Chapter Ten: Hebrew Weak Verbs

Chapter 

10 Hebrew Weak Verbs How to Understand Hebrew Weak Verbs

10.1 A verb in the Hebrew language comes in a unit of three consonants. Known as the root ( ‫ש‬ ֶׁ‫ר‬  ׁ‫ֹו‬ ‫ש‬ ), it is onto this tri-consonantal array various pairs of default vowels are to be added to configure the verbal root to perform different function of a verb: the Infinitive Absolute, the Infinitive Construct, the Participles, the Perfect Tense, the Imperative, the Jussive or the Cohortative or the Imperfect Tense and so on. 10.2 In Hebrew, verbs could be a strong verb or a weak verb. A strong verb is a verb which does not contain guttural or weak consonants in its  .    d spelling at the root level or in the Perfect Tense third person masculine   e   s    i   v singular.   e

  r    1    1    0    210.3   y   r   a The base vowel format of each verb type would be clearly seen in the   u   n   a Infinitive Absolute of each as the Infinitive Absolute is not inflected    J    ‫ב‬     ‫ ב‬  n   a for gender, number or person. Default vowels for the Qal Infinitive    ‫ר‬     ‫ר‬   H    ‫ו‬     ‫ו‬ + ), duplicating    ‫ך‬     ‫ך‬  nAbsolute would take the dyads of [ + ] (   e    ‫ב‬     ‫ב‬   f    f the vowels in the word: infinitive, which vowel medley would be   e    ‫ש‬     ‫ש‬   t    ‫ם‬     ‫ם‬   S

‫בניין‬

‫ר‬‫ק ֹו‬‫מ‬ ָ

‫ ֹו‬○ָ ‫ֵא‬‫ל‬ ָ‫מ‬ ‫ָם‬‫ל‬ ֹ‫ֶץ חו‬‫מ‬ ָ‫ק‬

2 

Hebrew Verbal System 

used in Qal weak verbs as well. The Infinitive Construct could be termed the shortened form of the Infinitive Absolute. In some Passive binyanim  which might not have a sample of the Infinitive Absolute in the Hebrew Bible, the Infinitive Construct could be used, or both might share the same vowel format. 10.4 A Hebrew verb is called a weak verb when it carried in its triconsonantal root in the Perfect Tense third person masculine singular one or more guttural consonants ( , , , ), or often also known as the laryngeals. Verbs begin with or consist of any one of another four consonants, namely: [ ‫ ) ( ]נ‬,[ ] ( ) ,[ ] ( ) (the group) and [ ] (‫ֵיש‬‫ )ר‬which behaves like a laryngeal, also are grouped under the weak verb category.

‫א ה ח ע‬

ּ ‫וּן‬ ‫ד י נ‬ֹ‫ָו ו יו‬‫ו‬

ׁ  

‫י ונ‬

‫ר‬

10.5 Monosyllable verbs and stative verbs are two more members of the weak verb category alongside a handful of special irregular verbs. 10.6 Strictly speaking, it is not necessary though not redundant to separate the Hebrew verbs into a category known as the weak verbs. The only matter related to the weak verbs would be the need to adjust the vocal shewa [○ ְ]( ), given by default, coming beneath any one of the gutturals: , , , , , whenever one or more of these consonants shows up in a verb in whichever position in the root. These consonants could not carry the [○ ְ] ( ׁ ‫ָף‬‫ט‬  ֲ‫ח‬  ) must ), and therefore the composite shewa ( ‫ָא‬‫ו‬ ְ‫ש‬ be used; and the laryngeals do not accept doubling, thus compensatory lengthening of the vowel beneath the preceding consonant or virtual doubling with rejection of  but not lengthening the preceding vowel must come to play. For verbs which contained in the root, these consonants would go through assimilation (or abdicated), transformed, or become quiescent; and the brace of default vowels beneath all the eight of them would also go through another type of changes such as vowel reduction, compensatory lengthening, or propretonic reduction of the head vowel. The rules that govern each procedure are rather straightforward and unambiguous.

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬ ‫אהחער‬

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫דג ש‬

. d e si v er 1 1

‫ה‬”‫יונ‬

0 2 yr a u n a J n ‫ב‬

a

‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

H ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

n ‫ך‬

f ‫ש‬

et

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

3 

10.7 Types of Hebrew Verbs a. The Strong Verbs The most prominent way to classify the Hebrew verb is called the Shlemin  class (‫ִים‬‫ַמ‬‫ל‬  ְ‫ש‬ ׁ ), which means complete. Verbs in this class, as a rule, do not contain any of these consonants: , , , or any of these: , , , , the group. In all verbal forms, sometimes referred to as strong verbs, verbs of this class retain all consonants of the root during conjugation and pluralization. The Strong verbs are regular verbs. These verbs are the most commonly used verbs in Hebrew.

,‫ה ח ע‬

‫נ ו י ר‬

‫א‬

‫י ונ‬

b. The Weak Verbs Verbs which contained one or more of these consonants: , , , or any of these: , , , are classified as weak verbs and all weak verbs would be named after the position these consonants sit in the verbal root according to the sequence of  ( read from right to left).

‫ה ח‬

‫פעל‬

‫ א‬,‫ע‬

‫נ י ו ר‬

←

10.8 Nomenclature Nomenclature presents quite a bit of confusion to the student. Scholars seemed are loath to resolve this obstacle. Given below in the Table below showed different systems of nomenclature, all the same, they meant the same thing.

‫א‬ ‫ִן ע‬‫עַי‬

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

‫ח‬ ‫ׁ ר‬  

a. Among the weak consonants, [ ‫ֵא( ]ה‬‫ה‬  ) and [ ] (‫ֵית‬‫ח‬ ) are  ָ‫א‬  ) and [ ] (‫ֵיש‬‫ )ר‬are the known as strong laryngeals; [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬ weak laryngeals; whereas [ ] ( ) is a variable, but more often weak. b. Whenever there is more than one weak weak consonant present in the root of a verb, it is known as doubly weak verb, mostly the first and the last consonant of the verb. Doubly weak verbs are to be classified according to the abaft weak consonant in the sequence of occurrence.

Hebrew Verbal System 

4 

Traditional

Modern 2

Modern 1

Pe Guttural

I Guttural

I-  / 

Pe ’Aleph Pe Nun

I Aleph I Nun

Pe Vav/Pe Yod

I Vav/I yod

‘Ayin Guttural

II Guttural

‘Ayin Vav/‘Ayin Yod Double ‘Ayin

II Vav/II Yod/  (Hollow Verb) Geminate Verb

Lamed Guttural

III Guttural

Lamed ’Aleph

III Aleph

Lamed He

III He

‫חע‬ I- ‫א‬ I- ‫נ‬ I-‫י‬ /   / ‫ו‬ ‫חע‬

Hebrew

‫ע‬ / ‫ח‬”‫פ‬ ‫פ ”א‬ ‫פ ”נ‬ ‫י‬ /   / ‫ו‬”‫פ‬

II-  / 

‫ע‬ / ‫ח‬”‫ע‬

II-  /   /  (Hollow verb or Biconsonatal verb)

‫י‬ /   / ‫ו‬”‫ע‬

Geminate verb

‫ע‬”‫ע‬

‫וי‬

‫חע‬ III- ‫א‬ III- ‫ה‬

III-  / 

‫ע‬ / ‫ח‬”‫ל‬ ‫ל ”א‬ ‫ל ”ה‬

10.9 Classification of the Weak Verbs Each weak verb has a technical name. The name is dependent on which position in the root the weak consonant appears and it is by the technical name the weak verbs are classified. 10.10 There are only three groups or types of weak verbs, and each may contain a few members. Weak verbs are classified and named after the position of the weak consonant in which it occurs in the root following the consecution of the Hebrew word , used as a matter of convenience, (some sort of mnemonic effect), reading from right to left. . d e si v er 1 1

‫פעל‬

0 2 yr a u n a J n

10.12 A verb which begins with [ ‫ ) ( ]י‬or [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬  ָ‫א‬ ) are therefore referred to as “Peh-Aleph” ( ), “Peh-Yod”( ), “Peh-Nun” ( ), “Peh-

‫א‬”‫פ‬

‫ד‬ֹ‫יו‬

‫א‬ ‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

‫נ‬”‫פ‬

‫ב‬

f ‫ש‬

et

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

5 

‫ג‬”‫ג פ‬

Guttural” ( ) ( = ‫ִית‬‫ֹונ‬ ‫ְר‬‫ = ג‬guttural), and so on. A sample of weak verbs in each class is given in the following Table:

 Example of Weak Verbs: Verb class

‫ פ"א‬verb This is a ‫ע‬/‫ ע"ח‬or ‫ע"ג‬

Positions " -

‫ל‬

" -

‫ע‬

" -

3rd

2nd

1s

‫מ‬ ‫ע‬

‫א‬ ‫פ‬

‫אמד‬ ‫פעל‬

This is a "  /  " verb (also a doubly weak verb)

‫ל הפ נ‬

‫ה‬

‫ט‬

‫נ‬

‫נטה‬

‫ פ"נ‬verb This is a ‫ ל"א‬verb This is a ‫ח"ע‬ / ‫ ע‬or ‫ ע"ג‬verb

‫ן‬ ‫א‬

‫ת‬ ‫צ‬

‫נ‬ ‫מ‬

‫נתן‬ ‫מצא‬

‫ך‬

‫ר‬

‫ב‬

‫ברך‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ה‬

‫ש‬ ‫ח‬ ‫א‬

‫י‬ ‫ב‬ ‫ר‬

verb

(also II-guttural verb)

This is a

(II-guttural)

‫פ יו‬ This is a ‫ח"ע‬ / ‫ ע‬or ‫ ע"ג‬verb This is a ‫ ל"ה‬verb This is a  /   /  " verb

(also a doubly weak verb)

‫ פ "י‬verb

This is a This is a Hollow verb This is a Geminate verb

‫א‬ ‫ב‬

‫ב‬

‫ו‬ ‫ב‬

  ‫ך‬

‫ט‬

10.13 (‫ֵא‬‫פ‬ ּ ) Class Verbs   1 I. The  0  2    yr A Hebrew verb begins with a weak consonant in  a   u the first position of the root in the Perfect Tense  n  a   J third person masculine singular (or using the  n   a Infinitive Construct) is called Peh Guttural ( )  H  n    ef verbs. There are four or five members under this  f    et family. It is also known as First Guttural verb,

"‫פ‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬     ‫ ם‬ S

root

‫ד‬ ‫ל‬

This is a

           

‫פ‬

‫ג‬”‫פ‬

‫ישב‬ ‫בחר‬ ‫ראה‬ ‫יטב י‬ ‫א בו ב‬ ‫סבב ס‬ ‫ פ"א‬verbs

‫אָמַר‬ ‫אָכַל‬ ‫אָבַה‬ ‫אָפָה‬ ‫אָחַז‬ ‫אָבַד‬

say  eat  be willing  bake  seize   perish 

6 

Hebrew Verbal System 

"‫פ‬

sometimes written as I-Guttural verb or (Peh) verb type. These are different names of the same verb type. Members of  (‫ֵא‬‫פ‬ ּ ) verbs included the following groups:

‫א‬”‫פ‬

"‫פ‬

 ָ‫א‬  ,‫ַד‬‫ב‬  ָ‫א‬  ). There are only six members a. Pe-Alef  ( ), (e.g. ‫ַל‬‫כ‬ in class in used in the , as shown in the Table above. These six verbs receive different head vowel during inflection in the Qal binyan .

