Rare stems פּוֹלֵל · פִּלְפֵּל polel · pilpel
The Hebrew verb is usually said to have seven stems (Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, Hiphil, Hophal, Hithpael), but the Bible also has rarer ones. Most of them are the shapes used by roots with a weak middle letter (ו י) or with a repeated letter, which cannot form the middle-doubling Piel, Pual or Hithpael. They repeat the last letter (Polel כּוֹנֵן) or repeat two letters whole (Pilpel כִּלְכֵּל). יְעוֹפֵף (let … fly) in Genesis 1 and יִתְבֹּשָׁשׁוּ (were … ashamed) in Genesis 2 are in these stems. This page shows them, one by one, in words actually used in the Bible.
named after their sound — “polel” repeats the last letter, “pilpel” repeats two letters
Colour key blue = added at the front · orange = added at the end · purple = a mark inside (dot · doubled letter · changed vowel) · underline = the word this page is about
1What the rare stems are
A Hebrew verb builds kinds of meaning by changing the letters and vowels around a three-letter root; each kind is a stem (Hebrew בִּנְיָן binyan). The Piel (קִטֵּל), Pual (קֻטַּל) and Hithpael (הִתְקַטֵּל) are built by doubling the middle root letter (with a dot).
But verbs like ק-ו-ם (rise), with ו in the middle (hollow verbs), or like ס-ב-ב (go around), whose second and third letters are the same (geminate verbs), cannot double a middle letter. So they use other shapes instead of the Piel, Pual and Hithpael. These make up most of the rare stems, and their meanings match the Piel, Pual or Hithpael they replace.
Counted from the OSHB morphology, the Old Testament has the Polel 181 times, Polal 11, Hithpolel 108, Poel 77, Poal 8, Pilpel 52, Polpal 2 and Hithpalpel 20. There are also the Hishtaphel (96), the Qal passive (31), and the Palel (7) and Pulal (15).
2Where the names come from — the sound of the form
The seven stem names are the sound of the model verb פָּעַל (do) in each stem. The rare stems are named the same way, by putting the model letters פ ע ל into the form.
Polel פּוֹלֵל — וֹ (o) after the first letter and the last letter ל once more. Polal פּוֹלַל is its passive, Hithpolel הִתְפּוֹלֵל its reflexive.
Pilpel פִּלְפֵּל — the two-letter “pil” repeated whole. Polpal פָּלְפַּל is its passive, Hithpalpel הִתְפַּלְפֵּל its reflexive.
3At a glance — four signs of the rare stems
- Last letter repeated, וֹ in front of it — Polel · Polal · HithpolelIn hollow verbs: וֹ (o) after the first root letter and the last root letter twice — כּוֹנֵן (כ-ו-ן, Ps 9:8) · יְעוֹפֵף (ע-ו-ף, Gen 1:20).
- Two letters repeated whole — Pilpel · Polpal · HithpalpelTwo letters are repeated to make four — וַיְכַלְכֵּל (כ-ו-ל, Gen 47:12) · וַיִּתְמַהְמָהּ (Gen 19:16).
- וֹ after the first letter — Poel · PoalIn geminate and some other verbs: וֹ (o) after the first letter, with מְ יְ in front as in the Piel — וּמְחֹקֵק (ח-ק-ק, Gen 49:10).
- Other rare formsThe Hishtaphel וְנִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה (Gen 22:5), the Qal passive וַתֻּקַּח (Gen 12:15) and others — see “Other rare stems” below.
