Stem Formation¶
Summary¶
The stem formation of a verb indicates both the kind of verbal action (simple, stative, causative, etc.) and the voice (active, passive, reflexive, etc.) of the verb.
Article¶
In Biblical Hebrew, all verbs have both a stem formation (Qal, Niphal, Piel, etc.) and a conjugation (Perfect, Imperfect, Imperative, etc.). These work together like two “layers”, and each layer supplies different information about the verb. In Biblical Hebrew, there are seven major stem formations and several rare ones.
Form¶
This is a brief overview on how to quickly recognize the simplest forms of each stem:
Niphal stem¶
Adds נִ (nun with hireq) to the beginning of the verb. If the form also adds a prefix (like in the prefix conjugation), the נ disappears and causes the 1st radical to double (with a daghesh).
Hiphil stem¶
Often has הִ (he with hireq) before the verb, or a patah under the letter that the form adds before the root.
Function¶
The following table is a brief overview of the most common stems and their most common functions.
| Active Voice | Passive Voice | Reflexive Voice | |
| Simple Action | Qal stem | Niphal stem | – |
| Causative Action | Hiphil stem | Hophal stem | – |
| Resultative Action | Piel stem | Pual stem | Hithpael stem |
The stem formation of a verb performs the following functions:
Expresses the kind of verbal action¶
Simple action¶
Simple action refers to a typical dynamic verb; that is, the verb describes an action being performed by the subject of the verb.
| וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם |
| wattomer saray ‘el-‘avram |
| And-she-said Sarai to_Abram |
| So Sarai said to Abram |
Stative action¶
Stative action refers to a typical stative verb; that is, the verb describes the subject of the verb as being in a certain state/condition.
| וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ חָמָֽס |
| wattimmale ha’arets hamas |
| and-it-was-full the-earth violence |
| and it was filled with violence. |
Causative action¶
Causative action means that the subject of the verb is causing the object of the verb either to perform the verbal action (with dynamic verbs) or to be in the state described by the verb (with stative verbs). In English, causative action is expressed using the main verb “to cause” paired with the infinitive of the verbal action in view. In Biblical Hebrew, the causative nature of the verbal action is expressed by the stem formation itself with no additional verbal element.
| הוֹדִ֣יעַ יְ֭הוָה יְשׁוּעָת֑וֹ |
| hodia’ yehwah yeshu’atho |
| He-made-known Yahweh his-salvation |
| Yahweh has made known his salvation |
| וַתֵּ֜לֶךְ וַתְּמַלֵּ֤א אֶת־הַחֵ֙מֶת֙ מַ֔יִם |
| wattelekh wattemalle ‘eth-hahemeth mayim |
| and-she-went and-she-filled [dir.obj]_the-skin-of water |
| She went and filled the skin with water |
Resultative action¶
Resultative action means that the primary focus of the verb is on the result of the verbal action.
| וַיִּתֵּ֣ן … וְאֶת־הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֶ֑הָ |
| wayyitten … we’eth-hayyeled wayeshalleheha |
| and-he-gave … and-[dir.obj]_the-boy and-he-sent-her-away |
| He gave her the boy and sent her away |
Intensive action¶
Intensive action means that the verbal action is strengthened in some way.
| אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָם֙ תִּתֹּצ֔וּן וְאֶת־מַצֵּבֹתָ֖ם תְּשַׁבֵּר֑וּן |
| ‘eth-mizbehotham tittotsun we’eth-matsevotham teshabberun |
|
| you must break down their altars, smash their stone pillars |
Expresses the voice of the verb¶
Active voice¶
Active voice means that the subject of the verb is performing the verbal action. Most verbs are in the active voice.
| וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם |
| wattomer saray ‘el-‘avram |
| And-she-said Sarai to_Abram |
| So Sarai said to Abram |
Passive voice¶
Passive voice means that the subject of the verb is receiving the verbal action rather than performing the verbal action. In English, passive voice is expressed using the helping verb “to be.” In Biblical Hebrew, the passive nature of the verbal action is expressed by the stem formation of the verb itself without any helping verbs.
| וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר בְּגַן־בֵּית֖וֹ |
| wayyiqqaver began-betho |
| and-he-was-buried in-garden-of_his-house |
| and he was buried in the garden of his own house |
Reflexive voice¶
Reflexive voice means that the subject of the verb is both performing and receiving the verbal action. In English, reflexive voice is expressed using a reflexive pronoun as the object of the verb, “I tell myself”. In Biblical Hebrew, the reflexive nature of the verbal action is expressed by the stem formation of the verb itself without any additional words.
| הִבָּ֣דְל֔וּ מִתּ֖וֹךְ הָעֵדָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את |
| hibbodlu mittokh ha’edah hazzoth |
| Separate-yourselves from-midst-of the-congregation the-this |
| Separate yourselves from among this community |
Middle voice¶
Middle voice means that the subject receives the action but also is (partially) involved in performing the action. Middle voice stands somewhere between passive voice and reflexive voice.
| וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם |
| wenifqehu ‘enekhem |
| and-they-will-be-opened your-eyes |
| your eyes will be opened |
Reciprocal voice¶
Reciprocal voice means that multiple subjects are in view who are both performing the verbal action for another and receiving the verbal action from another. In English, reciprocal voice is expressed using the phrase “each other” as the object of the verb, “They tell each other.” In Biblical Hebrew, the reciprocal nature of the action is expressed by the stem formation of the verb itself without any additional words.
Reciprocal voice must be distinguished from reflexive voice. The phrase “They tell themselves” is reflexive: the subject “they” is a unified group and the action could be expressed reflexively for each individual as “he tells himself, and he tells himself, and she tells herself, etc.” The phrase “They tell each other” is reciprocal: each member of the group is telling something to another member of the group, and each member of the group is being told something by another member of the group.
| נֶֽחֶרְבוּ֙ הַמְּלָכִ֔ים |
| nehervu hammelakhim |
| they-have-killed-each-other the-kings |
| the kings have killed each other |