‫א‬”‫פ‬

‫ך‬”‫תנ‬

‫גרונית‬”‫פ‬

‫ע‬/‫ח‬”‫פ‬ ‫ר עח‬

 ָ‫ע‬  ,‫ַק‬‫ז‬ ָ‫ח‬ ). Verbs b. Pe-Guttural ( or ), (e.g. ‫ַד‬‫מ‬ under this group begin with , , or . Other verbs beginning with [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬ class are to be  ָ‫א‬  ) which are not a member of  classified under Pe-Guttural  class as these aleph-first verbs are Pe-Guttural class to be conjugated like verbs.

‫א‬

‫א‬”‫פ‬

‫ע‬/‫ח‬”‫פ‬

‫נ‬”‫פ‬

‫נ‬ ‫נתן חלך לקח‬

ּ

c. Pe-Nun ( ) (e.g. ‫ַל‬‫פ‬  ָ‫נ‬ ׁ,‫ַש‬‫ג‬ ָ‫)נ‬. All verbs begin with [ ] (‫)נון‬ as well as a few other irregular verbs: , , —only a handful of these—are also grouped under this category. In some Hebrew grammar books, a verb is also known as ‫ַי‬‫ְר‬‫ס‬  ַ‫ח‬  , which means verb but with a missing first [ ] (‫)נון‬.

‫נ‬”‫פ‬

‫נ‬”‫פ‬

‫י‬”‫פ‬

 ָ‫י‬ ): there are d. Pe-Yod  ( ) (e.g. ‫ַב‬‫ט‬ only six or seven members in class, thus known as true verbs, as shown in the Table.

‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫ נ‬ּ

‫ש‬ ֵׁ‫ב‬  ָ‫י‬ ‫ֵק‬‫נ‬ ָ‫י‬ ‫ַר‬‫ש‬ ָׁ‫י‬ ‫ַב‬‫ט‬  ָ‫י‬ ‫ַץ‬‫ק‬  ָ‫י‬ ‫ַל‬‫ל‬  ָ‫י‬ ‫ַר‬‫מ‬  ָ‫י‬

‫נ‬”‫פ‬

‫י‬”‫ פ‬verbs to be dry  to suck  to be straight  to be good 

.

e. Pe-Yod/Vav (Pe-Yod  based on Pe-  to wake up   ָ‫י‬ ׁ,‫ַש‬‫ר‬  ָ‫י‬ ). Verbs under Vav ) (e.g. ‫ַא‬‫ר‬ to groan  this group actually begin with a to go to the right  [ ] (‫ָו‬‫ )ו‬but ended up in [ ] ( ) initial in the Perfect Tense third person singular masculine—try compare it with the Infinitive Construct of the verb. More appropriately these verbs should be known as verbs.

‫ו‬

‫ד י‬ֹ‫יו‬

d e si v er 1 1 0 2 yr a u n a J n ‫ב‬

a

‫י‬/‫ו‬”‫פ‬

‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

7  

10.14 II The [ ] ( ) Class Verbs.  ָ‫ב‬ ּ  ,‫ך‬ ,‫ַך‬‫ר‬  ָ‫ב‬ ּ ) verbs. Verbs under a. The Ayin -Guttural -Guttural ( ) (e.g. ‫ַר‬‫ח‬ this class would have a guttural in the middle or position of  the root.

‫יִן ע‬ ַ‫ע‬

‫ג‬”‫ע‬

’‫ע‬

b. The Ayin-Vav  and Ayin-Yod  Ayin-Yod or or biconsonantal  or Hollow verb   ). Verbs of this class come (e.g. , ,‫ֹא‬‫ּו‬‫ ב‬, ,‫וֹש‬ ּ‫ב‬ under the category of Hollow verbs, which usually is treated separately in grammar textbooks as monosyllable verbs.

‫ּת‬‫ּם מו‬‫קו‬

‫ִים‬ׂ ‫ׂ ש‬ 

‫סבב‬

c. The Double-Ayin  Double-Ayin  or Ayin-Ayin  Ayin-Ayin or or Geminate Verb  (e.g. ) (doubling of consonant of the last, pillion syllable.). Like wise, these verbs occupy a separate section in grammar textbooks. The main feature of these verbs would be the two identical last consonants in the root, which would be visible mostly in the Infinitive Absolute and Active voice binyanim .

10.15

'‫ל‬

III The (‫ֶד‬‫מ‬  ֫‫ל‬ ָ ) Class Verbs  ָ‫ש‬ ׁ ,‫ַח‬‫ל‬  ׁ‫ש‬ ָ ) verbs. These verbs a. The Lamed -Guttural -Guttural ( ) (e.g. ‫ַע‬‫מ‬ would have a guttural as the astern consonant of the root so much so that these verbs carry a ‫ב‬ ָ ‫ְנו‬‫ג‬ ‫ַח‬‫ת‬ ָּ‫פ‬ ּ֫ (  pathach furtive ) beneath the last consonant, mostly [ ‫ ]ע‬and [‫ ]ח‬in the Infinitives.

‫ג‬”‫ל‬

ּ ּ

‫א‬”‫ל‬

‫אלף‬

 ָ‫מ‬  ) verbs end in the b. The Lamed-Alef  ( ) (e.g. ‫ָא‬‫צ‬ letter, which could not be given any vowel, but the preceding vowel is commissioned with a [ ○ ָ ] ( ) in the Perfect Tense third person singular masculine.

‫קמץ‬

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

‫ה‬”‫ל‬

ּ

 ָ‫ג‬ ) verbs share much features akin c. The Lamed-He  Lamed-He (( ) (e.g. ‫ָה‬‫ל‬ to the verbs where the astern could not be assigned a ָ] vowel, hence the preceding vowel is given an immutable [ ○ ( ) in the Perfect Tense third person singular masculine.

‫א‬”‫ל‬

‫ק מץ‬

‫ה‬

8 

Hebrew Verbal System 

10.16 IV Special Irregular verbs (e.g. ‫ַן‬‫ָת‬‫נ‬ ,‫ַח‬‫ק‬  ָ‫ל‬  ,‫ך‬ ְַ‫ל‬  ָ‫ה‬  ,‫ָה‬‫י‬ ָ‫)ה‬. A handful of these verbs are found in use in the which could not be easily grouped into anyone of the main groups of weak verbs. They are individual verb of the irregular type.

‫ך‬”‫תנ‬

10.17 Conjugation of the weak verbs: How does it work. During conjugation, the presence of a weak consonant will demand changes to the vowels, shift of accent, movement of the weak consonant and or no , which may invoke compensatory lengthening the vowel of the preceding consonant or virtually lengthening which rejects the without lengthening the vowel under the preceding consonant or syllable, and at certain point a helping vowel might be called to duty. These changes of vowel during inflexion follow a set of fixed rules. These rules could be easily learned and understood.

‫דג ש‬

‫דג ש‬

‫דג ש‬

10.18 The ‫ֵא‬"‫פ‬ ּ (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬ ָ‫א‬  ‫ֵא־‬‫פ‬ ּ ) or I-

‫ א‬verbs ‫א‬

a. Only six verbs beginning with [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬  ָ‫א‬  ) would be classified under this category. The rest of the verbs beginning with [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬  ָ‫א‬ ) outside these six will be conjugated as ( ) verbs, hence they would be placed under that group.

‫א‬

‫ע‬/‫ח‬"‫גרונית פ‬"‫פ‬

‫א‬"‫ פ‬verbs

‫ַר‬‫מ‬  ָ‫א‬  ‫ַל‬‫כ‬  ָ‫א‬  ‫ַה‬‫ב‬  ָ‫א‬  ‫ָה‬‫פ‬  ָ‫א‬  ‫ַז‬‫ָח‬‫א‬  ‫ַד‬‫ב‬  ָ‫א‬ 

say  eat  bewilling  bake  seize  . d

 perish 

e si

b. Only in the Qal stem would the vowels of  these ‫ֵא‬"‫פ‬ ּ verbs be affected in conjugation. When these verbs assume other stem, they would be inflected according to the strong verb pattern of each binyan . v er 1 1 0 2 yr a u

‫א‬ ‫אחז‬

n a J

c. There are, however, a few few firstfirst- words which would have both the strong and quiescent form: it seized , to gather , to learn, to be familiar with , etc.

‫אלף‬

n ‫ב‬

a

‫אסף‬

‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

d. All of these six

9 

‫ֵא‬"‫פ‬ ּ verbs are given in the Table above.

e. The default vowels of the Qal Infinitive Absolute of these six verbs would be similar to the regular, strong verb, like the vowels in: ‫ֹור‬ ‫ָק‬‫מ‬  , while the [ ] (‫ )הולם מלא‬is written as  to seize, to hold fast : [○] ( ), as ‫ֹז‬‫ָח‬‫א‬ fast : the Infinitive construct for this word would be: ‫חז‬  . The Infinitive Absolute ֹ ֲ‫א‬ of the others would be: ‫מר‬  , which could be written as ‫וֹר‬ ‫ָמ‬‫א‬ ֹ ָ‫א‬ (‫מר‬  ), ‫ֹל‬‫ָכ‬‫א‬  (‫ֹל‬‫ֱכ‬‫א‬  ), ‫ֹה‬‫ָב‬‫א‬  (‫ֹה‬‫ֱב‬‫א‬  ), ‫ֹה‬‫ָפ‬‫א‬  (‫ֹה‬‫ֱפ‬‫א‬  ), ‫ֹד‬‫ָב‬‫א‬  (‫ֹד‬‫ֲב‬‫א‬ ), ֹ ֱ‫א‬

ֹ

‫ֹו‬

‫הולם חסר‬

f. The default vowels vowels of the Qal Infinitive Construct for these six verbs would be a combination of  [○ ○ ֱ ] ‫ָם‬‫ל‬  ֹ‫חו‬+‫ֹל‬‫ֶגו‬‫ס‬ ‫ַף‬‫ט‬  ֲ‫ח‬  ) ‫ֵר‬‫ס‬  ָ‫ח‬  ) with one or two exceptions.

