יָפַח
𐤉𐤐𐤇
yâphach
H3306 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To breathe forcibly or with intensity, such as to pant, gasp, exhale, or sigh. The term conveys the act of expelling air strongly, and can be used both in literal contexts (heavy or forceful breathing) and in figurative senses (expressing emotional strain, exhaustion, or anguish by sighing or groaning).
Semantic Range
to breathe forcefully, to pant, to exhale, to gasp, to sigh with emotion or exhaustion, to bewail self (by exhaling with distress or grief), to groan
Root / Etymology
Root: יָפַח derives from the root יָפַח, which in Northwest Semitic languages conveys the sense of breathing, exhaling, or panting. The form is a qal verb formation used for dynamic, physical action verbs.
Historical & Contextual Notes
יָפַח is not a commonly used verb in the Hebrew Bible, and when it does appear, it refers either to a literal act (forceful breathing, exhaling) or a figurative, emotional discharge (sighing from distress, weariness, or despair). It is onomatopoeic in character, imitating the sound of strong breath. The term lacks the direct association with weeping or vocal lament that is often conveyed by other Hebrew verbs like נָהָה (to wail, lament) or אָנַח (to groan, sigh with pain), but may appear in parallelism with such terms to emphasize emotional or physical duress. Later usage of the verb and its noun derivatives in related Semitic languages generally retain this focus on exhaling, blowing, or panting. English translations render יָפַח variously as 'sigh,' 'pant,' or 'breathes hard,' but no single English term fully encompasses the degree of forcefulness implied in some contexts. The meaning has remained stable, with no substantial semantic shift in later periods. The verb is distinguished from נשף (to blow, especially wind), which is typically used for blowing with the mouth (as on a horn or flute) rather than for bodily sighing or panting.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to breathe hard, i.e. (by implication) to sigh; bewail self.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יפח (y-p-ḥ) — to breathe, exhale, pant, sigh
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3307 | יָפֵחַ | exhalation of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3306-01 |
תִּתְיַפֵּ֖חַ | titeyapecha | HVti3fs |
gasping for breath | she will pant herself | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3306-01 |
Jeremiah 4:31 | תִּתְיַפֵּ֖חַ | titeyapecha | HVti3fs |
gasping for breath | she will pant herself |