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:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/stem.rst
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.. _stem:
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Stem Formation
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==============
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Summary
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-------
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The stem formation of a verb indicates both the kind of verbal action
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(simple, stative, causative, etc.) and the voice (active, passive,
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reflexive, etc.) of the verb.
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Article
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-------
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In Biblical Hebrew, all :ref:`verbs<verb>` have both a stem formation (Qal, Niphal, Piel, etc.) and a conjugation
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(Perfect, Imperfect, Imperative, etc.). These work together like two "layers", and each layer supplies different
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information about the verb. In Biblical Hebrew, there are seven major stem formations and several rare ones.
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Form
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----
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This is a brief overview on how to quickly recognize the simplest forms
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of each stem:
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:ref:`Qal<stem_qal>` stem
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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The simplest form of the verb, usually with "a" vowels (qamets or patah).
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:ref:`Niphal<stem_niphal>` stem
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Adds נִ (nun with hireq) to the beginning of the verb. If the form also
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adds a prefix (like in the prefix conjugation), the נ disappears and
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causes the 1st radical to double (with a daghesh).
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:ref:`Hiphil<stem_hiphil>` stem
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Often has הִ (he with hireq) before the verb, or a patah under the
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letter that the form adds before the root.
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:ref:`Hophal<stem_hophal>` stem
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Also adds a ה before the verb, but with a qamets hatuf (or sometimes
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qibbuts) vowel.
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:ref:`Piel<stem_piel>` stem
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Doubles the 2nd radical of the verb with a daghesh, and
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usually has a shewa or a hireq under the 1st radical.
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:ref:`Pual<stem_pual>` stem
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Also doubles the 2nd radical but usually has a qibbuts under the 1st
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radical.
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:ref:`Hithpael<stem_hithpael>` stem
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Adds הִתְ (he with hireq and taw with shewa) before the verb, and
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puts a qamets or patah under the 1st radical.
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Function
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--------
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The following table is a brief overview of the most common stems and
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their most common functions.
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.. csv-table:: Most Common Stem Functions
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,**Active Voice**,**Passive Voice**,**Reflexive Voice**
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**Simple Action**,"Qal stem","Niphal stem",--
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**Causative Action**,"Hiphil stem","Hophal stem",--
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**Resultative Action**,"Piel stem","Pual stem","Hithpael stem"
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The stem formation of a verb performs the following functions:
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Expresses the kind of verbal action
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.. _stem-action-simple:
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Simple action
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Simple action refers to a typical :ref:`dynamic<verb-dynamic>` verb;
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that is, the verb describes an action being performed by the subject of the verb.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 16:2 –– Qal stem expressing simple action (dynamic verb)
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וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם
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**wattomer** saray 'el-'avram
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**And-she-said** Sarai to\_Abram
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So Sarai **said** to Abram
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.. _stem-action-stative:
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Stative action
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Stative action refers to a typical :ref:`stative<verb-stative>` verb;
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that is, the verb describes the subject of the verb as being in a certain state/condition.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 6:11 –– Qal stem expressing stative action (stative verb)
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וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ חָמָֽס
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**wattimmale** ha'arets hamas
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**and-it-was-full** the-earth violence
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**and it was filled** with violence.
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.. _stem-action-causative:
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Causative action
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Causative action means that the subject of the verb is causing the
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object of the verb either to perform the verbal action (with :ref:`dynamic<verb-dynamic>` verbs)
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or to be in the state described by the verb (with :ref:`stative<verb-stative>` verbs).
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In English, causative action is expressed using the main verb "to cause" paired with the infinitive of the verbal action
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in view. In Biblical Hebrew, the causative nature of the verbal action
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is expressed by the stem formation itself with no additional
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verbal element.
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.. csv-table:: Example: PSA 98:2 –– Hiphil stem expressing causative action of a dynamic verb ("to cause to know")
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הוֹדִ֣יעַ יְ֭הוָה יְשׁוּעָת֑וֹ
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**hodia'** yehwah yeshu'atho
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**He-made-known** Yahweh his-salvation
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Yahweh **has made known** his salvation
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 21:19 –– Piel stem expressing causative action of a stative verb ("to cause to be filled")
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וַתֵּ֜לֶךְ **וַתְּמַלֵּ֤א** אֶת־הַחֵ֙מֶת֙ מַ֔יִם
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wattelekh **wattemalle** 'eth-hahemeth mayim
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and-she-went **and-she-filled** [dir.obj]\_the-skin-of water
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She went **and filled** the skin with water
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.. _stem-action-resultative:
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Resultative action
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Resultative action means that the primary focus of the verb is on the
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result of the verbal action.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 21:10 –– Piel stem expressing resultative action
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וַיִּתֵּ֣ן ... וְאֶת־הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֶ֑הָ
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wayyitten ... we'eth-hayyeled **wayeshalleheha**
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and-he-gave ... and-[dir.obj]\_the-boy **and-he-sent-her-away**
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He gave her the boy and **sent her away**
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.. _stem-action-intensive:
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Intensive action
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Intensive action means that the verbal action is strengthened in some
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way.