ֹ +

g. The rationale is is that as a general general rule when a vocal shewa [ ○ ְ] ( ) is supposed to be placed under the first position of  the root, (e.g. Qal infinitive Construct, Qal Imperative, Qal Cohortative, Qal Jussive and Qal Imperfect), only the laryngeal (, , , , , ) which is sitting atop of it would cause the [ ○ ְ] ( ) to be changed to a composite shewa ( ‫)חתף שווא‬ according to the preference of each consonant for the choice of which type of composite shewa would be chosen, for these ְ]( gutturals could not sustain the [ ○ ) beneath them, like the way a normal Qal Infinitive Construct does. Interestingly, the Qal Infinitive Construct for the ‫שורש‬: ‫ אסר‬could be expressed as ‫סר‬  ֶ‫ל‬  (Numbers 30:3, Psalm 105:22, Psalm 149: ֹ ְ‫א‬ 8).

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫א חהער‬ ‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫א‬

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

h. In the case of these six verbs, the head [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬  ָ‫א‬  ), a weak ֶ ] ( ‫ֹל‬‫ֶגו‬‫ )ס‬to be assigned consonant which preferred the vowel [ ○ under it whenever it sits at the position in the Qal Infinitive Construct, Qal Imperative, Qal Imperfect, Qal Jussive, Qal Cohortative or vaw conversive, thus it would schlep a composite shewa [○ ֱ ] (‫ֹל‬‫ֶגו‬‫ַף ס‬‫ט‬  ֲ‫ח‬  ) beneath it, for instant to eat  would be ‫ל‬‫כ‬ ֹ ‫א‬ ֱ ‫ל‬ ֶ ; to speak  would be ‫ר‬‫מ‬ ֹ ‫א‬ ֱ ‫ל‬ ֶ . In addition, only one of  the [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬  ָ‫א‬  ) is to be shown up in the first person common singular I will eat , which expression under usual condition is

"‫פ‬

‫א‬

10 

Hebrew Verbal System 

ַ ‫א‬ ֱ ‫א‬ ֶ ; but it is practically impossible supposed to be written as ‫ל‬‫כ‬ to articulate the two contagious [ ] ( ) and thus one will ַ ‫א‬ ֹ I will eat . Apparently, this would be abdicated, resulting in ‫ל‬‫כ‬ happen only in these six words. In other aleph-first verbs which are grouped under verbs, double would be visible.

‫אלפים אא‬

‫ג‬"‫פ‬

‫א‬

i. Unlike the strong verbs, these six ‫ֵא‬"‫פ‬ ּ verbs in the Imperfect Tense the [ ] ( ) in the head syllable will be quiescent while the default vowel of the personal pronoun preformatives, the , unlike the strong verb, will take [ ○] (‫ֵר‬‫ס‬  ָ‫ח‬  ‫ָם‬‫ל‬  ֹ‫)חו‬ whereas the pillion vowel would be treated as stative verbs, that is, these six [ ] ( ) verbs will take [ ○ ַ ] (‫ַח‬‫ת‬ ּ֫‫פ‬ ַ ) as stem vowel.

‫אלף א‬

‫ן‬"‫אית‬

ֹ

‫אלף א‬ ‫לאמר‬

  j. Of the six, the root to speak employs speak  employs a slightly different combination of vowels in the Qal Infinitive Construct: instead of  ‫מר‬ ). For  ֶ‫ל‬  ; it is written as ‫ר‬‫מ‬ ֹ ‫א‬‫ל‬ ֵ (‫ צרי‬instead of  ֹ ֱ‫א‬ ַ ‫א‬ ֹ . In wav the expression of  I will speak , it is written as ‫ר‬‫מ‬ consecutive, for the expression and I said  (and I will say ), ), it ַ ‫א‬ ֹ ‫( ָו‬ is written as ‫ר‬‫מ‬ instead of  ); for the expression of  and he will say  (and he said), it is written as ‫ר‬‫מ‬ ֶ ‫א‬‫ ֹּ֫י‬‫( ַו‬ instead of  ).

‫סג ו ל‬

‫קמץ‬

‫פתח‬

‫סג ו ל‬

‫פתח‬

k. Paradigm of wav consecutive is given in the Table. l. The conjugation of the Qal Infinitive Absolute, Qal Active Participle and Qal Passive Participle of these six verbs are to follow that of the strong verb in the Qal binyan .

Wav consecutrive plural

‫ְר ּו‬‫ֹאמ‬‫ַּי‬‫ו‬

-

‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫֫ר‬‫מ‬ ַ ‫ֹא‬‫ת‬ ַּ‫ו‬ ּ‫ְרו‬‫ֹאמ‬‫ַּת‬‫ו‬ ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ַר‬‫מ‬ ֫ ‫ֹא‬‫ת‬ ַּ‫ו‬ ‫ֶר‬‫מ‬  ‫֫א‬‫ַֹּנ‬ ‫ו‬

singular

‫ֶר‬‫מ‬  ‫ֹא‬‫ַּ֫י‬‫ו‬ ‫ֶר‬‫מ‬  ‫֫א‬‫ת‬ ֹּ ַ‫ו‬ ‫ֶר‬‫מ‬  ‫ֹא‬‫ת‬ ַּ֫‫ו‬ ‫ִי‬‫ר‬ ְ‫מ‬  ‫ֹא‬‫ַת‬‫ו‬ ‫א‬ ‫ָר‬‫ו‬ ֹ‫מ‬ . d e si v er 1 1 0 2 yr a u n a J

m. For the inflection of other binyanim  other than Qal stem of  these verbs, default vowel pattern for the strong verb of each binyan  will be used.

n ‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

11

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

10.19 The verbs: I-Gutturals verbs or ( )+ verbs Verbs under this class include roots beginning with , , and those to be known as that begin with [ ] ( ) in the first position of the root other than the six already grouped under verbs.

‫ג‬”‫פ‬

‫ח א‬/‫ע‬"‫פ‬

‫גרונית‬/‫א‬”‫פ‬

‫אלף א‬

‫חער‬ ‫א‬"‫פ‬

10.20 The vowel patterns of  ( ) would duplicate the vowels inherently given in the Infinitive Absolute of each derived stem or binyan , with some slight deviation in the Niph’al: the vowel under the [ ] ( ) of the Niph’al ַ] ( ֱ] verbal prosthesis assumes a [ ○ ) in response to the present of [ ○ ( ) under the head consonant of the root, as in the sample word: ‫ֹב‬‫זו‬‫ע‬ ֲ ‫ ַנ‬to leave , or, a [○ֵ ] ( ) under the Niph’al prosthesis [ ] ( ), ָ ‫ה‬ ֵ to be abandoned, an alternative Niph’al as shown in the sample: ‫ֹב‬‫זו‬‫ע‬ Infinitive Absolute for the root: , where there is an assimilation of  [ ] ( ) by default in the original prosthesis but with a guttural coming next after the [ ] ( ), there would be no assimilation of [ ] ( ), thus compensatory lengthening of the vowel under the preceding consonant or syllable must take place. The same root in the Intensive and Causative stems or other binyanim  that carry default prosthesis, which serves as the binyanim that head syllable of each stem, would be the same as the regular, strong verb of each binyan .

‫ג‬”‫ח פ‬/‫ע‬"‫פ‬

‫פתח‬

‫חטף סגול‬

‫נון נ‬

‫נון נ‬

‫צרי‬

‫הא ה‬

‫ע זב‬

‫נון נ‬

‫נון נ‬

10.21 In the Qal Infinitive Construct, where there is still no division between dynamic verbs and stative verbs, a composite shewa relevant to each type of gutturals leads ahead a [ ○] (‫ֵר‬‫ס‬  ָ‫ח‬  ‫ָם‬‫ל‬  ֹ‫ )חו‬which plays the role as  . the stem vowel, for example: ‫ֹד‬‫ֲמ‬‫ע‬

ֹ

10.22  1   0 A distinction between dynamic verb and stative verb would be made  2    yr in the Imperative Mood, the Imperfect Tense Tense and the Perfect Perfect Tense  a  u ְ] ( ) beneath   n of these verbs in the Qal binyan . The default [ ○  a  J   n the head syllable in the Qal Infinitive Construct would be replaced by  a   H composite shewa [ ○ ֲ ] (‫ָח‬‫ת‬ ַּ‫פ‬ ּ ‫ַף‬‫ט‬  ֲ‫ח‬  ) (i) for (in the Qal Imperative and Qal  n    ef (in the Qal Imperative); and (ii) [ ○ ) for ֱ] (   f Imperfect) and    et (in the Qal Imperfect Tense)   S (Qal Imperative and Qal Imperfect) and

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

‫ח‬

‫ע‬

‫ח‬

‫חטף סגול‬

‫א‬

12 

Hebrew Verbal System 

"‫פ‬

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

of  verbs as guttural consonant could not receive [ ○ ) while ְ](  ָ‫ח‬ ‫ָם‬‫ל‬  ֹ‫ )חו‬in dynamic verbs in the stem vowel would remain as [ ○] (‫ֵר‬‫ס‬ Qal Imperfect Tense; the stative verbs would load a [ ○ ) as stem ַ] ( vowel for the Qal Imperfect Tense and the Qal Imperative Mood, Qal Jussive and Qal Cohortative.

ֹ

‫פתח‬

10.23 Nevertheless, for the consonants [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬ verbs,  ָ‫א‬  ) and [ ] ( ) in ְ]( instead of the [ ○ ), these verbs would accept composite shewa [ ○ ) in most cases. By the operation of shewa rule, the [ ○ ֱ] ( ְ] ( ) under the preformatives (PC) for the Imperfect Tense, that is the " , will assume the appropriate changes in response to the composite shewa, which give rise to the final shape of the vowel for in and verbs.

‫חטף סגול‬ ‫ש ו וא נ ע‬ ‫א ית ן‬

‫ן‬"‫ח אית‬"‫פ‬

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫א‬

‫חת ח‬

‫ג‬"‫פ‬

‫ג‬/‫א‬"‫פ‬

10.24 Other rules for pluralization, abdication of the hind consonant and reduction of the stem vowel, propretonic reduction of the head vowel, etc., shall be applicable.

