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פָּנָה

𐤐𐤍𐤄

pânâh

H6437 verb

SILEX Entry

Root פנה to turn, to face, to change direction

Definition

To turn, physically or figuratively; to change direction, approach, face, or focus attention on. The word encompasses both literal and metaphorical senses, including turning toward or away from a place, person, or situation, changing one's direction or orientation, and in some contexts, preparing or making ready. It can refer to facing an object, appearing or becoming visible, or shifting one's emotional attention.

Semantic Range

to turn (literal changing of direction); to face (physically or attentionally); to turn away or aside; to turn toward or approach; to prepare or make ready (by clearing or removing); to pay attention to; to regard or show respect; to appear, to become visible

Root / Etymology

From the root פנה, which carries the basic meaning of turning, facing, or changing direction. The verb פָּנָה derives directly from this root and is primarily used in the qal and related stems to denote acts of turning, facing, or redirecting.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פָּנָה occurs frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible, with its most basic sense being to turn physical direction. It is applied to the act of someone turning toward or away from another person, object, or location (e.g., turning to face, turning away in travel or avoidance). It is also used idiomatically for preparing or making a place ready (e.g., to clear a space), and occasionally in figurative expressions such as considering, paying attention to, or regarding. Over time, its use expanded from literal movement to encompass mental or emotional orientation, but its core meaning remained tied to the notion of directional change. In post-exilic literature, the term may also pick up nuances relating to seeking or turning toward deity in prayer, though its primary sense still refers to physical or metaphorical turning. English translations often render פָּנָה as 'turn', 'face', 'prepare', or 'regard', but these may not always convey the underlying physical or orientational imagery. The term differs from other verbs of movement (e.g., שׁוב, 'to return') by focusing on the directional or facing aspect, rather than the act of coming back to a previous position.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.; appear, at (even-) tide, behold, cast out, come on, [idiom] corner, dawning, empty, go away, lie, look, mark, pass away, prepare, regard, (have) respect (to), (re-) turn (aside, away, back, face, self), [idiom] right (early).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פנה (p-n-h) — to turn, to face, to change direction

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3312 יְפֻנֶּה He will be turned
H3942 לִפְנַי before me
H6434 פֵּן the corners
H6435 פֵּן lest
H6438 פִּנָּה structural corner

Word Forms

45 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6437-41 וַ/יִּ֤פֶן vayifen HC/Vqw3ms and-turned and he turned 15
H6437-42 וַ/יִּפְנ֤וּ vayifenu HC/Vqw3mp and they turned they turned 13
H6437-44 יִפְנֶ֥ה yifeneh HVqi3ms turns he turns 8
H6437-09 הַ/פֹּנֶ֥ה haponeh HTd/Vqrmsa that faces the one who turns 8
H6437-23 פְּנ֨וּ penu HVqv2mp turn Turn (you men)! 7
H6437-15 לִ/פְנ֣וֹת lifenot HR/Vqc toward to turn 6
H6437-20 פַּנּ֖וּ panu HVpv2mp clear Clear away! 5
H6437-28 פֹּנִ֣ים ponim HVqrmpa facing turning ones 5
H6437-33 וּ/פָנִ֣יתָ ufanita HC/Vqq2ms and turn and you turned 4
H6437-34 וּ/פָנִ֣יתִי ufaniti HC/Vqq1cs and I will turn and I turned 4

Occurrences in Scripture

135 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6437-42 Genesis 18:22 וַ/יִּפְנ֤וּ vayifenu HC/Vqw3mp and turned they turned
H6437-26 Genesis 24:31 פִּנִּ֣יתִי piniti HVpp1cs have prepared I have turned aside
H6437-43 Genesis 24:49 וְ/אֶפְנֶ֥ה veefeneh HC/Vqi1cs that I may turn and I will turn
H6437-15 Genesis 24:63 לִ/פְנ֣וֹת lifenot HR/Vqc toward to turn
H6437-41 Exodus 2:12 וַ/יִּ֤פֶן vayifen HC/Vqw3ms And he looked and he turned
H6437-41 Exodus 7:23 וַ/יִּ֣פֶן vayifen HC/Vqw3ms And turned and he turned
H6437-41 Exodus 10:6 וַ/יִּ֥פֶן vayifen HC/Vqw3ms and he turned and he turned
H6437-15 Exodus 14:27 לִ/פְנ֥וֹת lifenot HR/Vqc toward to turn
H6437-42 Exodus 16:10 וַ/יִּפְנ֖וּ vayifenu HC/Vqw3mp and they turned they turned
H6437-41 Exodus 32:15 וַ/יִּ֜פֶן vayifen HC/Vqw3ms and turned and he turned
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