4The pairing table — stems that stand in for the Piel · Pual · Hithpael
Columns are the shape of the root; rows are the kind of meaning. Every word in the cells is a real biblical word; the number in brackets is the OSHB count.
| Kind of meaning | Ordinary verbs | Hollow verbs | Two letters repeated | Geminate · other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| active · intensive (Piel slot) | Piel קִטֵּל | Polel כּוֹנֵן Ps 9:8 (181) | Pilpel כִלְכַּל 2 Sam 19:33 (52) | Poel מְחֹקֵק Deut 33:21 (77) |
| passive (Pual slot) | Pual קֻטַּל | Polal כּוֹנָנוּ Ps 37:23 (11) | Polpal וְכָלְכְּלוּ 1 Kgs 20:27 (2) | Poal שֹׁרָשׁוּ Jer 12:2 (8) |
| reflexive (Hithpael slot) | Hithpael הִתְקַטֵּל | Hithpolel יִתְבֹּשָׁשׁוּ Gen 2:25 (108) | Hithpalpel הִתְמַהְמָהְנוּ Gen 43:10 (20) | — |
In every cell the vowel pattern follows the basic stem of its row: the active row has a last vowel ֵ (e, כּוֹנֵן), the passive row ַ · ָ (a, כּוֹנָנוּ), and the reflexive row puts הִתְ · יִתְ in front.
5Polel · Polal · Hithpolel — real examples from the Bible
Look for the וֹ after the first root letter (purple) and the last letter written twice (purple).
ye‘ofef — let (birds) fly
Polel imperfect: יְ (he — with ְ as in the Piel) + ע of the root ע-ו-ף (fly) + וֹ + פֵ + the repeated ף. With ו in the middle, no Piel can be made, so the last letter פ is written twice. Qal עוּף is “fly”; the Polel is “fly about.”
YLVAnd God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms, a living soul (nephesh); and let birds fly above the earth upon the face of the firmament of the heavens."
konanu — (they) are established
Polal perfect 3cp: כּ + וֹ + נָ (“a” as a passive) + the repeated נ + the ending וּ (they). The passive of the Polel כּוֹנֵן (established) in Ps 9:8. Like the Pual קֻטַּל, its last vowel became “a.” A man’s steps “are established.”
YLVFrom YHWH the steps of a man are established, and he delights in his way.
yitboshashu — (they) were ashamed
Hithpolel imperfect: יִתְ (he + ת as in the Hithpael) + בֹּ of the root ב-ו-שׁ (be ashamed; the middle ו remains as the vowel ֹ) + שָׁ + the repeated שׁ + the ending וּ (they). The reflexive/reciprocal stem of a hollow verb, standing in the Hithpael’s place. With the preceding לֹא (not): “they were not ashamed.”
YLVAnd they were both naked, Adam and his woman (ishah), and they were not ashamed.
vetikkonen — and let it be established
Hithpolel jussive: וְ (and) + תִ (she — “the city”) + כּ (a dot where the Hithpael-type ת merged before כ) + וֹנֵ + the repeated ן. The reflexive of the same root כ-ו-ן as כּוֹנֵן in Ps 9:8: “be firmly established.” It shows that ת can merge in the Hithpolel too.
YLVTherefore those who speak in proverbs say: Come to Heshbon! Let the city of Sihon be built and established!
vayyitrotsatsu — and they struggled together
Hithpolel wayyiqtol: וַ (and) + יִתְ + רֹ of the root ר-צ-ץ (crush) + צֲ + צ again + וּ (they). Geminate roots, whose second and third letters are the same, also use this stem. The two children “struggled together” within Rebekah — a reciprocal.
YLVAnd the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is so, why am I thus?" And she went to inquire of YHWH.
6Pilpel · Polpal · Hithpalpel — real examples from the Bible
Look for two letters repeated whole (purple). The root כ-ו-ל (contain, hold) becomes “sustain, provide for” in the Pilpel.
vaykhalkel — and he sustained
Pilpel wayyiqtol: וַיְ (and he — with ְ as in the Piel) + כַלְ (the root’s כ and ל) + the repeated כֵּל. The middle ו drops, and the two remaining letters כ-ל are written twice. Joseph “sustained” the whole household.
YLVAnd Joseph sustained his father, and his brothers, and all his father's house, with bread, according to the mouth of the little ones.
vekhilkalti — and I will sustain
Pilpel weqatal: וְ (and) + כִלְ + כַּלְ (the two letters repeated) + the ending תִּי (I). Like the Piel perfect קִטַּלְתִּי, the first vowel is ִ (i) and the second ַ (a). The same verb as וַיְכַלְכֵּל in 47:12.