‫א‬

a. Not all -first verbs, however, are called are treated as dynamic or fientive verb;

‫א‬"‫ פ‬verb: ‫ג‬/‫א‬"‫ פ‬verbs ‫א‬

b. These verbs, with the exception exception of six six special -first verbs known as verbs, are to be conjugated like first-guttural verbs, making adjustment only to the head vowel (i) in cases where vocalic sufformative is added in the Qal Imperfect Tense, the vowel in the ְ] prosthesis, the , which actually is transformed from [ ○ ) ( , would be reduced to [ ○ ) under the rule or propretonic ַ] ( reduction of head vowel during conjugation; (ii) for the inflection of consonantal sufformative or in cases where no sufformative is needed, the prosthetic vowel of the pronominal preformative will ֶ] ( employ [○ ) in response to the composite shewa beneath the [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬  ָ‫א‬  ) of the root; (iv) the status of the [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬  ָ‫א‬  ) will not be affected during conjugation: it is to be retained even in cases of  first person singular I  where an additional [ ] (‫ֶף‬‫ל‬  ָ‫א‬  ) is prefixed

‫א‬"‫פ‬

‫נע‬

‫א‬

‫ן‬"‫אית‬

‫סג ו ל‬

.

‫ש ו וא‬

‫פתח‬

d e si v er 1 1 0 2 yr a u n a J

‫א‬

n ‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

‫א‬

f ‫ש‬

et

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

13 

ֹ

 ֹ‫)חו‬ to the root; (v) the stem vowel for these verbs will be [ ○] ‫ָם‬‫ל‬ (‫ֵר‬‫ס‬  ָ‫ח‬  as in a strong verb; (vi) for other binyanim  of these -first but actually treaded as I-guttural verbs, the inflection pattern for strong verb of each binyan  will be used.

‫א‬

c. The Qal Infinitive Absolute, Absolute, the Qal Participles: Participles: Active as well as Passive of these verbs will follow the conjugation of the Qal strong verb; inflection of other non-Qal binyanim  of these verbs will follow the strong verb pattern of each binyan . 10.25 The vowel scheme and conjugation of these +  /  verbs in the Qal Perfect Tense and Qal Participles, active as well as passive, would be the same as the regular, strong verbs. In the case of Qal Active Participle feminine singular, it would assume the segholate noun pattern, while the ָ ] ( ) pattern. passive would assume the alternative [ ○

‫ע ח א‬”‫פ‬

‫קמץ‬

10.26 Conjugation of other non-Qal stems of  +  /  " verbs would follow the rules and vowel scheme of the regular, strong verbs of each binyan .

‫פ עח א‬

10.27 The verbs or I-‫נון‬ There are one or two verbs in Hebrew that are grouped under verbs but not led by the consonant [ ] (‫)נון‬, for a sample word: ‫ח‬ ַ ‫ק ֹו‬‫ל‬ ָ (watch out for the ‫ב‬ ָ ‫ְנו‬‫ג‬ ‫ַח‬‫ת‬ ָּ‫פ‬ ּ֫ ). The word ‫ֹון‬ ‫ָת‬‫ נ‬has a [ ] (‫ )נון‬at the initial position in the Perfect Tense third person masculine singular, but not in the Qal ֵ (‫ל‬ ְ ). Infinitive Construct, in which case it has only two consonants: ‫ּת‬‫ת‬

‫נ‬"‫פ‬

ּ

‫ נ‬ּ

ּ ּ

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

‫נ‬"‫פ‬

‫ נ‬ּ

10.28 The vowel pattern of  verbs are quite regular at the Qal Infinitive Absolute; but not so in the Qal Infinitive Construct. Some of these verbs are doubly weak verbs and some of these verbs are treated as stative verbs. For the regular verbs, the vowels in the Qal Infinitive Construct would follow the regular, strong verbs, while the stative might

‫נ‬"‫פ‬

‫נ‬"‫פ‬

Hebrew Verbal System 

14 

take on segholate nouns singular type vowel, as some of these verbs could be verbs.

‫ע‬/‫ח‬”‫ל‬

10.29 The default vowel patterns in the Qal binyan  follow that of the regular, strong verbs, with different stem vowels between dynamic and stative verbs: [○ ַ ] (‫ )פתח‬for stative verbs and the vowel [ ○ֵ ] ( ) for irregular verbs in the Qal Infinitive Construct, the Qal Imperative and the Qal Imperfect Tense. With the exception of the verb he felt sorry , the consonant [ ] ( ) of the root of  verbs would be assimilated, hence exhibiting a [ ] ( ) in the Qal Imperfect Tense for dynamic verbs; and in the Qal Imperative and Qal Imperfect for stative verbs. In the case of  Niph’al verbs, the initial [ ] ( ) would merge with the [ ] ( ) of  the prosthesis, leaving visible the .

‫צרי‬

‫וּן נ‬ ‫נ‬ ‫ּן נ‬‫נו‬

‫נ‬"‫פ‬

‫נחם‬

‫נ‬"‫פ‬

‫וּן נ‬ ‫נ‬ ‫דג ש‬

‫וּן נ‬ ‫נ‬

10.30 Conjugations of  and : a. The vowels in the Qal Infinitive Absolute of these these two verbs would be the same as the vowels in: ‫ֹור‬ ‫ָק‬‫מ‬, thus these two would ַ ֹ‫ָקו‬‫ל‬ to take . appear: ‫ֹן‬‫ָתו‬‫ נ‬to give , ‫ח‬

‫לתת‬

‫לקח‬

b. In the Infinitive Infinitive Construct, both would assume assume two different different form of the feminine noun ending: ‫ֵת‬‫ת‬  ָ‫ל‬  ,‫ֵת‬‫ת‬ ּ to give ; ‫ַת‬‫ח‬  ַ‫ק‬  ַ‫ל‬  ,‫ַת‬‫ח‬  ַ‫ק‬  to  take . In effect, both the [ ַ○○  ] and [ ○ֵ ] in one way or the other are in reminiscence of the segholate feminine noun ending.

‫ת‬

‫ת‬

c. The Qal Imperative of these two irregular verbs assume two forms each: ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ת‬ ּ ,‫ֵן‬‫ת‬ ּ give ; ‫ָה‬‫ח‬  ְ‫ק‬  ,‫ַח‬‫ק‬  take  in the masculine singular but the inflections for other persons and genders in the Qal Imperative would be the same as the regular, strong verbs: ‫ִי‬‫ְנ‬‫ת‬ ּ you lady give ; ‫ִי‬‫ח‬ ְ‫ק‬  you lady take ; ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ֵ‫ת‬ ּ you men give ; ‫ְחו‬‫ ק‬  you men take ; ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ֵ‫ת‬ ּ  you women take . The Jussive Mood   you women give  ; ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ַח‬‫ק‬ takes [○ ) for the role of the theme vowel, hence for the ֶ] ( ִּ‫י‬ . expression of let of  let him give  would be: ‫ֶן‬‫ת‬

. d e si v er 1 1 0 2

ּ

yr a u n a

‫סג ו ל‬

d. The inflection of these two irregular irregular verbs in the Qal Imperfect

J n ‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

15 

Tense would be the same as the regular, strong verbs. In the case of zero vowel sufformative conjugation, the two would appear as: ‫ֵן‬‫ת‬ ִּ‫י‬ he will give , ‫ַח‬‫ק‬ ִּ‫י‬ he will take. The other four zero vowel sufformative conjugation in the Imperfect Tense would require the . The consonantal sufformative conjugation does not need a helping vowel but the assimilation of the astern [ ] ( ) of the ִּ‫ת‬ ּ   you women will give, root would take place in all cases: ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ֵ‫ת‬ compare with ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ַח‬‫ק‬ ִּ‫ת‬ ּ  you women will take , in which case there is no assimilation of the [ ] ( ) to have occurred.

‫ן‬”‫אית‬

‫וּן נ‬ ‫נ‬

ּ

‫ּן נ‬‫נו‬

‫פנ‬

e. The inflection inflection of Qal Perfect Tense of the two irregular " verbs would be the same as the regular, strong verbs. In zero vowel sufformative conjugation, the two would appear as: ‫ַן‬‫ָת‬‫נ‬ he gave , ‫ַח‬‫ק‬  ָ‫ל‬  he took . Likewise, assimilation of the astern [ ] ( ) of the root would take place in consonantal sufformative conjugation: ‫ִי‬‫ת‬ ַּ‫ת‬ ָ‫נ‬ I gave , compare with one sample where no assimilation of  the hind consonant: ‫ִי‬‫ת‬ ְּ‫ח‬  ַ‫ק‬ ָ‫ל‬  I took . One more sample: ‫ַנו‬‫ָת‬‫נ‬ we  gave , compare it with: ‫ְנו‬‫ַח‬‫ק‬  ָ‫ל‬  we took .

‫ּן נ‬‫נו‬

ּ ּ

ּ

f. There are two Qal Participles—the Participles—the active and the passive—each passive—each  ֹ‫ נ‬he  has a yoke of default vowels in the masculine singular: ‫ֵן‬‫ת‬ ֵ ‫ל‬ ֹ he takes . The declension of feminine singular in gives , ‫ח‬‫ק‬ the Qal Active Participle for the expression of  she takes , which assumes the segholate feminine singular ending, would be: ‫ֶת‬‫נ‬ ֶ‫ת‬ ֫ ֹ‫נ‬. The passive form of the same expression would be: ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ‫ְתו‬‫נ‬, which ֶָ ] ( ) ending for the Qal is the alternative feminine singular [ ○ passive and some Pu’al Passive Participle. The same word in the passive feminine plural would be: ‫ֹת‬‫ְתונו‬‫נ‬. The Qal Active Participle of masculine plural would be the same as the regular, strong verb: ‫ִים‬‫ְנ‬‫ת‬  ֹ‫( נ‬the men are ) giving , which is a vocalic  ְ‫ק‬  ‫ל‬ sufformative conjugation: ‫ִים‬‫ח‬ ֹ (the men are ) taking . The same expressions in the feminine plural would be: ‫ֹת‬‫ְנו‬‫ת‬  ֹ‫( נ‬the women  are ) giving .

‫קמץ‬

ּ

ּ

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

10.31 The The

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫ פ‬verbs ‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫ָו( פ‬‫ֹד־ו‬‫ֵא יו‬‫ ) ּפ‬verbs are another major category of weak verbs

Hebrew Verbal System 

16 

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫פ‬

in Hebrew. There are about less than ninety verbs in use in the . In older textbooks, verbs are spread out across Class I, Class II and Class III, etc. Most of these verbs originally had the consonant [ ] (‫ָו‬‫ו‬ ) in the head consonant of the root, but ended up in having a [ ] ( ) in the Qal Perfect Tense third person masculine singular. As matter stands now, there are only a few verbs that are originally verbs, known as true verbs.

