Chapter 34 — Hithpael Semantic Function Sorting

BBH Chapter 34 · Hithpael Strong Verbs

Classify each Hithpael verb as R (Reflexive), RC (Reciprocal), IT (Iterative), ES (Estimative), or DN (Denominative). Type your answer in the Function column, then click ▶ Answer to check.

Code	Function	Diagnostic question
R	Reflexive	Is the subject doing the action to or for itself? (Subject = object)
RC	Reciprocal	Are multiple subjects acting on one another mutually?
IT	Iterative/Frequentative	Is the action repeated, habitual, or extended through time?
ES	Estimative/Declarative	Is the subject presenting or considering itself as being in a state?
DN	Denominative	Is the verb derived from a noun, with the subject performing the noun's characteristic action?

Code

Function

Diagnostic question

Reflexive

Is the subject doing the action to or for itself? (Subject = object)

Reciprocal

Are multiple subjects acting on one another mutually?

Iterative/Frequentative

Is the action repeated, habitual, or extended through time?

Estimative/Declarative

Is the subject presenting or considering itself as being in a state?

Denominative

Is the verb derived from a noun, with the subject performing the noun's characteristic action?

Tip: Subject acts on itself → Reflexive. Subjects act on one another → Reciprocal. Action repeated/habitual → Iterative. Subject presents itself as X → Estimative. Verb built from a noun → Denominative.

#	Hebrew	Conjugation	Root	Ref	Gloss
1	מִתְהַלֵּךְ	Participle ms	הָלַךְ	Gen 3:8	"walking about"

2	וַיִּתְחַבֵּא	Wayyiqtol 3ms	חָבָא	Gen 3:8	"he hid himself"

3	וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ	Wayyiqtol 3ms	הָלַךְ	Gen 5:22	"he walked about"

4	וַיִּתְעַצֵּב	Wayyiqtol 3ms	עָצַב	Gen 6:6	"he was grieved"

5	וַיִּתְגַּל	Wayyiqtol 3ms	גָּלָה	Gen 9:21	"he uncovered himself"

6	הִתְהַלֵּךְ	Imperative 2ms	הָלַךְ	Gen 13:17	"walk about!"

7	הִתְעַנִּי	Imperative 2fs	עָנָה	Gen 16:9	"humble yourself!"

8	הִתְהַלֵּךְ	Imperative 2ms	הָלַךְ	Gen 17:1	"walk about before me"

9	וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ	Wayyiqtol 3ms	שָׁחָה	Gen 18:2	"he bowed down"

10	וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ	Wayyiqtol 3ms	שָׁחָה	Gen 19:1	"he bowed down"

11	וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל	Wayyiqtol 3ms	פָּלַל	Gen 20:17	"he prayed"

12	הִתְבָּרֲכוּ	Weqatal 3cp	בָּרַךְ	Gen 22:18	"they will bless themselves"

13	הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי	Qatal 1cs	הָלַךְ	Gen 24:40	"I have walked about"

14	וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ	Wayyiqtol 3ms	שָׁחָה	Gen 24:26	"he bowed down"

15	הִתְעַשְּׂקוּ	Qatal 3cp	עָשַׂק	Gen 26:20	"they quarreled"

16	מִתְנַחֵם	Participle ms	נָחַם	Gen 27:42	"is comforting himself"

17	וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ	Wayyiqtol 3mp	נָכַל	Gen 37:18	"they plotted against"

18	וַיִּתְאַבֵּל	Wayyiqtol 3ms	אָבַל	Gen 37:34	"he mourned"

19	וַתִּתְכַּסֶּה	Wayyiqtol 3fs	כָּסָה	Gen 24:65	"she covered herself"

20	וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ	Wayyiqtol 3mp	שָׁחָה	Gen 33:7	"they bowed down"

21	אֶתְנַהֲלָה	Cohortative 1cs	נָהַל	Gen 33:14	"I will journey on slowly"

22	הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ	Imperative 2mp	קָדַשׁ	Exo 19:22	"consecrate yourselves!"

