I-י Pual Perfect) and verb 4 (וַיִּוָּלְדוּ, Niphal Wayyiqtol) both come from the same root ילד and both express passive meaning. What visual feature most immediately distinguishes the Pual from the Niphal in these I-י forms? Why does the Qal Imperfect pattern (יֵלֵד) look different from both?
  2. Verbs 7–8 (נְתֻנִים / נֻתְּנוּ, I-נ Pual) show that in the Pual, the נ of the I-נ root remains as R1 and takes Qibbuts, rather than assimilating. Compare the Qal Imperfect of נתן (יִתֵּן — נ assimilates into R2). What grammatical principle causes the difference in behavior between the Qal Imperfect and the Pual?
  3. Verbs 9–10 (צֻוֵּיתִי / צֻוֵּיתֶם, III-ה Pual) parallel verb 5 (צִוָּה, Piel active). In each form, what single vowel under R1 most quickly identifies whether you are reading the active Piel or the passive Pual? How does this same i/u distinction work in the strong root paradigm (e.g., קִטֵּל vs. קֻטַּל)?

Quick Answer Key

#VerbStemConjugationPGNRoot
1יָלַדQalPerfect3msילד
2הוּחַלHophalPerfect3msחלל
3יֻלַּדPualPerfect3msילד
4וַיִּוָּלְדוּNiphalWayyiqtol3mpילד
5צִוָּהPielPerfect3msצוה
6וְנָתַתָּQalWeqatal2msנתן
7נְתֻנִיםPualParticiplempנתן
8נֻתְּנוּPualPerfect3cpנתן
9צֻוֵּיתִיPualPerfect1csצוה
10צֻוֵּיתֶםPualPerfect2mpצוה
11תְּבָרֵךְPielImperfect2msברך
12מְבֹרָךְPualParticiplemsברך
13יוּאָרHophalImperfect3msארר
14יְבֹרַךְPualImperfect3msברך
15יִתְנַהֵלHithpaelImperfect3msנהל