‫ך‬”‫תנ‬

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫ו‬

‫יוד י‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫פ‬

10.32 True verbs The verbs in the Table are given by ‫י‬”‫ פ‬verbs Paul Joüon and T. Muraoka, A Grammar  ‫ש‬ ֵׁ‫ב‬  ָ‫י‬ to be dry  of Biblical Hebrew  (Roma: Editrice ‫ֵק‬‫נ‬ ָ‫ י‬to suck  Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 1993,  p198 .), .), ‫ַר‬‫ש‬ ָׁ‫י‬ to be straight  suggesting only six or seven of the ‫ַב‬‫ט‬  ָ‫י‬ to be good  are original verbs and thus termed as ‫ַץ‬‫ק‬  ָ‫י‬ to wake up  true verbs; the rest of the other ‫ַל‬‫ל‬  ָ‫י‬ to groan  verbs would be known as verbs. The ‫ַר‬‫מ‬  ָ‫י‬ to go to the right  main feature of true verbs is that the controversial [ ] ( ) the head consonant would be immutable throughout the conjugations and treated as stative verb, which means these verbs would carry the vowel [ ○ ) as the ַ] ( key or pillion vowel in the Imperfect Tense. Stative verb with a laryngeal or guttural may not load the [ ○ ) as stem vowel. ַ] (

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫יוד י‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫ו‬"‫פ‬

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫פתח‬

‫פתח‬

10.33 With the exception of  to be straight , which found to have appeared in the Qal, Hiphil as well as Pi’el and Pu’al, the other members of the group are confined only to Qal and Hiphil used in the .

‫ישר‬

. d e si

‫ך‬”‫תנ‬

v er 1 1 0

10.34 The Qal Infinitive Absolute of true verbs, expectedly, are given the full default vowels for Qal Infinitive Absolute together with its full spelling of the root, as in the verb: ‫ֹב‬‫ָטו‬‫י‬ . The [ ] ( ) in each of these seven true verbs is not a prosthesis but the head consonant of the root, which would be immutable and hence must be expressed together

2 yr

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

a u n a

‫יוד י‬

J n ‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

17  

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

with the standard default vowels imitating the vowels in Infinitive Construct: ‫ֹב‬‫ְט‬‫י‬ to be good.

‫ֹת‬‫ְנו‬‫ב‬ ּ for the Qal

10.35 The full conjugation of each form of the true verb would model after the strong, regular verbs. In the case of the Qal Imperative of true  ַ‫ט‬ ְ֫‫י‬ ,‫ְבו‬‫ִט‬‫י‬ ,‫ִי‬‫ְב‬‫ט‬  ְ‫י‬ ,‫ַב‬‫ט‬  ְ‫י‬ , and the theme verb, the paradigm would be: ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ב‬ or stem vowel—it is treated as stative verb—loads a [ ○ ), which ַ] ( would be the same in Qal Imperfect for these verbs. By the same token, the Cohortative, the Jussive, and even the Wav Conversive would appear as: ,‫ָה‬‫ב‬  ְ‫ט‬  ֫‫י‬‫א‬ ִ ,‫ַב‬‫ט‬  ‫ִי‬‫ ֫י‬,‫ַב‬‫ט‬  ֫‫י‬‫ִַּי‬‫ ו‬respectively. The head syllable, as could be seen in the aforesaid samples, has actually gone through two steps of  morphological changes: (i) the [ ○ ) beneath the by the ְ] ( ִ ] ( ‫ִיק‬‫ר‬ ‫ִי‬‫ ;)ה‬but when rule of contiguous has been changed to a [ ○ (ii) the head [ ] ( ) of a word, usually a (‫ֹד‬‫ֵא יו‬‫פ‬ ּ ) verb, is forced into the second position position by inflection with the [ ○ ) hanging ְ] ( beneath the [ ] ( ), which makes them appear virtually somewhat like [‫ִי‬○] (‫ֵא‬‫ל‬  ָ‫מ‬  ‫ִיק‬‫ר‬ ‫ִי‬‫)ה‬, as the vowels shown in this dummy example: (‫ִיטט‬‫ת‬  ‫ְטט‬‫י‬ ִ‫ְטט ת‬‫י‬ ְ‫ת‬). To ease articulation, it is necessary to turn the pairing of [○ ) into [‫ִי‬○ ְ +○ִ ] (  ] (‫ֵא‬‫ל‬  ָ‫מ‬  ‫ִיק‬‫ִיר‬‫ )ה‬by dropping + the [○ ). The conjugation used in the Imperative of the true ְ]( verbs would be applicable to the configuration of the Imperfect Tense of  these verbs.

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

ּ

‫ש ו ו א ים‬ ‫יוד י‬

‫פתח‬

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫יוד י‬

←

‫ן‬”‫אית‬

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

←

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫ה י ר י ק ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

10.36 The inflection for the Qal Participles, the Qal Imperfect and the Qal Perfect of true verbs would be just like the strong, regular verbs.

‫י‬"‫פ‬

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

10.37 The group The group could be parceled out into two types: one would have the assimilation of the head consonant, which originally would be a [ ]  ָ‫י‬ to place ; (‫ָו‬‫)ו‬, such as ( ) to spread under ; to burn ; ‫ַג‬‫צ‬ to pour ; to form ; to bring forth , to go forth , to go out , to add or add  or to increase, to dwell , to descend , to go , to 

‫ו‬”‫פ‬ ‫ו‬”‫פ‬

‫ו צע י צע‬ ‫יצר‬ ‫ילד‬ ‫י שב‬

‫ירד‬

‫י צת‬ ‫י צא‬

‫חלך‬

‫ו‬ ‫י צק‬ ‫יסף‬ ‫ידע‬

Hebrew Verbal System 

18 

‫יחד‬

‫יק ע‬

know , to be united , to be dislocated , to name a few. Since verbs under this group would end up without the [ ] ( ), it could simply known as the verbs.

‫יוד י‬

‫ו‬”‫פ‬

10.38 While the other verbs, such as to be afraid or afraid  or fear , to be weary , to possess or inherit , to fall asleep , to counsel, just to name a few, would keep the [ ] ( ) in the conjugation of each form of  the verb, some what in close affinity with the true verbs in the Qal Perfect and Qal Imperfect in conjugation as well as in the stem vowel, which enable these verbs to be termed as pseudoverbs, a suggestion here; while in the Niphal Perfect, all forms of the Causative stem: stem: the Hiphil and Hophal, the [ ] ( ) but would go through assimilation in resemblance the verbs. Properly understood, many of these verbs would actually go through a mixed conjugation. In want of a better ּ ) verbs term, these verbs could jolly well be known as (‫ֹד‬‫ָו־יו‬‫ו‬ ‫ֵא‬‫פ‬ because most of these verbs are originally verbs but ended up with a [ ] ( ) appearing in the head of the in the Qal Perfect Tense third person masculine singular, as the word: ‫ַב‬‫ש‬ ָׁ‫י‬ to dwell ; ‫ַד‬‫ל‬ ָ‫י‬ to give  birth to . The initial [ ] (‫ָו‬‫ )ו‬would resurface when preformatives were added to the root in the conjugation of the Imperfect Tense.

‫ישן‬

‫ירש‬

‫ירא‬

‫יעץ‬

‫יוד י‬

‫יג ע‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫י‬"‫פ‬

‫יוד י‬

‫נ‬”‫פ‬

‫ו‬”‫פ‬ ‫שורש‬

‫יוד י‬

‫י‬/‫ו‬”‫פ‬

‫ו‬

10.39 The Qal Infinitive Absolute of  verbs would display the default vowels identical with the brace used in the word: ‫וֹר‬ ‫ָק‬‫ מ‬as in the strong, regular verbs, which would help to install: ‫ֹוש‬ ‫ָר‬‫י‬ to possess, to inherit ; ‫ֹׁב‬‫ו‬‫ָש‬‫י‬ or ‫ֹב‬‫ש‬ ָׁ‫י‬ to sit down to hold meeting . While in the Qal Infinitive Construct of these verbs would assume a form of vowel format similar to the segholate noun: ‫ֶת‬‫ש‬  ֶ‫ר‬ ֫ (‫ל‬ ָ ), ‫ֶת‬‫ב‬  ֶ‫ש‬ ׁ֫ (‫ל‬ ָ ).

‫י‬/‫ו‬”‫פ‬

. d e si v er 1 1 0

10.40 Conjugation for the Participles of pseudgroups as well as the other group which abdicates the [ ] ( ) in the secondary forms (the Infinitive Construct, the Imperative, the Imperfect but resurface in the primary forms: the Perfect and the Participles, all chiefly in the Qal stem) would be rather consistent with the strong, regular verbs, as for an example in

‫יוד י‬

2

‫י‬"‫פ‬

yr a u n a J n

‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

19 

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

 ‫ֹו‬ ‫ י‬,‫ֵץ‬‫ע‬  ֹ‫ יו‬,‫ֵש‬‫ר‬  ֹ‫ו‬ ‫ִים; י‬‫ֵא‬‫ר‬  ְ‫י‬ ,‫ָה‬‫א‬  ְ‫ר‬  ִ‫י‬ ,‫ֵא‬‫ר‬  ֹ‫י‬ . In the the Active Participle: ‫ִים‬‫ְש‬‫ר‬ case of the Passive Participle, it would be: ‫ִים‬‫ְעוצ‬‫י‬ ,‫ָה‬‫צ‬  ‫ְעו‬‫ י‬,‫ָעוץ‬‫י‬. What is not given here is feminine plural forms for these two sample words.

ּ

ּ

ּ

10.41 The Qal Imperative for these would be configured on the segholate word format. A distinction between active or dynamic verb and stative verb would be made in the Qal Imperative and Qal Imperfect Tense. The active verbs would assume a [ ○ ֵ ] ( ) both as the head as well as the stem or theme vowel; whereas the stative verbs would take on the vowel pairing of [‫ִי‬○] (‫ֵא‬‫ל‬  ָ‫מ‬  ‫ִיק‬‫ִיר‬‫ה‬ ) as the head vowel and totes [ ○ַ ] ( ) as the theme or stem vowel. As a general rule when used as stem vowel, [○ ֵ ] ( ) is usually linked with active verbs, while the vowel [○ ) often than not collates with stative verbs. Stative verb with a ַ] ( guttural or laryngeal may not have [ ○ ) as stem vowel. The head ַ] ( consonant [ ] ( ), however, would resurface in the Imperfect Tense and the Preterite. Conjugation of these verbs in the Qal Perfect Tense would be stable, as it is in the Qal strong, regular verbs with default  ָ‫ע‬  . As far as the Qal Preterite is concern, vowel format as in ‫ַר‬‫ב‬ verbs do not display a distinction of dynamic and stative verbs. Take note in the configuration of the Imperfect Tense of the double , both as the head vowel under the pronominal preformatives, the , and the stem (treated as active stem) vowel.

