The Niphal verb stem suggests two main nuances: • Simple action with a passive voice; that is, the subject of the verb receives the action of the verb. For example, the verbal idea communicated by the three-consonant root שׁמר is “to guard.” So the Niphal Perfect 3ms form נִשְׁמַר can mean “he was guarded.” • Simple action with a reflexive voice; that is, the subject of the verb performs the action of the verb upon him/her/itself. For example, the verbal idea communicated by the three-consonant
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