YLVAnd I will sustain you there — for there are yet five years of famine — lest you and your house and all that is yours come to poverty.'
kimta‘tea‘ — as a mocker (deceiver)
כִּ (as) + the Pilpel participle מְ (the participle מְ as in the Piel) + תַעְ + תֵּעַ (the two letters ת-ע repeated). The Pilpel of ת-ע-ע (mock, deceive): “a mocker, deceiver.” Jacob fears he will seem “as a mocker.”
YLVPerhaps my father will feel me, and I shall be in his eyes as a mocker; and I shall bring upon me a curse, and not a blessing."
vekholkelu — and (they) were provisioned
Polpal perfect: וְ + כָלְ (ָ read “o” — the passive first vowel) + כְּל + the ending וּ (they). The passive of the Pilpel כִּלְכֵּל (sustain): “be sustained, be provisioned.” The Polpal occurs only twice in the Old Testament.
YLVAnd the children of Israel were numbered and provisioned, and went to meet them; and the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats; but Aram filled the land.
vayyitmahmah — and he lingered
Hithpalpel wayyiqtol: וַ (and) + יִתְ (ת as in the Hithpael) + מַהְ + מָהּ (the two letters מ-ה repeated). “Linger, delay.” הִתְמַהְמָהְנוּ (we had lingered) in 43:10 is the Hithpalpel perfect of the same verb. Lot “lingered” in leaving Sodom.
YLVAnd he lingered; and the men (ish) laid hold on his hand, and on the hand of his wife (ishah), and on the hand of his two daughters, in the compassion of YHWH upon him; and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
7Poel · Poal — real examples from the Bible
In geminate and some other verbs, OSHB analyses the shape with וֹ after the first letter separately as the “Poel” (the same shape in hollow verbs is the “Polel”).
umeḥoqeq — and the ruler’s staff (lawgiver)
וּ (and) + the Poel participle מְ (the participle מְ as in the Piel) + ח + ֹ (the “o” after the first letter) + קֵק. The Poel participle of ח-ק-ק (engrave, decree): “lawgiver, ruler’s staff.” A Qal participle would be חֹקֵק, without מְ.
YLVThe scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, ad(עד) Shiloh comes; and to him shall be the obedience of peoples.
yesovevenhu — he encompassed him
Poel imperfect + object suffix: יְ (he) + ס + ֹ (o) + בְבֶ (the two final ב-ב) + the ending נְהוּ (him). The Poel of ס-ב-ב (turn around): “surround, encompass.” A geminate root uses this shape instead of a middle-doubling Piel.
YLVHe found him in a land of wilderness, and in a waste, a howling desert; he encompassed him, he gave him understanding, he guarded him as the pupil of his eye.
shorashu — they have taken root
Poal perfect 3cp: שׁ + ֹ (o) + רָשׁ (“a” as in the passive row) + the ending וּ (they). A verb formed from the noun שֹׁרֶשׁ (root). OSHB analyses this word as a Poal.
YLVYou have planted them, also they have taken root; they go on, also they make fruit; You are near in their mouth, but far from their kidneys.
8Why such stems exist — there is no middle letter to double
- 1. The Piel doubles the middleThe Piel, Pual and Hithpael show “intensive, repeated” action by doubling the middle letter — the טּ of קִטֵּל.
- 2. A middle ו cannot be doubledThe middle ו of ק-ו-ם (rise) is really the vowel “u · o,” so there is no letter to double with a dot.
- 3. So the last letter is repeatedInstead, the last strong letter is written once more to fill the word out to three letters — the shape קוֹמֵם (qomem), the Polel. The middle ו stays as the vowel וֹ (o).
- 4. Sometimes two letters are repeatedSome verbs repeat the remaining two letters whole, making four — כ-ו-ל → כִּלְכֵּל, the Pilpel. This too fills the Piel slot.
- 5. Geminates for the same reasonA root like ס-ב-ב, whose second and third letters are the same, would end up with three identical letters if its middle were doubled. So it inserts וֹ after the first letter, as in סוֹבֵב (Poel) or וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ (Hithpolel).