‫י‬/‫ו‬”‫פ‬

‫צרי‬

‫פתח‬

‫צרי‬

‫פתח‬

‫יוד י‬

‫פתח‬

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫צריים‬ ‫ן‬”‫אית‬

10.42 The Infinitives Construct of the other verbs which abdicates the [ ] ( ) in the secondary forms (the Infinitive Construct, the Imperative, the Imperfect but resurface in the primary forms: the Perfect and the Participles, all chiefly in the Qal stem) would be similar to the (pseudo- ) group, in which case the Infinitive Construct of these verbs resembles segholate nouns: ‫ֶת‬‫ב‬  ֶ‫ש‬ ׁ (‫ל‬ ָ ) ,‫ֶת‬‫א‬  ֶ‫צ‬  ,‫ֶת‬‫כ‬  ֶ‫ל‬  ,‫ַת‬‫ע‬  ַ‫ד‬ ּ . The Infinitive Construct in Hebrew, rather similar to English, is ushered by the ָ ] ( ) beneath it, as shown by the signatory consonant ‫ל‬, but tucks a [ ○ vowels in the preceding sample words. Members of this group consist of:

‫י‬

‫יוד‬

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

‫י‬/‫ו‬”‫פ‬

‫י‬”‫פ‬

‫ק מץ‬

Hebrew Verbal System  20 

‫ יצא‬to go out , ‫ ידע‬to know , ‫ ילד‬to conceive , ‫ ירד‬to descend , ‫ ישב‬to  dwell , ‫ יסף‬to increase , to mention a few. 10.43 To install the Imperative for this group which abdicates the [ ] ( ) in the secondary forms (the Infinitive Construct, the Imperative, the Imperfect but it resurfaces in the primary forms: the Perfect and the Participles, all chiefly in the Qal stem), the astern [ ] (‫ָו‬‫ת‬ ּ ) in the Infinitive Construct, ּ ‫ָה‬‫ְנ‬‫ַע‬‫ד‬ ּ֫ which could play the role of a paragoge, would bow out, thus: , ‫ַע‬‫ד‬ ,‫ְעו‬‫ד‬ w; ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ֶ‫א‬ ּ ,‫ִי‬‫ע‬ ְ‫ד‬ ּ would be the Imperative for to kno w; ְ֫‫צ‬  ,‫ְאו‬‫ צ‬,‫ִי‬‫ְא‬‫צ‬  ,‫ֵא‬‫צ‬  ֵׁ ,‫ֵבו‬‫ש‬ ׁ ,‫ִי‬‫ֵב‬‫ש‬ ׁ ,‫ֵב‬‫ש‬ ׁ would be the would be the Imperative for to go out ; ‫ְָנ‬‫֫ב‬‫ש‬ Imperative for to dwell ; ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ֵכ‬‫ל‬ ֫ ,‫ְכו‬‫ ל‬,‫ִי‬‫ְכ‬‫ל‬  , ‫ך‬ ְֵ‫ל‬  would be the Imperative for to go . Traditionally, The word is classified under the verbs.

‫יוד י‬

‫ת‬

ּ

ּ

ּ

ּ

‫הלך‬

‫ו‬/‫י‬”‫פ‬

10.44 There are a handful of these verbs instead of abdicating the [ ] ( ) but have it assimilated into the following consonant, usually a [ ] (‫ִיק‬‫ד‬  ָ‫צ‬  ), which means that these verbs would go through the conjugation similar to verbs. So far, only four or five of these vebrs have been identified belonging to this group.

‫יוד י‬ ‫צ‬

‫נ‬”‫פ‬

10.45 The word is a mixed case with [ ○ ֵ] ( a [ ○ ) as the pillion vowel. ַ] (

‫ידע‬ ‫פתח‬

‫ )צרי‬as the head vowel but drag . d e si v

10.46 The verb

er 1 1 0

‫ יכל‬to be able  is a special case for consideration. 2 yr a u n a J n

10.48 Most if not all of the verbs found in use in the came in the Simple Passive and Causative—both active and passive—formats. As it

‫י‬/‫ו‬”‫פ‬

‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H

‫ך‬”‫תנ‬

‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

21

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

is no longer necessary to make a distinction between dynamic and stative verbs outside the Qal binyan , the vowel patterns of these verbs would be fairly consistent, exhibiting vowel features characterizing the verbs in the active voice only; and further more, most of these verbs are basically verbs in the first place, hence the [ ] (‫ָו‬‫ )ו‬resurfaced and cuddles a [ ‫]ו‬ (‫שוׁרוק‬  ), which is immutable, in these three binyanim , merged with the prosthesis syllable, to transform the head syllable, for instance in the case of the root in the Niph’al binyan , into a combination of  ‫ֵב‬‫ש‬ ָׁ‫ו‬ ִ‫ה‬ for the infinitives—Absolute as well as Construct and the secondary forms or the Infinitive derivatives: the Imperative, the Imperfect, but assume the vowel [‫( ] ֹו‬ ) in the primary forms: the Perfect and the Passive Participle as the prosthesis syllable: the stem vowel would be the vowel [○ ) for the primary form, the ֵ ] ( ) the secondary forms; and [ ○ַ ] ( ֵ ] ( ) is the standard Perfect Tense. As a general rule, the vowel [ ○ stem vowel for verbs in the active voice in the secondary forms, whereas ַ] ( [○ ) is used for the Perfect Tense—active and Passive voice of the verb. There is not active participle for the Niph’al binyan .

‫ו‬”‫פ‬ ּ ּ

‫ו‬

ּ

‫י שב‬

ּ

‫ה ו לם מ ל א‬

‫צרי‬

‫פתח‬

‫צרי‬

‫פתח‬

10.49 The same operative principles shall be applicable to install the for the Causative binyanim . The head prosthesis of Infinitive Absolute of  Hiphil binyan  is given as a combination of  ‫ה ֹו‬, partners with the vowel [○ ֵ ] ( ), the standard stem vowel for verbs in the active voice. Both the head prosthesis and the key epenthesis would be immutable in the Hiphil binyan . The Promoninal sufformatives (SC) or Preformatives (PC) would be added to the base form, the Infinitive Construct, which ִ]( is given the epenthesis [ ○ ) by default, default, the key signature for the Causiative active voice of the verb, tailing after the head default syllable ‫ה ֹו‬. The default base with the epenthesis would be used as the  1   0 basis for zero vowel and vocalic sufformative conjugation for all forms  2    yr of the verbs in Hiphil binyan , including the Infinitive Construct and the  a  u   n Infinitive derivatives: the Imperative and the Imperfect; the primary  a  J   n forms: the Perfect and the Active Participle—Hiphil binyan  does not  a   H have a passive participle. For inflection of consonantal sufformative, the  n    ef ) would be used on the primary form, the Perfect; while ַ] (   f vowel [○    et ֵ ] ( ) would be used in the inflection of the secondary forms: the   S the [○

‫י‬/‫ו‬”‫פ‬

‫צרי‬

‫י‬

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

‫פתח‬ ‫צרי‬

‫היריק מלא‬

Hebrew Verbal System 

22 

Imperative and the Imperfect. To setup the active participle for Hiphil binyan , the prosthesis in the Infinitive base would be replaced by the prosthesis for participle, forming a combination as in: ‫ִיב‬‫ש‬ ׁ ֹ‫ו‬ ‫מ‬, taking the root as a sample. As Hiphil is an active voice, voice, there would be not passive participle for this binyan .

‫י שב‬

'‫ל‬

The verbs 10.50 ְ] ( As a general rule in the Hebrew language, no [○ ) would be assigned to a guttural or laryngeal and no doubling of itself, hence no would be allowed. With these two conditions, a problem is created when a guttural or laryngeal appears in a position of the verbal root which requires a [○ ְ] ( ) or doubling of consonant during inflection, chiefly in the first and the third position of a verbal root. Verbs with weak consonant in the position is known as I-Guttural verbs, which include verbs of the following types: , , , , .

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫דג ש‬

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

"‫פ‬

‫ו‬/‫י‬"‫נ פ‬"‫ח פ‬/‫ע‬"‫א פ‬"‫פ‬

10.51 Verbs with weak consonant in the third position of the root are known as III-Guttural verbs. There are four groups of  ( ) verbs: the , , , , . These four could be lumped into two sub-groups for easy management: (i) , ; (ii) , . All of these verbs are not available in the Passive voice of each respective binyan .

‫ע‬"‫ח ל‬"‫ה ל‬"‫ל‬

'‫למד ל‬

‫ה‬"‫א ל‬"‫ל‬

‫א‬"‫ל‬

‫ע‬"‫ח ל‬"‫ל‬

‫א‬"‫ל‬

The verbs 10.52 Why a consonant in the third position of the root is special is that when a consonant falls into this position it is going to receive the [○ ) ְ]( under normal consonantal sufformative conjugation. When the shows up in the third position of the root, it would reject the purported [○ ְ] ) ( without compensation, leaving the in that position quiescent.

‫נע‬

‫א‬

. d e si v er

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬ ‫א‬ ‫ש ו וא‬

1 1 0 2 yr a u n a J n ‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

10.53 The effect of this might not be visible in the Infinitive Absolute simply

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

23 

‫א‬"‫ל‬

because the vowels of the Infinitive Absolute of  verb would be the same as the standard default vowels of the strong verb of each binyan , which could be seen from the vowels in the sample word: ‫א‬‫צ ֹו‬‫מ‬ ָ to find , ֹ ] to encounter , where the same [ ‫( ] ֹו‬ ) would be written as [ ○ ( ) in the Niph’al and Pi’el (or Pa'el) Infinitive Absolute. The vowel [‫( ] ֹו‬ ) is an alternative default stem vowel for Pi’el binyan  in the regular verb. The Infinitive Absolute for the two passive binyanim : the Pu’al and Hophal (two in Hophal) are not available in verbs. The vowels for Hithpa’el Infinitive Absolute would be the same as the vowels used in the strong verb of that binyan , already reflected in the nomenclature of the binyan .

‫ה ו לם מ ל א‬

‫הולם חסר‬ ‫ה ו לם מ לא‬

‫א‬"‫ל‬

10.54 The vowels to be used in the Infinitive Construct of  verbs are keeping close to the patterns of the default vowels used in the regular, strong verbs in each binyan  in the Infinitive Construct, again only verbs in the active voice of non-Qal binyanim  would be available, may be due to the nature and meaning of a passive verb.

