פָּאָה
𐤐𐤀𐤄
pâʼâh
H6284 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To blow, puff, or drive by blowing; to scatter or disperse by means of wind or breath. The verb typically conveys the sense of active scattering, dispersal, or pushing something away through blowing—especially with reference to scattering dust, chaff, or objects to distant areas, sometimes into corners or remote places.
Semantic Range
to puff, to blow, to scatter by blowing, to drive away with wind or breath, to disperse (especially into distant or remote areas)
Root / Etymology
Root פּאה (p-ʼ-h), which likely carries the core idea of 'to blow' or 'to puff.' The verb derives from this root, expressing the process of scattering or dispersal by means of blowing. The connection between 'puff' and 'blow away' is maintained in the derived verb, with action focused on movement caused by breath or wind.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פָּאָה appears sparingly in the Hebrew Bible and is primarily found in poetic or figurative contexts, notably in Isaiah 11:12 in a construction meaning 'scatter into corners' or 'gather those driven away to the ends of (the earth).' Its usage reflects the broader Hebrew poetic tradition of likening dispersal or removal to the action of wind. The concept overlaps with other Hebrew verbs for scatter (such as זרה, 'to winnow, scatter'), but פָּאָה emphasizes the act of puffing or blowing as the means of dispersal, distinguishing it from scattering by hand or by throwing. In English translations, the word is often rendered with imagery of gathering from remote or scattered places or with a focus on the action of dispersal. Modern translations may not fully capture the imagery of blowing or puffing, sometimes Englishing it as 'cast away,' 'scatter,' or 'driven away.' No significant shift in meaning is observed across different biblical periods due to the rarity of this verb; it retains a poetic or figurative nuance rather than a concrete, physical action.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to puff, i.e. blow away; scatter into corners.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פאה (p-ʾ-h) — blowing, puffing, scattering by blowing
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6285 | פֵּאָה | in edge of |
| H6310 | פֶּה | by a mouth |
| H6312 | פּוּאָה | to Puah |
| H6367 | פִּי הַחִירֹת | mouth of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6284-01 |
אַפְאֵי/הֶ֑ם | afeeyhem | HVhh1cs/Sp3mp |
I will scatter them | let me blow-scatter them | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6284-01 |
Deuteronomy 32:26 | אַפְאֵי/הֶ֑ם | afeeyhem | HVhh1cs/Sp3mp |
I will scatter them | let me blow-scatter them |