Stem Qal Passive

Summary

The Qal Passive is a passive form of the Qal stem. It looks similar to (and is sometimes identified as) the Pual or the Hophal stem.

Article

The Qal Passive form is a stem formation in Biblical Hebrew that expresses simple action in passive voice. There is some debate among scholars concerning all the verbs that are parsed as Qal Passive, because they could also be identified as either a Pual or a Hophal. This distinction is not important for meaning or translation.

Example: GEN 6:1 –– alternatively identified as Pual

וּבָנ֖וֹת יֻלְּד֥וּ לָהֶֽם׃

uvanoth yulledu lahem

and-daughters were-born to-them

and daughters were born to them

Example: JDG 6:28 –– alternatively identified as Pual

וְהָאֲשֵׁרָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־עָלָ֖יו כֹּרָ֑תָה

weha’asherah ‘asher-‘alayw korathah

and-the-Asherah that_beside-it was-cut-down

and the Asherah that was beside it was cut down