Chapter 35 — Hithpael Weak-Form Identification Drill

BBH Chapter 35 · Hithpael Weak Verbs

For each form: (1) identify the weak class (Part B only), (2) parse (conjugation + PGN), (3) identify the root. BBH §35 itself teaches four weak classes — Geminate, III-ה, and II-Guttural (Virtual Doubling / Compensatory Lengthening). Groups 2–4 below review other weak-root phenomena you will meet in real Hithpael forms throughout the OT — guttural R1, sibilant/dental metathesis (Ch34 §34.12), and Pe-Nun retention — not new ch35 categories.

Class	Ch35 class?	Key diagnostic signal
III-he	Yes — §35.4-5	Qamets + ה (perfect 3ms); ה dropped in wayyiqtol (apocopation); Seghol + ה (imperfect/participle 3fs)
Geminate	Yes — §35.2-3	Contracted stem with long vowel (often Holem Waw); dagesh forte may be absent due to geminate contraction
Guttural R1	No — review	Hateph vowel (composite Shewa) under R1 throughout; no simple Shewa under guttural. Not the same as ch35's own II-Guttural class (guttural in R2, §35.6-9)
Sibilant/Dental Metathesis	No — Ch34 §34.12 review	הִשְׁתַּ / וַיִּשְׁתַּ prefix instead of הִתְ / וַיִּתְ — R1 sibilant and ת have swapped positions
I-Nun (retained)	No — review	Nun retained in Hithpael prefix הִתְנַ / מִתְנַ / וַיִּתְנַ; contrast Hiphil where nun assimilates
Strong	—	Standard הִתְ prefix + Dagesh Forte in R2; no weak consonant modifications

Part A — By Class

Form

Reference

Conjugation

PGN

Root

וַיִּתְגַּל

Gen 9:21

Wayyiqtol

3ms

גָּלָה — he uncovered himself; III-he apocopation: ה dropped; short Pathach under R2 (ג); standard וַיִּתְ Hithpael prefix

הִתְגַּלֹּתִי

1 Sam 2:27

Perfect

1cs

גָּלָה — did I reveal myself; 1cs suffix תִּי; dagesh forte in R2 (ג); III-he root

וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ

Gen 18:2

Wayyiqtol

3ms

שָׁחָה — he bowed down; both weak classes at work: sibilant metathesis (שׁ + ת swapped → וַיִּשְׁתַּ) AND III-he apocopation (ה dropped)

הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה

Gen 22:5

Perfect

3ms

שָׁחָה — he worshipped / bowed down; metathesis prefix הִשְׁתַּ; III-he ending וָה (historically expanded form of the root)

וַתִּתְכַּסֶּה

Gen 24:65

Wayyiqtol

3fs

כָּסָה — she covered herself; prefix וַתִּתְ (3fs wayyiqtol); Seghol-he ending; ה retained in 3fs wayyiqtol (no apocopation in feminine)

Form

Reference

Conjugation

PGN

Root

מִתְהַלֵּךְ

Gen 3:8

Participle

הָלַךְ — walking about; Hateph Pathach under ה (I-guttural composite Shewa); מִתְ prefix; Tsere under R2

וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ

Gen 5:22

Wayyiqtol

3ms

הָלַךְ — he walked about (with God); Hateph Pathach under ה; prefix וַיִּתְ is standard Hithpael wayyiqtol; Tsere final

וַיִּתְחַבֵּא

Gen 3:8

Wayyiqtol

3ms

חָבָא — he hid himself; Hateph Pathach under ח (I-guttural); prefix וַיִּתְ; Tsere under R2 (ב)

הִתְעַנִּי

Gen 16:9

Imperative

2fs

עָנָה — humble yourself; Hateph Pathach under ע (I-guttural); dagesh forte in R2 (נ); ִי suffix = 2fs; also III-he (root עָנָה)

מִתְחַזֵּק

Neh 3:20

Participle

חָזַק — one who is strengthening himself; composite Shewa under ח (I-guttural); מִתְ prefix; Tsere under R2 (ז)

Form

Reference

Conjugation

PGN

Root

וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ

Gen 19:1

Wayyiqtol

3ms

שָׁחָה — he bowed down; sibilant R1 = שׁ; expected *וַיִּתְשַׁחוּ → swapped to וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ; III-he apocopation also applies

הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה

Gen 23:7

Perfect

3ms

שָׁחָה — he bowed himself down; metathesis prefix הִשְׁתַּ; III-he ending וָה (expanded root form)

וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ

Gen 33:7

Wayyiqtol

3mp

שָׁחָה — they bowed themselves down; metathesis prefix; 3mp suffix וּ; III-he root retains וָה vowel letter before plural suffix

הִשְׁתַּמֵּר

Deu 4:9

Imperative

2ms

שָׁמַר — guard yourself / take heed; sibilant שׁ is R1; expected *הִתְשַׁמֵּר → swapped to הִשְׁתַּמֵּר; dagesh forte in R2 (מ)

וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם

Dan 4:16

Wayyiqtol

3ms

שָׁמֵם — he was appalled / stunned; metathesis prefix וַיִּשְׁתּ; Geminate root שׁ-מ-מ; Holem Waw from contracted geminate stem

Form

Reference

Conjugation

PGN

Root

מִתְנַחֵם

Gen 27:42

Participle

נָחַם — comforting himself; nun retained in prefix מִתְנַ (contrast Hiphil where nun assimilates); composite Shewa under ח (I-guttural secondary)

וַיִּתְנַחֲמוּ

Gen 37:35

Wayyiqtol

3mp

נָחַם — but he refused to be comforted; prefix וַיִּתְנַ; nun retained; composite Shewa under ח; 3mp suffix וּ

וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ

Gen 37:18

Wayyiqtol

3mp

נָכַל — they conspired against; prefix וַיִּתְנַ; nun retained; dagesh forte in R2 (כ); 3mp suffix

אֶתְנַהֲלָה

Gen 33:14

Cohortative

1cs

נָהַל — let me lead along slowly; prefix אֶתְנַ (1cs Hithpael imperfect); nun retained; composite Shewa under ה (I-guttural); cohortative ה suffix

מִתְנַדְּבִים

Ezr 1:6

Participle

נָדַב — those who volunteer / offer willingly; prefix מִתְנַ; nun retained; dagesh in R2 (ד); ִים plural ending

Part B — Mixed

Form

Reference

Weak class

Conjugation

PGN

Root

וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ

Gen 24:26

Sibilant Metathesis + III-he

Wayyiqtol

3ms

שָׁחָה — he bowed down; same form as #3 and #11; Abraham's servant bowing in gratitude to the LORD

וַיִּתְאַבֵּל

Gen 37:34

I-guttural

Wayyiqtol

3ms

אָבַל — he mourned; Hateph Pathach under א (I-guttural); prefix וַיִּתְ; Tsere under R2 (ב)

הִתְרוֹמֵם

Ps 46:11

Geminate

Imperative

2ms

רוּם — be exalted! / lift yourself up; Geminate/hollow root; Holem Waw in contracted stem; dagesh forte absent due to contraction; prefix הִתְ is standard

הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ

Exo 19:22

Strong

Imperative

2mp

קָדַשׁ — consecrate yourselves; standard Hithpael; prefix הִתְ; dagesh in R2 (ד); וּ suffix = 2mp imperative

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל

Gen 20:17

Strong

Wayyiqtol

3ms

פָּלַל — and he prayed; standard Hithpael wayyiqtol; no weak consonants; dagesh forte in R2 (ל)

הִתְהַלֵּל

Jer 9:22

I-guttural

Perfect

3ms

הָלַל — let him glory / boast; Hateph Pathach under ה (I-guttural); root הָלַל (not הָלַךְ — note R3 = ל not כ)

מִתְחַזְּקִים

Neh 3:20

I-guttural

Participle

חָזַק — those who are strengthening themselves; composite Shewa under ח (I-guttural); מִתְ prefix; dagesh in R2 (ז); ִים plural

וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם

Dan 8:27

Sibilant Metathesis + Geminate

Wayyiqtol

3ms

שָׁמֵם — he was appalled / devastated; metathesis prefix וַיִּשְׁתּ; Geminate root שׁ-מ-מ; Holem Waw in contracted stem

הִתְעַשְּׂקוּ

Gen 26:20

I-guttural

Perfect

3cp

עָשַׂק — they quarreled with one another; Hateph Pathach under ע (I-guttural); dagesh forte in R2 (שׂ); 3cp suffix וּ

וַיִּתְגַּלְגַּל

(expected)

Geminate (reduplicated / Pilpel-like)

Wayyiqtol

3ms

גָּלַל — he rolled; quadriliteral reduplication: root ג-ל-ל reduplicated as גלגל; standard וַיִּתְ prefix; no dagesh forte (root letters themselves supply the doubling)

Discussion Questions

Items 11–14: in each case, which letter is R1 and which is the Hithpael ת? Write out the expected (pre-metathesis) form of item 14 (הִשְׁתַּמֵּר), then label which consonants swapped and what the pre-swap form would have been.
Items 6–10 (I-guttural): the hateph vowel under the guttural makes these forms look similar to Piel I-guttural forms. Write a test you could apply to distinguish a Hithpael I-guttural from a Piel I-guttural of the same root.
Compare item 1 (וַיִּתְגַּל, III-he Hithpael wayyiqtol) and item 11 (וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ, III-he + sibilant Hithpael wayyiqtol). Both are apocopated forms. What is left of the root in each case? Is the apocopation the same process?
Item 20 (מִתְנַדְּבִים): the root is נָדַב (I-nun). In the Hithpael, the nun is NOT assimilated (compare: it IS assimilated in the Hiphil הִדְּיב). Explain why retention of the nun makes sense given the Hithpael prefix pattern הִתְנַ.
Item 23 (הִתְרוֹמֵם) involves a geminate root in the Hithpael. What does the Hithpael of a geminate root look like? How does the Holem Waw arise, and why does the expected Dagesh Forte in R2 not appear as a visible dagesh in this form?