Bible Lexicons

The close relation which exists between some classes of the weak verbs (e.g. between פ״ו‎ and פ״י‎, ל״א‎ and ל״ה‎, ע״ע‎ and ע״וּ‎, ע״ע‎ and ל״ה‎) appears not only in their similarity or identity of inflexion, or their mutual interchange of certain forms, but especially from the fact that frequently the same root (radix bilittera, see §30g) recurs in various weak stems of similar meaning. The meaning accordingly is inherent in the two constant root-consonants, while the third consonant̤, which is weak (and the particular class of weak verbs with it), does not establish any difference in the meaning. Thus from the root דךְ‎ there occur with the same meaning דָּכַךְ‎, דּוּךְ‎, דָּכָא‎ to strike, to crush; and from the root נד‎ there are נוּד‎, נָדַד‎, נָדָה‎ to flee.

In this manner the following classes are related in form and meaning:

1. Verbs ע״וּ‎ and ע״ע‎ in which the first and third consonants are the same in both, as being essential to the meaning; e.g. מוּךְ‎ and מָכַךְ‎ to become poor; מוּשׁ‎ and מָשַׁשׁ‎ to feel; נוּד‎ and נָדַד‎ to flee.

2. Verbs פ״י‎ and פ״ן‎; e.g. יָצַב‎ and נָצַב‎ to place, נָקַשׁ‎ and יָקשׁ‎ (yāqōs̆) to lay snares. Moreover, stems belonging to the classes mentioned in 1 (especially ע״וּ‎) are frequently related also to verbs פ״י‎ and פ״ן‎, e.g. גּוּר‎ and יָגֹר‎ to fear; טוֹב‎ and יָטַב‎ to be good; נָפַח‎ and פּוּחַ‎ to blow; נָפַץ‎ and פּוּץ‎ to dash to pieces. Verbs פ״א‎ are less frequently connected with these classes, e.g. אָדַשׁ‎ and דּוּשׁ‎ to thresh, &c.

3. Verbs ל״א‎ and ל״ה‎ (in which the first two consonants form the real body of the stem) are sometimes related to each other, and sometimes to the above classes. To each other, in דָּכָא‎ and דָּכָה‎ to crush, קָרָא‎ and פָרָה‎ to meet (cf. §75nn); to verbs of the other classes, in מָצָה‎ and מָצַץ‎ to suck, דָּחָה‎ and דּוּחַ‎ to thrust, &c.

4. Verbs ע״ע‎ and ל״ה‎, on which cf. Grimm, Journal of Bibl. Lit., 1903, p. 196; e.g. אָנָה‎ and אָנַן‎ to sigh, דָּמָה‎ and דָּמַם‎ to be quiet, חָנָה‎ and חָנַן‎ to incline, כָּלָה‎ and כָּלַל‎ to end, קָלָה‎ and קָלַל‎ to despise, שָׁגָה‎ and שָׁגַג‎ to err, שָׁחָה‎ and שָׁחַח‎ to bend down, שָׁסָה‎ and שָׁסַס‎ to plunder.

5. Verbs ע״וּ‎ and ע״ה‎; e.g. מוּל‎ and מָהַל‎ (New Hebrew; in O.T. only מָהוּל‎ Isaiah 1:22) to circumcise, מוּר‎ and מָהַר‎ to exchange, נוּר‎ (in מְנוֹרָה‎ a light) and נָהַר‎ to shine; cf. also לְהָטִים‎ secret arts, Exodus 7:11 with לָט‎ secret, from לוּט‎.