Summary
A passive participle is a non-finite verbal form with passive or reflexive voice that can function
as a verb (or verbal complement), an adjective, or a noun.
Passive participles most often function as either an
attributive adjective or a predicative adjective.
Article
In Biblical Hebrew, participles are non-finite verbal forms that can change their form based on
stem formation (like verbs) as well as person, gender, state, and definiteness
(like both adjectives and nouns).
Participles are very flexible in their grammatical use and can function as a verbal complement, a
finite main verb, an adjective, or a noun.
In most cases, the context will clearly show how the participle is being used in the sentence. The meaning of a participle is
usually clear, even in cases where its specific grammatical function cannot be determined precisely.
Passive participles express verbal action in either passive voice or
reflexive voice. Passive voice means that the person/thing described by the
participle receives the action expressed by the participle itself. Reflexive voice means that the person/thing described by
the participle both performs and receives the action expressed by the participle itself.
Note
Only the Qal stem
has a distinct passive form for the participle; in all other cases, the
passive (or sometimes reflexive) meaning is determined by the stem formation
and the specific verb.
Function
A passive/reflexive participle is often used as an independent
grammatical entity, although it can introduce entire clauses similar to the active participle.
Passive participles are generally more limited in meaning than active participles.
Passive participles are governed either by the main verb of a sentence or by the context.
They can express action in past time, present time, future time, or without any specified timeframe.
An adjectival participle immediately follows the noun it describes, and matches that noun in gender, number, and definiteness.
An adjectival participle can either function as an adjective by itself or introduce an entire clause
that functions as an adjective (either attributive or predicative).
This is the most common use of the passive participle in Biblical Hebrew.
An adjectival passive participle can function as either an attributive adjective
or a predicative adjective. The context must determine whether a passive participle
is functioning as a predicative adjective or as a main verb, because both appear the
same in many instances.
The following example shows a passive participle functioning as an attributive adjective.
Example: PSA 149:9
| לַעֲשׂ֤וֹת בָּהֶ֨ם׀ מִשְׁפָּ֬ט כָּת֗וּב |
| la'asoth bahem mishpat kathuv |
| to-do to-them judgment written |
| They will execute the judgment that is written |
The following example shows a passive participle functioning as a predicative adjective.
Example: EXO 5:16
| וְהִנֵּ֧ה עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ מֻכִּ֖ים |
| wehinneh 'avadeykha mukkim |
| and-behold your-servants beaten |
| We, your servants, are even beaten now |
Word details: ׃
The following example shows passive participles introducing an entire clause that functions as a predicative adjective.
Example: PSA 22:7
| וְאָנֹכִ֣י תוֹלַ֣עַת וְלֹא־אִ֑ישׁ חֶרְפַּ֥ת אָ֝דָ֗ם וּבְז֥וּי עָֽם׃ |
| we'anokhi thola'ath welo-'ish herpath 'adam uvezuy 'am |
- and-I worm and-not_man scorned-of humanity and-despised-of
- people
|
- But I am a worm and not a man, a disgrace to humanity
- and despised by the people.
|
Note
The subject of a verbal participle usually
precedes the participle, in contrast to the normal conventions of Hebrew
word order.
Functions as a finite main verb
When functioning as a main verb, the participle is governed by the context
and has the potential to be translated as past time, present time,
future time, or even without a specified timeframe. A verbal participle
can express continuous, imminent, habitual, or even stative action as
determined by the context.
The context must determine whether a passive participle is functioning as a main verb or as a predicative adjective, because both appear the same in many instances.
In the following example, the participle is in the first position,
which is the normal Hebrew word order for finite verbs but not for participles.
Example: ISA 17:2
| עֲזֻב֖וֹת עָרֵ֣י עֲרֹעֵ֑ר |
| 'azuvoth 'are 'aro'er |
| being-forsaken cities-of Aroer |
| The cities of Aroer will be abandoned |
Word details: ׃
Example: 1SA 19:11
| מָחָ֖ר אַתָּ֥ה מוּמָֽת |
| mahar 'attah mumath |
| tomorrow you being-made-dead |
| tomorrow you will be killed |
Functions as a non-finite verbal complement
When functioning as a verbal complement, the participle is governed by
the main verb of the sentence and has potential to be translated as past
time, present time, or future time. A verbal participle can express
continuous, imminent, habitual, or even stative action as determined by the
context.
Example: GEN 38:25
| הִ֣וא מוּצֵ֗את וְהִ֨יא שָׁלְחָ֤ה אֶל־חָמִ֙יהָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר |
| hiw mutseth wehi sholhah 'el-hamiha lemor |
| she being-brought-out and-she sent to_her-father-in-law saying |
| When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law a message |
Word details: מוּצֵ֗את
Functions as a noun
A nominal participle often takes the definite article (but not always),
and can either function as a noun by itself or introduce an entire clause that functions as a noun.
A nominal participle will appear in the construct state either when it takes a pronominal suffix
or when it is in a construct relationship with another noun in the absolute state.
Example: JOS 8:34
| כְּכָל־הַכָּת֖וּב בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָֽה׃ |
| kekhol-hakkathuv besefer hattowrah |
| like-all_the-written in-book-of the-law |
| just as had been written in the book of the law |
Word details: הַ,כָּת֖וּב