‫א‬"‫ל‬

10.55 With the exception of the Qal Imperative of  verbs where the pillion syllable is given a [ ○ ) as the stem vowel by default in zero vowel ָ] ( conjugaion, as displayed by the vowels in the sample word: ‫א‬‫צ‬ ָ ‫מ‬ ְ to find , is given to discover , to encounter , the theme vowel for all other binyanim  binyanim is a [ ○ ֵ ] ( ) in zero vowel sufformative conjugation, like ‫ֵא‬‫צ‬ ַּ‫מ‬  in the Pi’el binyan : only in the active voice of the Imperative of  a verb is available. The stem vowel for consonantal inflection in the Imperative of all binyanim  binyanim as as well as other members of the secondary form, such as  1  0 ), a short vowel to balance up ֶ] (   2 the Imperfect Tense, is given a [ ○    yr   a the long vowel in the consonantal pronominal. In vocalic sufformative  u  n is incompetent to form a   a conjugation for the Imperative, the astern  J   n syllable with a vocalic pronominal, hence it must be left quiescent, relying  a  H   n on the preceding consonant to form the pillion syllable, as shown by the    ef   f vowels in the word: ‫או‬ ְ‫צ‬ ִ‫מ‬  , but the [‫ִי‬○] ( ‫ֵא‬‫ל‬  ָ‫מ‬  ‫ִיק‬‫ִיר‬‫ )ה‬as the pronominal  e

‫א‬"‫ל‬

‫קמץ‬

‫צרי‬

‫א‬"‫ל‬

‫סג ו ל‬

‫א‬

           

  ‫ך‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

   ‫ב‬     ‫ ש‬ t     ‫ ם‬ S

ּ

Hebrew Verbal System 

24 

sufformative for second person feminine singular partners well with the quiescent to form a pillion syllable, as reflected in the vowels for the word: ‫ִי‬‫א‬  ְ‫צ‬  ִ‫מ‬  .

‫א‬

10.56 The inflectional procedures operative in the Imperative would be applicable to conjugation in the Imperfect Tense as well as other members of the secondary forms.

10.57 In zero vowel sufformative conjugation for the Perfect Tense of  verbs, ָ ] ( ) is assigned to the Simple binyanim  a [ ○ binyanim as as well as passive voice of non-Qal binyanim  to configure the pillion syllable, but a [ ○ ֵ ] ( ) is allocated to verbs in the active voice of non-Qal binyanim , except Hiphil binyan  which has its own signatory epenthesis the vowel [ ‫ִי‬○] ( ), to do the same task, while the default prosthesis of each non-Qal binyan  is immutable. The inflection of vocalic sufformative conjugation in the Perfect Tense would go through the same procedure as those in the Imperfect Tense, namely the abdication of the hind consonant and the shortening of the stem vowel, which may or may not trigger propretonic reduction of head vowel as the presence of contiguous in the prosthesis has been treated by default. In consonantal sufformative conjugation for the Perfect Tense, a [ ○ ָ ] ( ) is assigned to the Qal ֵ ] ( ) is employed in all other nonand Hophal binyanim , while a [ ○ Qal binyanim , active as well as passive voice, except the Hophal binyan . ֵ] ( ) The Niph’al is treated with an active stem vowel, namely the [ ○ while the is quiescent. The vowel under the default prosthesis would be immutable in all forms of conjugation for the preterite verbs.

‫א‬"‫ל‬

‫ק מץ‬

‫צרי‬

‫מ לא‬

‫היריק‬

‫ש ו ו א ים‬

‫צרי‬

‫ק מץ‬

‫צרי‬

‫א‬"‫ל‬

. d e si v er 1 1 0 2 yr

10.58 There are four members in the Active Participle for the verbs, namely the Qal, Pi’el, Hithpa’el and the Hiphil; and another four in the Passive Participle, namely the Qal, Niph’al, Pu’al and Huphal but there is no Hophal passive participle for verbs. In zero vowel sufformative

a u n a J

‫א‬"‫ל‬

‫א‬"‫ל‬

n ‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

25 

conjugation of both the Active participle and Passive Participle of these verb types, the vowel patterns are the same as in the regular, strong verbs where, in the case of Qal binyan , the vowels would be identical  ֹ‫פ‬ ּ and ‫ָעול‬‫פ‬ ּ , or the base vowels in the name of  with the vowels in ‫ֵל‬‫ע‬ the Participles in each binyan . Apart from the default head prosthesis, the active voice binyanim  would load a [ ○ ֵ ] ( ) to install the pillion syllable in the active binyan  Participle while the vowel [ ○ ָ ] ( ) is used as stem vowel for the passive binyan  Participle. Only the Hophal (passive) Participle feminine singular vocalic sufformative conjugation assumes the segholate noun pattern with a [ ] (‫ָו‬‫ )ת‬ending but loads a ֵ ] ( ) instead of the [○ֶ ] ( [○ ) as stem vowel; declension for the remainder three Passive Participles would be done in a manner similar to the alternative feminine ending for vocalic sufformative conjugation, that is, vocalic [ ]( ) combination. Declension for the plural Participle, both active and passive, masculine and feminine would be identical with the regular, strong verb but the astern in these verbs would be quiescent: ‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ְ‫ל‬  ֹ‫ְט‬‫ק‬  .

ּ

‫צרי‬

‫צרי‬

‫סג ו ל‬

‫קמץ‬

‫ת‬

‫ָה‬----- ‫קמץ־הא‬

‫א‬

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

The verbs 10.59 The Qal Infinitive Absolute of  verbs are rather consistent in the sense that these verbs utilize the same set of default vowels as that of the Qal Infinitive Absolute of the regular verbs, as as shown by the the vowles in the word: ‫ֹה‬‫ָנ‬‫ב‬ ּ building , although the pillion vowel is written as [ ○ֹ ] ( ) instead of the full spelling [ ] (‫מלא‬ ). There are two forms of Niph’al Infinitive Absolute for verbs: (i) ‫ֹה‬‫ְנ‬‫ִב‬‫נ‬ ; (ii) ‫ֵה‬‫נ‬ ָ‫ב‬ ִּ‫ה‬  . Like wise the vowel pattern expressed in the name of the base form of  each binyan  is used as the vowels for the Infinitive Absolute in other non-Qal binyanim  of  verbs.

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫הולם חסר‬

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

‫ֹו‬ ‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫ה ו לם‬

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

10.60 In the case of the Infinitive Construct of  verbs in all binyanim , the astern , which is already given in the Infinitive Absolute, is abdicated for the syllable ‫ות‬---, a distinguish feature of feminine noun ending, which would merge with the preceding consonant to form the pillion syllable, playing the role as stem vowel as well. The original astern ,

‫ה‬

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫ה‬

26 

Hebrew Verbal System 

however, would resurface in all other forms of the verb, including the Imperative and the participles in every binyan . In the Hebrew Bible the Old Testament, the Infinitive Construct of  verbs have not been made available in the passive form of the Intensive and Causative binyanim , that is, the Pu’al and Hophal stems.

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

10.61 ֵ ] ( ) as stem vowel The Imperative of  verb would tote the vowel [ ○ in zero vowel sufformative inflection ( 2ms ) in all binyanim  including Qal and Niph’al binyanim . To perform consonantal sufformative conjugation (2fp  (2fp ) for the Imperative of  verb, a helping vowel [ ○ ֶ] (‫ֵא‬‫ל‬  ָ‫מ‬  ‫ֹל‬‫ֶגו‬‫ס‬ ) is required in all binyanim , while the vocalic sufformative conjugation would be lodged to the root without the astern [ ] (‫ֵא‬‫ה‬  ) in every binyan . The Imperatives of  verb have not been made available in the passive form of the Intensive and Causative binyanim , namely, the Pu’al and Hophal stems.

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫צרי‬

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫י‬

‫ה‬

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

10.62 To configure the Imperfect Tense of  verbs, apart from affixing the preformatives, the , there is a requirement of a helping vowel [ ○ ֶ ] (‫ֵא‬‫ל‬  ָ‫מ‬  ‫ֹול‬ ‫ֶג‬‫ס‬ ) in consonantal sufformatives conjugation of all binyanim , active as well as passive binyan , while in vocalic sufformative conjugation of every binyan , the astern, original [ ], as a paragoge, is abdicated and shortening of the stem vowel to a [○ ) would ְ] ( take place except in cases of default immutable vowel. In the case of  zero vowel sufformative conjugation, the pillion syllable both retains the  ) and loads a [ ○ֶ ] (‫ֹל‬‫ֶגו‬‫ס‬ ) as stem [ ] (‫ֵא‬‫ה‬ stem vowel. The Imperfect Imperfect Tense Tense of  verb is available in all binyanim .

‫ן‬”‫אית‬

‫י‬

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫ה‬

‫ה‬

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

. d e

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

si v er 1 1 0

10.63 The Perfect Tense of  verb is available in all binyanim . The conjugation for the Perfect Tense of  verbs, likewise, requires ִ] ( a helping vowel [ ○ ) in the affixing of consonantal sufformatives in all active binyanim  of the verb, while the passive binyanim  of the verb would embed one [ ‫י‬○ ֵ ] (‫ֵי מלא‬‫ֵיר‬‫ )צ‬as helping

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫י‬

‫היריק מלא‬

2 yr a u n a

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

J n ‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

27  

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

vowel in consonantal sufformative conjugation. The strong [ ‫ת‬ ּ ] (‫ָו‬‫ת‬ ּ ) in consonantal sufformatives inflection is softened to a weak [ ] without the . In zero vowel sufformative conjugation in the Perfect Tense ָ ] ( ); it partners well with a for , the stem vowel would be a [ ○ [ ] ( ‫ֵא‬‫ה‬ the name of  ‫ה‬"‫ ל‬verb.  ) in the astern position of the verb, hence the There are two formats involved in the vocalic conjugation for verbs of  root. The Perfect Tense third person feminine singular specially required a [ ] (‫ָו‬‫ת‬ , as the ּ ) to take up the position vacated by the  ְ‫נ‬ ָ‫ב‬ ּ she built , while the in ‫ָה‬‫ת‬ in the Perfect Tense third person both gender is simply abandoned without replacement or seeking the help of  another vowel, as in vowels in the sample word: ‫ָנו‬‫ב‬ ּ they built .

‫ה‬

‫ת‬

‫דג ש‬ ‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫ק מץ‬

‫ת‬

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫ת‬

ּ

10.64 The Participles—Active as well as Passive, apart from the default prosthesis in all binyanim  out side the Qal Stem would be given a [○ ֶ ] (‫ֹל‬‫ֶגו‬‫ )ס‬as the stem vowel, including the Qal stem in zero vowel sufformative conjugation. There would be no segholate noun format for feminine singular Participle both active as well as passive voice for verbs but the declension of feminine singular verb for these verbs would be a vocalic format: [ ‫ָה‬--). The declension of Passive - --] ( Participle of all other binyanim  binyanim would would utilize the pattern of a strong verb except the Qal Passive Participle, which is given a combination of [ ‫]וי‬ (‫וׁרוק מלא‬‫ )ש‬as stem vowel in the pillion syllable of the Qal Passive Participle.

