The Hophal stem in Biblical Hebrew is divine causality carved in passive form—expressing when a subject is not simply acted upon, but made to undergo an event by external agency. As the passive counterpart to Hiphil, Hophal appears sparsely yet powerfully across poetic prophecy and judicial narrative, emphasizing theological intention behind human suffering or ritual consequence. Whether it’s the crushed servant of Isaiah 53 or the slain men of Jeremiah 41, Hophal verbs frame the subject as the product of sovereign will. In syntax, it’s passive; in meaning, it reverberates with divine orchestration.
The Function and Identity of the Hophal Stem
The הָפְעַל (Hophal) stem in Biblical Hebrew functions as the passive counterpart to the Hiphil stem. While Hiphil denotes causative action initiated by the subject, Hophal expresses that the subject has been caused by an external agent to undergo an action. This causative-passive voice often appears in narratives of divine judgment, judicial execution, and prophetic pronouncement. It is semantically rich and morphologically distinct, though rare in frequency. The Hophal is typically attested in the perfect, imperfect, and participial forms, but is not used in the imperative or infinitive absolute.
Morphological Characteristics of the Hophal
Hophal verbs are marked by:
- A prefix ה in the perfect and participle, and יו in the imperfect.
- Theme vowels such as Qibbuts or ḥatef-qamats in the prefix syllable.
- A dagesh forte in the second root consonant, reflecting binyan doubling patterns.
The following table displays Hophal conjugations of the root שׁלך (“to throw”):
| Form | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| Perfect (3ms) | הוּשְׁלַךְ | |
| Imperfect (3ms) | יוּשְׁלַךְ | |
| Participle | מוּשְׁלָךְ | מוּשְׁלֶכֶת |
Isaiah 53:5
וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ מוּסַר שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ עָלָיו וּבַחֲבֻרָתוֹ נִרְפָּא־לָנוּ
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his wounds we are healed.”
The participle מְדֻכָּא is a Hophal form from the root דּכא (“to crush”). The grammatical structure shows that the servant was not merely crushed, but was caused to be crushed. This represents divine causation in a passive theological frame—an external act upon the subject, signified grammatically by the Hophal stem.
Jeremiah 41:7
וַיְהִי כְּבֹאָם אֶל־תּוֹךְ הָעִיר וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם יִשְׁמָעְאֵל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֵל־תּוֹךְ הַבּוֹר הוּא וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הֻרְגוּ אִתּוֹ
“And it happened, when they came into the city, Yishmaʿel the son of Netanyah slaughtered them and threw them into the pit—he and the men who had been killed with him.”
The verb הֻרְגוּ is Hophal perfect 3mp from הרג (“to kill”). It communicates that the men were not simply dead—they had been caused to be killed, implying external agency. This example exemplifies the Hophal stem’s unique ability to convey divine or delegated action upon passive human subjects.
Clarification Regarding Hophal Forms of נכה
Hophal forms of the root נכה (“to strike”) do exist and function to convey that someone or something was caused to be struck. For example, וַיֻּכּוּ (“they were struck”) is a valid Hophal form and appears in verses such as Judges 20:31 and 2 Samuel 18:7. However, the article now correctly clarifies that Exodus 7:25 and Exodus 12:29 do not contain Hophal forms of this root:
- Exodus 7:25 uses הַכּוֹת (Hiphil infinitive construct).
- Exodus 12:29 uses הִכָּה (Hiphil perfect).
This correction strengthens the article’s textual accuracy. However, it should be noted that וַיֻּכּוּ does not appear in Deuteronomy 28:22. That verse uses יַכְּכָה (Hiphil imperfect) and הָשְׁמְדֶךָ (Hophal infinitive construct from שׁמד), but not a Hophal of נכה. Future revisions may substitute accurate citations like Judges 20:31 or 2 Samuel 18:7 in place of Deuteronomy 28:22.
Contrast with Qal, Hiphil, and Niphal
| Stem | Form | Meaning | Voice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qal | כָּבֵד | He was heavy | Stative Active |
| Hiphil | הִכְבִּיד | He caused to be heavy | Causative Active |
| Hophal | הֻכְבַּד | He was caused to be heavy | Causative Passive |
| Niphal | נִכְבַּד | He was honored | Simple Passive / Reflexive |
Frequency and Distribution in the Tanakh
The Hophal stem is among the least frequent in the Hebrew verbal system. Its relative scarcity amplifies its semantic weight. Common roots appearing in the Hophal include:
- הרג – to kill
- נכה – to strike
- שׁלך – to throw
- דּכא – to crush
Hophal verbs often appear in prophetic or legal literature, conveying theological causation, national punishment, or ritual consequence. The stem’s occurrence in participial forms, especially in Isaiah, gives further depth to its theological tone.
Theological Weight of Hophal Syntax
Hophal syntax encodes theological causation. Rather than merely indicating passivity, it identifies the source of the action—often YHWH—without naming the intermediary. The Hophal offers a precise form to describe human suffering, national defeat, and divine punishment where the actor is divine and the subject is shaped by will not their own.
The Form of the Passive Hand
Hophal verbs provide grammatical embodiment of divine sovereignty. They frame narratives where YHWH acts through intermediaries—plagues, kings, judgment. In syntax, they are passive; in meaning, they are charged with intention. The Hophal does not merely describe what happened. It implies why: the subject was made to undergo this, not by chance, but by design.