23	וַיִּתְחַזֵּק	Wayyiqtol 3ms	חָזַק	Exo 7:13	"and his heart was strengthened"

24	יִתְהַלְּלוּ	Imperfect 3mp	הָלַל	Ps 97:7	"they glory in idols"

25	הִתְחַזְּקוּ	Imperative 2mp	חָזַק	Jos 1:6	"be strong!"

Hebrew

Conjugation

Root

Ref

Gloss

Function

מִתְהַלֵּךְ

Participle ms

הָלַךְ

Gen 3:8

"walking about"

וַיִּתְחַבֵּא

Wayyiqtol 3ms

חָבָא

Gen 3:8

"he hid himself"

וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ

Wayyiqtol 3ms

הָלַךְ

Gen 5:22

"he walked about"

וַיִּתְעַצֵּב

Wayyiqtol 3ms

עָצַב

Gen 6:6

"he was grieved"

וַיִּתְגַּל

Wayyiqtol 3ms

גָּלָה

Gen 9:21

"he uncovered himself"

הִתְהַלֵּךְ

Imperative 2ms

הָלַךְ

Gen 13:17

"walk about!"

הִתְעַנִּי

Imperative 2fs

עָנָה

Gen 16:9

"humble yourself!"

הִתְהַלֵּךְ

Imperative 2ms

הָלַךְ

Gen 17:1

"walk about before me"

וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ

Wayyiqtol 3ms

שָׁחָה

Gen 18:2

"he bowed down"

וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ

Wayyiqtol 3ms

שָׁחָה

Gen 19:1

"he bowed down"

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל

Wayyiqtol 3ms

פָּלַל

Gen 20:17

"he prayed"

הִתְבָּרֲכוּ

Weqatal 3cp

בָּרַךְ

Gen 22:18

"they will bless themselves"

הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי

Qatal 1cs

הָלַךְ

Gen 24:40

"I have walked about"

וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ

Wayyiqtol 3ms

שָׁחָה

Gen 24:26

"he bowed down"

הִתְעַשְּׂקוּ

Qatal 3cp

עָשַׂק

Gen 26:20

"they quarreled"

מִתְנַחֵם

Participle ms

נָחַם

Gen 27:42

"is comforting himself"

וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ

Wayyiqtol 3mp

נָכַל

Gen 37:18

"they plotted against"

וַיִּתְאַבֵּל

Wayyiqtol 3ms

אָבַל

Gen 37:34

"he mourned"

וַתִּתְכַּסֶּה

Wayyiqtol 3fs

כָּסָה

Gen 24:65

"she covered herself"

וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ

Wayyiqtol 3mp

שָׁחָה

Gen 33:7

"they bowed down"

אֶתְנַהֲלָה

Cohortative 1cs

נָהַל

Gen 33:14

"I will journey on slowly"

הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ

Imperative 2mp

קָדַשׁ

Exo 19:22

"consecrate yourselves!"

וַיִּתְחַזֵּק

Wayyiqtol 3ms

חָזַק

Exo 7:13

"and his heart was strengthened"

יִתְהַלְּלוּ

Imperfect 3mp

הָלַל

Ps 97:7

"they glory in idols"

הִתְחַזְּקוּ

Imperative 2mp

חָזַק

Jos 1:6

"be strong!"

Discussion Questions

The Hithpael of הָלַךְ appears five times (items 1, 3, 6, 8, 13). Why is this classified as Iterative rather than Reflexive? What does the "walking about" context add that a single walk would not?
Item 12 (הִתְבָּרֲכוּ, Gen 22:18): this form can be translated "bless themselves" (Reflexive) or "be blessed" (passive-like). The same tension appears in Gen 12:3. What grammatical evidence would help decide between these interpretations?
Items 15 (הִתְעַשְּׂקוּ, quarreled) and 17 (וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ, plotted): both involve conflict between parties. What makes one Reciprocal and the other more Reflexive/Collective? Does the context of Gen 26:20 vs. Gen 37:18 help?
Items 24–25 (Estimative): the ES function is the rarest Hithpael class. In what way does הִתְחַזֵּק ("present yourself as strong" → "be strong") differ from a plain Qal חָזַק ("be strong")? What does the Hithpael add pragmatically?