פֶּתַע
𐤐𐤕𐤏
pethaʻ
H6621 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A very brief span of time, an instant, a moment; typically used adverbially to indicate the suddenness or unexpectedness of an action or event. In context, פֶּתַע conveys the idea of something happening abruptly or with no anticipation, often with a nuance of surprise or immediacy.
Semantic Range
instant, moment, suddenness, unexpectedness, abruptly, at once, all of a sudden
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain; possibly related to פתח (p-t-ḥ, 'to open'), suggesting the sense of something happening as quickly as the opening or blinking of the eye. However, the direct etymology is unclear, and the root is considered unused. Both פֶּתַע (pethaʻ) and the related פִּתְאוֹם (pit'om, 'suddenly') may be built on this idea, but their exact derivation within Hebrew is not transparent.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פֶּתַע is rare and appears exclusively in adverbial phrases (e.g., 'in an instant,' 'suddenly') in various periods of biblical literature. Its usage does not differentiate between genres—occurring in both legal (e.g., Numbers 35:22, regarding accidental death), prophetic (e.g., Isaiah 29:5), and poetic contexts. The term always marks the abruptness or unexpectedness of an event, similar to but slightly more formal than פִּתְאוֹם. English translations such as 'suddenly' or 'instantly' approximate its sense, but may not always convey the degree of surprise present in the Hebrew. No significant changes in meaning appear between monarchic and post-exilic texts. Later Rabbinic Hebrew continues the sense of suddenness with related forms. The English idiom 'in the blink of an eye' closely parallels the Hebrew nuance but is not an exact translation. Notably, the KJV rendering 'at an instant' or 'suddenly' is accurate but somewhat idiomatic.
Translation Consistency
פֶּתַע functions primarily to signal suddenness or unexpectedness and is most often used adverbially in context. Translating consistently as “suddenly” yields the most natural, idiomatic English that preserves the sense of abruptness and surprise across all occurrences (better fits adverbial uses than the noun ‘instant’).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to open (the eyes); (compare פִּתְאוֹם); a wink, i.e. moment(used only (with or without preposition) adverbially, quickly or unexpectedly; at an instant, suddenly, [idiom] very.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
פתע (pithʼôwm) — to come suddenly, to surprise, to startle
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6597 | פִּתְאוֹם | in suddenness |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6621-01 |
בְּ/פֶ֣תַע | befeta | HR/Ncmsa |
suddenly | in an instant | in an instant | 2 |
H6621-03 |
לְ/פֶ֥תַע | lefeta | HR/Ncmsa |
in a moment | in an instant | to suddenly | 2 |
H6621-04 |
פֶּ֥תַע | peta | HD |
suddenly | in an instant | in an instant | 2 |
H6621-02 |
פֶ֗תַע | feta | HD |
suddenly | in an instant | suddenly | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6621-01 |
Numbers 6:9 | בְּ/פֶ֣תַע | befeta | HR/Ncmsa |
suddenly | in an instant | in an instant |
H6621-01 |
Numbers 35:22 | בְּ/פֶ֥תַע | befeta | HR/Ncmsa |
suddenly | in an instant | in an instant |
H6621-03 |
Isaiah 29:5 | לְ/פֶ֥תַע | lefeta | HR/Ncmsa |
in a moment | in an instant | to suddenly |
H6621-03 |
Isaiah 30:13 | לְ/פֶ֖תַע | lefeta | HR/Ncmsa |
in an instant | in an instant | to suddenly |
H6621-02 |
Habakkuk 2:7 | פֶ֗תַע | feta | HD |
suddenly | in an instant | suddenly |
H6621-04 |
Proverbs 6:15 | פֶּ֥תַע | peta | HD |
suddenly | in an instant | in an instant |
H6621-04 |
Proverbs 29:1 | פֶּ֥תַע | peta | HD |
suddenly | in an instant | in an instant |