‫ה‬"‫ל‬

‫קמץ־הא‬

ּ

ּ ּ

10.65

‫ע‬/‫ח‬"‫ ל‬verbs

‫ע‬

ּ

‫ע‬/‫ח‬"‫ל‬

           

‫ר‬ ‫ו‬   ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬

‫ח‬

"‫ל‬

These are two-syllable verbs that carry a guttural or in the position, which required a ‫ָה‬‫ב‬  ‫ְנו‬‫ַח ּג‬‫ת‬ ּ֫‫פ‬ ַּ (pathach furtive) underneath these  1   0 gutturals. It is shown in all binyanim  binyanim only only in the Infinitive Absolute. It is  2    yr shown again under certain conditions in other configurations. Other than  a  u would be as normal as the regular, strong   n the vowel patterns of   a  J ַ ֹ‫ָלו‬‫ש‬ ׁ   n verbs, as could be seen in the Qal Infinitive Absolute of the word: ‫ח‬  a   H (once more, beware of the ‫ה‬ ָ‫ב‬  ‫ְנו‬‫ג‬ ‫ַח‬‫ת‬ ּ֫‫פ‬ ַּ ). There are two members of the  n    ef Infinitive Absolute for the Niph’al: the prosthesis engages the vowel  f    et ), which is closely related to the Infintive Absolute, as ֹ](   S [‫ו‬

ּ ּ

‫ה ו לם מ ל א‬

‫נ‬

Hebrew Verbal System 

28 

‫ה‬

stem vowel: ‫ח‬ ַ ֹ‫ְלו‬‫ש‬ ִּׁ‫נ‬ ; the other headed with [ ] (‫ֵא‬‫ה‬  ) prosthesis would ֵ ] ( ) as stem vowel in the pillion syllable: ‫ח‬ ֵַ‫ל‬  ָ‫ש‬ ִּׁ‫ה‬ . The Pattern take [○ of vowels in the Infinitive Absolute of other binyanim  of  verbs would keep close to the regular, strong verbs of each binyan .

‫צרי‬

‫ע‬/‫ח‬"‫ל‬

10.66 The vowel pattern in the Infinitive Construct of all binyanim  of the verbs, surprisingly, is rather consistent and straightforward as all verbs of these roots would take up the [ ○ ) as the stem vowel ַ] ( alongside the default prosthesis of each binyan , which is immutable ַ] ( in all binyanim . The vowel [ ○ ) in fact is the only stem vowel in use in all verbal form of  roots, the Perfect Tense as well as the Imperfect Tense: Just add the [ ○ ) to the pillion syllable of  ַ] ( anyone verbal form of these verbs, the task of conjugation is well done, of course adding the relevant pronominal sufformative and or preformative.

‫ע‬/‫ח‬"‫ל‬

‫פתח‬

‫פתח‬ ‫ע‬/‫ח‬"‫ל‬ ‫ע‬/‫ח‬"‫ל‬

‫פתח‬

ּ

 ‫ְנו‬‫ַח ּג‬‫ת‬ ּ֫‫פ‬ ַּ is shown only in Qal Infinitive Construct and a) The ‫ָה‬‫ב‬ the Hiphil Infinitive Construct. In fact, the ‫ָה‬‫ב‬  ‫ְנו‬‫ַח ּג‬‫ת‬ ּ֫‫פ‬ ַּ is mostly shown in zero vowel sufformative conjugation in the Hiphil binyan  ִ]( where a long vowel such as [ ○ ) is the stem vowel by default: in the Hiphil Participle (active), Hiphil Imperfect and the Hiphil Perfect, in addition to the Hiphil Infinitives; whereas in the Qal binyan , it is only in the Qal Participles—active and passive—where there is zero vowel sufformative conjugation the ‫ָה‬‫ב‬ ‫ְנו‬‫ַח ּג‬‫ת‬ ּ֫‫פ‬ ַּ is shown.

ּ

‫י‬

‫ה י ר י ק מלא‬

ּ

. d e si

ּ ‫ע‬/‫ח‬"‫ל‬

 ‫ְנו‬‫ַח ּג‬‫ת‬ ּ֫‫פ‬ ַּ is not shown in the Imperative Mood of all b) The vowel ‫ָה‬‫ב‬ verbs. binyanim  of  v er 1 1 0 2 yr

c) In the Perfect Tense of all binyanim  where there is no accent shift binyanim where in the inflection of the second person feminine singular   you lady  which requires consonantal sufformative thus enriching the verb with double , like the word: ‫ת‬ . ְַּ‫ח‬  ַ‫ל‬ ָ֫‫ש‬ ׁ double

‫פתח‬

—

a u n a J n ‫ב‬

a

‫פתח‬

‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

f ‫ש‬

et

29 

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

10.67 Geminate verbs or verbs Geminate verbs are verbs having two identical hind consonants making up a single, pillion syllable in the Perfect Tense third person singular, as the sample root: , which Qal Infinitive Absolute is ‫ֹב‬‫ָבו‬‫ס‬  . The vowel pattern for the Infinitive Absolute of Germinate verbs of each binyan  would be identical with the vowel scheme used in the regular, strong verbs of each binyan , reflecting the vowels in ‫ֹור‬ ‫ָק‬‫ מ‬in the case of Qal .

‫ע‬"‫ע‬

‫ס בב‬

‫ביניין‬

10.68 Similarly, the vowel pattern in the Infinitive Construct, comparing with the vowels in the counterpart of the regular, strong verbs of each binyan  would be identical, except the Niph’al which has only two syllables as shown in the sample word: ‫ֵב‬‫ס‬ ִּ‫ה‬  while there are three syllables in the regular, strong verb for Niph’al Infinitive Construct as in the sample word: ‫ֵל‬‫ט‬  ָ‫ק‬ ִּ‫נ‬ . The Qal Infinitive Construct of Geminate verbs are given the vowel [○ ) as the sole, head vowel instead of the usual ֹ ]( ְ] ( [○ ) for dynamic verb as well as stative verbs. The Infinitive Construct of non-Qal Geminate verbs would be similar to the counterpart of the regular, strong verbs of each binyan , with the exception of Hiphil Infinitive Construct of Geminate verb, which would assume the same vowel patttern as the Hiphil Infinitive Absolute Geminate verb, instead of the key epenthesis [ ○ ) employed in the regular verbs. ִ](

‫ש ו וא נ ע‬

‫הלם חסר‬

‫י‬

           

  ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

‫היריק מלא‬

10.69 Appear to be similar with Hollow verbs or bi-consonantal verbs, there would be no confusion, however, between Hollow verbs and Geminate verbs. In the Infinitive Construct, Hollow verbs display the middle vowel in either a [ ] (‫ָו‬‫ו‬ ) which could be [ ‫וׁרוק( ]ו‬‫ )ש‬or [ ] ( ), or [ ○ ִ] ( ) or [ ] ( ) in texts without nikkudim , making up three consonants altogether, without counting the prosthesis; whereas Geminate verbs would have only two consonants in the Infinitive Construct and the Imperative, without the prosthesis. In the case of the Perfect Tense, for Hollow verbs, only in singular zero vowel sufformative conjugation would the verb appear in two consonants but load a [ ○ ָ ] ( ) as the sole vowel, while the Perfect Tense of Geminate verbs would have more

‫ו‬ ‫היריק מלא‬

‫יוד י‬

ּ

ּ ּ

‫הולם מלא ֹו‬

‫ק מץ‬

‫י‬

Hebrew Verbal System 

30 

‫פתח‬

than one consonant and load [ ○ ) as the pillion vowel, reflecting ַ] ( the same vowel patterns in the regular, strong verbs. 10.70 In the Qal Imperatives of Geminate verb, a distinction between dynamic verbs and stative verbs must be made, and the latter would assume a [○ ) as the pillion vowel, while the vowels of dynamic Geminate ַ] ( verbs of Qal Imperative would be identical as those in the Qal Infinitive Construct for Geminate verbs. Niph’al Imperative Geminate verbs are treated as stative verbs, which would appropriate [ ○ ) as the theme ַ] ( vowel. The vowel pattern of non-Qal Imperative verbs would embrace the same vowel pattern in the Infinitive Construct of each binyan .

‫פתח‬

‫פתח‬

10.71 In the Imperfect Tense of Geminate verbs, the vowel pattern of each binyan duplicates binyan  duplicates those of the Imperative with the addition of pronominal preformatives, the . Other than that, the vowel pattern of the Geminate Imperfect Tense would be the same as the regular, strong verbs. There is no Geminate Imperfect Tense for Pu’al binyan .

‫ן‬”‫אית‬

10.72 The vowel patterns in Qal Participle Geminate verbs both active and passive would be identical as the regular, strong verbs. A major point of difference is in feminine singular, a vocalic sufformative conjugation, to undertake the [ ‫ָה‬---] ---] ( ) declension as in the Qal Passive Participle. Next to the Qal active and passive participle, there are two active participles in the non-Qal binyanim , and one, the Huphal, in the passive participle, which would take on similar declension as its counterparts in the regular, strong verbs.

‫קמץ־הא‬

. d e si v er 1 1 0

10.73 Likewise, there is no Geminate Pu’al Perfect Tense. Conjugation for Geminate verb in the Perfect Tense would be the same as those in the counterpart of each binyan . Quite logically, the controversial middle consonant of the verbs would be unfolded and displayed in Pi’el and Hithpa’el. In the conjugation of other binyanim , a helping vowel [ ] (

2 yr a u n a J n ‫ב‬

a ‫ר‬

H ‫ו‬

n ‫ך‬ ‫ב‬

ef ‫ם‬

S

‫מלא ֹו‬

f ‫ש‬

et

CHAPTER TEN: Hebrew Weak Verbs 

‫ )הולם‬is called to duty in all consonantal sufformative conjugations in the Perfect Tense, singular as well as plural in both genders, in the Simple binyanim  and Causative binyanim . In Hiphil binyan  of Geminate binyanim and binyan of verbs, the helping vowel [ ] ( ) would replace the theme vowel [ ○ ). ִ](

‫י‬

‫היריק מלא‬

‫הולם מלא ֹו‬

10.74 Similarly, a helping vowel [ ○ ) is required in the consonantal ֶ] ( sufformative conjugation of the Imperfect Tense in the Geminate verbs.

‫י‬

           

‫ב‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ו‬   ‫ך‬

   ‫ב‬    ‫ש‬    ‫ם‬

 1  0  2    yr  a  u  n  a  J  n  a  H  n    ef  f    et  S

‫סג ו ל מ ל א‬

31