Classical · Biblical Hebrew
Finish the weak-verb system (hollow verbs, III-He, doubly weak) and put it all together reading continuous Biblical prose.
Ch. 23 — Pe Yodh, Pe Waw; Ayin Yodh, Ayin WawCh. 24 — Double Ayin, Lamedh He, and Doubly Weak Verbs
Core concepts · 6
- Pe Yodh / Pe Waw: the original waw resurfaces in Hiph'il (הוֹשִׁיב from יָשַׁב); imperfects like יֵשֵׁב, יֵדַע.
- Ayin Waw / Ayin Yodh ('hollow' verbs): the middle vowel-letter drops in the perfect (קָם, שָׂם); imperfect יָקוּם, יָשִׂים; waw-consecutive וַיָּקָם.
- Double Ayin (geminate): identical 2nd/3rd radicals collapse (סָבַב→סַב); daghesh forte marks the doubling when endings are added.
- Lamedh He verbs originally ended in י/ו; 3ms perfect ends in ־ָה (גָּלָה), every imperfect in ־ֶה, and the jussive apocopates (יִגֶל).
- Doubly weak verbs (נָשָׂא, יָצָא, בּוֹא) combine two weaknesses; defective verbs borrow forms (הָלַךְ, נָתַן).
- With this, the waw-consecutive narrative of Genesis 1 and 1 Kings 17 reads cleanly.
Vocabulary & signs · tap a word to hear, expand for how to say it
to arise (hollow); וַיָּקָם 'and he arose'
say: qûm
to come (hollow, doubly weak)
say: bôʾ
he placed (hollow)
say: śām
to turn (double Ayin)
say: sābhabh
to uncover / go into exile (Lamedh He)
say: gālâ
to go (defective)
say: hālakh
Exercises · answer in the app
Exercise 1 / 6
What does this mean?
Bridge to this week
Sprint Weeks 11–12 push you into unscaffolded native text; Harrison's capstone is the same leap on the Biblical side — once the hollow, geminate and III-He verbs are automatic, the waw-consecutive prose of Genesis 1 flows.
Teach Yourself Hebrew — R. K. Harrison (E.U.P.)
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Quick check · 1 / 4