An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax

old Qal passive would have a šureq instead of the Niphal’s ḥireq. Lambert reasons:
“It is probable that in the case of I-nun where the Niphal is not encountered apart from
the past [the suffix conjugation], the Niphal past, if it has the passive sense, might be
considered as an ancient passive of the Qal.” 34 Three examples he cites are ngś Niphal
‘to be hard pressed,’ שׂגַּ ִנ (e.g., # 3; 1 Sam 13:6); nṭ˓ Niphal ‘to be planted,’ only in
וּעטּ֫ ָ נ ִ (Isa 40:24); nsḥ Niphal ‘to be torn away,’ only in םתֶּ חְ סַּ נִ ו ְ (Deut 28:63; cf.
וּחסִּי, ְ probably Qal passive וּחסֻי ְ in Prov 2:22 as in a Cairo Geniza text).
e Lambert also alleges that the gradual substitution of the Niphal for the Qal passive
can be seen with some verbs which show a Qal infinitive absolute before a Niphal
ס, ‘He will surely be stoned’ (Exod 19:13)
prefix form, as, for example, לקֵ סִּי ָ לוֹק ָ
and לוֹק ָשׁ לקֵ ָשִּׁי, ‘It will be weighed’ (Job 6:2). He rightly acknowledges that one
cannot be certain with which verbs this substitution took place (cf. 35.2.1d). 35
23.6.2 Mixture with Piel
a Although Niphal normally stands in juxtaposition to Qal, with some verbs it serves
as the middle-reflexive counterpart to Piel; the usual passive and reflexive stems are
Pual and Hithpael, respectively. The mixture is clearest with verbs whose Qal is
unattested; this is the case with all verbs paired here. 36
ָ ֫ ָ ֶ ַ ְ
1a. תי ִשׂ ָע ה ֶמ י ִל אנ־דגּהו Tell me what you did. Do not hide (Piel) from me.
׃ינִּ ֶמּ ֫ ִמ דחֵ ַכתּ־ל ְ אַ
1b. ךָמְּ ִמ יתוֹמ ַ ְשׁ אַ וְ
׃וּדחָ֫ ְכ ִנ־אֹ ל
2a. ה ָער־ ָ חוּר ַ וּתּתַ ֫ ֲע ִבוּ
׃הוהי תאֵ ֵמ
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2b.
ברֶ ח ֶ֫ ינֵ ְפּ ִמ ת ַע ְב ִנ י ִכּ
׃הוהי ךְאַ ְל ַמ
3. לחֵ ת ֵ י ִכּ ןהֹכּ ֵ שׁיא ִ ת ַבוּ
איה ִ הי ָ בִ֫ א־ת ָ א ֶ תוֹ ֑נזְ ִל
Josh 7:19
And my sins were not hidden (Niphal) from you.
Ps 69:6
And an evil spirit from YHWH terrified (Piel) him.
1 Sam 16:14
because he was terrifed (Niphal) by the presence of the
Angel of YHWH’s sword
1 Chr 21:30
If a priest’s daughter defiles herself (Niphal) by playing
the harlot, she defiles (Piel) her father.
34
Lambert, “L’emploi du nifal en hébreu,” 203.
35
Lambert, “L’emploi du nifal en hébreu,” 205. Just as the Qal passive shifts to the
Niphal, so the Niphal shifts to the Hithpael.
36
Verbs showing Piel: Niphal forms with no Qal or only marginal usage include dbr
(Niphal reciprocal), kbd (Niphal passive), ksy (Niphal passive), mlṭ (Nipha/ unclear),
qdš (Niphal reflexive and passive).