9Meaning — the same as the matching Piel · Pual · Hithpael
The rare stems mostly do not create new meanings; they fill the slot the Piel, Pual or Hithpael would fill, and their meaning follows that partner.
Polel · Pilpel · Poel = the Piel slot (intensive, factitive, repeated): Qal שׁוּב (return) → Polel יְשׁוֹבֵב (he restores, Ps 23:3) · Qal עוּף (fly) → Polel יְעוֹפֵף (let … fly about, Gen 1:20) · Pilpel וַיְכַלְכֵּל (he sustained, Gen 47:12).
Polal · Polpal · Poal = the Pual slot (their passive): כּוֹנָנוּ (are established, Ps 37:23) · וְכָלְכְּלוּ (were provisioned, 1 Kgs 20:27).
Hithpolel · Hithpalpel = the Hithpael slot (reflexive, reciprocal, iterative): יִתְבֹּשָׁשׁוּ (were ashamed, Gen 2:25) · וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ (struggled together, Gen 25:22) · וַיִּתְמַהְמָהּ (lingered, Gen 19:16).
10Other rare stems — real examples from the Bible
These rare stems do not fit the pairing table above. The names follow the OSHB morphology.
venishtaḥaveh — and we will worship (bow down)
Hishtaphel (96 times): וְ (and) + נִ (we) + שְׁתַּ (the prefix שׁ + ת) + the rest of the root ח-ו-ה. A stem used for one verb only, “bow down, worship.” Elsewhere OSHB analyses the same verb as a Hithpael (root שׁ-ח-ה) (Gen 18:2 וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ).
YLVAnd Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship, and return to you."
vattuqqaḥ — and she was taken
Qal passive (31 times): וַ (and) + תֻּ (she — “u”) + קַּ (a dot) + ח. The passive of Qal לָקַח (take): “be taken.” Its shape resembles a Hophal (יֻקָּם), but this verb has no Hiphil, so OSHB analyses it as an old passive of the Qal. The dot in קּ is where the first letter ל merged.
YLVAnd the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and they praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman (ishah) was taken to the house of Pharaoh.
sha’anan — (Moab) has been at ease
Palel (7 times): the root שׁ-א-ן with its last letter נ repeated, שַׁאֲנַן: “be at ease, be untroubled.” It resembles the Polel but has no וֹ after the first letter.
YLVMoab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, and into exile he has not gone; therefore his taste has remained in him, and his scent is not changed.
umlal — languishes
Pulal (15 times): the root א-מ-ל (wither) with the last ל repeated and “u” as the first vowel, אֻמְלַל. Nearly every Pulal in the Old Testament is this one verb.
YLVThe field is devastated, the ground (adamah) mourns; for the grain is devastated, the new wine is dried up, the fresh oil languishes.
11Easy to confuse
Polel · Poel and the Qal participle: the Qal active participle also has “o” after the first letter (מֹצְאִי “whoever finds me,” Gen 4:14). But a Qal participle does not begin with מ and does not repeat its last letter. With מְ in front, as in וּמְחֹקֵק (Gen 49:10), it is a Poel or Polel participle.
A repeated letter is not always a rare stem. Some roots themselves end in a repeated letter, like Qal סָבַב (go around). Check the root in the lexicon: is it ס-ב-ב (a true geminate), or כ-ו-ן with ן repeated (a Polel)?
Hithpolel and Hithpael: both begin הִתְ · יִתְ. A dot in the middle letter means Hithpael (וַיִּתְחַבֵּא); וֹ after the first letter and a repeated last letter mean Hithpolel (יִתְבֹּשָׁשׁוּ).
Names vary between grammars. Some grammars merge the Polel and the Poel; some take שׁ-ח-ה as a Hithpael, others as a Hishtaphel of ח-ו-ה. This page follows the names of the OSHB morphology. The meaning is the same either way.
12Where this appears in Genesis 1–2
All 2 places, found from the OSHB morphology. Tap one to go to that word’s notes.