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.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 34:13 –– Piel stem expressing intensive action
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אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָם֙ תִּתֹּצ֔וּן וְאֶת־מַצֵּבֹתָ֖ם תְּשַׁבֵּר֑וּן
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'eth-mizbehotham tittotsun we'eth-matsevotham **teshabberun**
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"[dir.obj]\_their-altars you-break-down and-[dir.obj]\_their-pillars
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**you-shatter**"
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"you must break down their altars, **smash** their stone pillars"
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Expresses the voice of the verb
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.. _stem-voice-active:
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Active voice
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^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Active voice means that the subject of the verb is performing the verbal action. Most verbs are in the active voice.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 16:2
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וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם
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**wattomer** saray 'el-'avram
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**And-she-said** Sarai to\_Abram
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So Sarai **said** to Abram
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.. _stem-voice-passive:
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Passive voice
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Passive voice means that the subject of the verb is *receiving* the
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verbal action rather than *performing* the verbal action. In English, passive voice is
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expressed using the helping verb "to be." In Biblical Hebrew, the
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passive nature of the verbal action is expressed by the stem formation of
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the verb itself without any helping verbs.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 2KI 21:18
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וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר בְּגַן־בֵּית֖וֹ
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**wayyiqqaver** began-betho
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**and-he-was-buried** in-garden-of\_his-house
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**and he was buried** in the garden of his own house
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.. _stem-voice-reflexive:
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Reflexive voice
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Reflexive voice means that the subject of the verb is *both* performing
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*and* receiving the verbal action. In English, reflexive voice is expressed
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using a reflexive pronoun as the object of the verb, "I tell *myself*".
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In Biblical Hebrew, the reflexive nature of the verbal action is
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expressed by the stem formation of the verb itself without any additional
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words.
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.. csv-table:: Example: NUM 16:21
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הִבָּ֣דְל֔וּ מִתּ֖וֹךְ הָעֵדָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את
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**hibbodlu** mittokh ha'edah hazzoth
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**Separate-yourselves** from-midst-of the-congregation the-this
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**Separate yourselves** from among this community
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.. _stem-voice-middle:
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Middle voice
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^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Middle voice means that the subject receives the action but also is
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(partially) involved in performing the action. Middle voice
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stands somewhere between passive voice and reflexive voice.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 3:5
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וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם
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**wenifqehu** 'enekhem
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**and-they-will-be-opened** your-eyes
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your eyes **will be opened**
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.. _stem-voice-reciprocal:
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Reciprocal voice
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Reciprocal voice means that multiple subjects are in view who are both
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performing the verbal action for another and receiving the verbal action from another.
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In English, reciprocal voice is expressed using the phrase "each other"
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as the object of the verb, "They tell each other." In Biblical Hebrew,
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the reciprocal nature of the action is expressed by the stem formation of
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the verb itself without any additional words.
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Reciprocal voice must be distinguished from reflexive voice. The phrase
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"They tell themselves" is reflexive: the subject "they" is a unified
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group and the action could be expressed reflexively for each individual
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as "he tells himself, and he tells himself, and she tells herself, etc."
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The phrase "They tell each other" is reciprocal: each member of the
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group is telling something to another member of the group, and each
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member of the group is being told something by another member of the
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group.
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.. csv-table:: Example: 2KI 3:23
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נֶֽחֶרְבוּ֙ הַמְּלָכִ֔ים
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**nehervu** hammelakhim
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**they-have-killed-each-other** the-kings
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the kings **have killed each other**
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.. _stem-uncommon:
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Rare stem formations
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--------------------
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The following stem formations occur only rarely in Biblical Hebrew:
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:ref:`Hishtaphel<stem_hishtaphel>` –
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:ref:`Hithpalpel<stem_hithpalpel>` –
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:ref:`Hithpoel<stem_hithpoel>` –
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:ref:`Hithpolel<stem_hithpolel>` –
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:ref:`Hothpaal<stem_hothpaal>` –
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:ref:`Nithpael<stem_nithpael>` –
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:ref:`Palel<stem_palel>` –
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:ref:`Pealal<stem_pealal>` –
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:ref:`Pilel<stem_pilel>` –
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:ref:`Pilpel<stem_pilpel>` –
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:ref:`Poal<stem_poal>` –
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:ref:`Poel<stem_poel>` –
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:ref:`Polal<stem_polal>` –
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:ref:`Polel<stem_polel>` –
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:ref:`Polpal<stem_polpal>` –
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:ref:`Pulal<stem_pulal>` –
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:ref:`Qal Passive<stem_qal_passive>` –
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:ref:`Tiphil<stem_tiphil>`. |