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פָּז

𐤐𐤆

pâz

H6337 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פזז to refine, to purify, to be agile, to leap

Definition

A highly refined, pure form of gold, noted for its high quality and brilliance. The term denotes gold that has undergone processes to remove all impurities, emphasizing its exceptional purity and value. In poetic and wisdom literature, it can function as a symbol for something exceedingly precious and desirable.

Semantic Range

refined gold, pure gold, gold of exceptional quality, purest gold, metaphor for extreme value or desirability

Root / Etymology

פָּז (pâz) is generally associated with the root פָּזַז (pazaz), which means 'to be refined, to be purified; to be agile or to leap.' The link is due to the sense of 'refined,' pointing to the high degree of purification involved in the production of pâz. Thus, פָּז is derived from the concept of gold as highly purified or refined. Some lexicographers consider the connection with agility to be secondary or only tangentially related, and some propose non-Semitic borrowing, but this is not widely accepted.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פָּז occurs primarily in poetic and wisdom contexts (e.g., Psalms, Job, Song of Songs). It describes gold of exceptional quality, often in parallelisms with other precious materials, underscoring the splendor of what is being described (physical or metaphorical). While standard translations often render פָּז simply as 'fine gold,' this may obscure the emphasis on purity and distinction from other words for gold, such as זָהָב (zahav, generic 'gold'). Use of פָּז suggests admiration for the craftsmanship and purity associated with precious metalwork in the ancient Near East. There is no evidence that פָּז referred to gold as used for coinage. In Second Temple and later periods, the term is largely absent, reflecting shifts in trade and metallurgical vocabulary. English versions may anachronistically render פָּז as 'fine gold' or simply 'gold,' which flattens the semantic distinction present in the Hebrew. In the context of the Song of Songs and wisdom literature, the metaphorical extension to describe exceptional human or spiritual qualities is notable. The relationship to later Judaic terminology or concepts is indirect—the term refers to a pre-exilic trade and artistic understanding of precious metals.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from פָּזַז; pure (gold); hence, gold itself (as refined); fine (pure) gold.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פזז (p-z-z) — to refine, to purify, to be agile, to leap

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6338 פָּזַז made to leap
H6339 פָּזַז the one leaping vigorously

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6337-05 וּ/מִ/פַּ֣ז umipaz HC/R/Ncmsa and above fine gold and from refined gold 3
H6337-04 פָּֽז paz HNcmsa of fine gold refined gold 2
H6337-02 פָֽז faz HNcmsa fine-gold refined gold 2
H6337-01 בַּ/פָּ֑ז bapaz HRd/Ncmsa fine gold in refined gold 1
H6337-03 מִ/פָּ֑ז mipaz HR/Ncmsa than pure gold from refined gold 1

Occurrences in Scripture

9 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6337-03 Isaiah 13:12 מִ/פָּ֑ז mipaz HR/Ncmsa than pure gold from refined gold
H6337-05 Psalms 19:11 וּ/מִ/פַּ֣ז umipaz HC/R/Ncmsa and than much fine gold and from refined gold
H6337-04 Psalms 21:4 פָּֽז paz HNcmsa of fine gold refined gold
H6337-05 Psalms 119:127 וּ/מִ/פָּֽז umipaz HC/R/Ncmsa and above fine gold and from refined gold
H6337-05 Proverbs 8:19 וּ/מִ/פָּ֑ז umipaz HC/R/Ncmsa and than fine gold and from refined gold
H6337-02 Job 28:17 פָֽז faz HNcmsa fine-gold refined gold
H6337-04 Song of Songs 5:11 פָּ֑ז paz HNcmsa purest gold refined gold
H6337-02 Song of Songs 5:15 פָ֑ז faz HNcmsa of fine gold refined gold
H6337-01 Lamentations 4:2 בַּ/פָּ֑ז bapaz HRd/Ncmsa fine gold in refined gold
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