פֶּגֶר

𐤐𐤂𐤓

peger

H6297 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A dead body, generally referring to a corpse of a human or animal, emphasizing the lifeless and inert state. The term also appears in contexts expressing disgrace or the aftermath of violence, and occasionally as a metaphor for idolatrous images (suggesting the lifelessness of idols).

Semantic Range

corpse, dead body (human), carcass (animal), lifeless form, body left for consumption by animals, metaphor for lifeless idols

Root / Etymology

From the root פגר (p-g-r), meaning 'to be feeble, exhausted, or to stop functioning.' פֶּגֶר derives from this sense, indicating something lacking vitality or life – namely, a corpse or carcass. The lexical meaning builds on the root's sense of cessation or exhaustion applied to an organism.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פֶּגֶר appears in both narrative and poetic texts, most frequently in contexts of death—particularly slain combatants left unburied (e.g., 1 Samuel 17:46; Jeremiah 7:33; Jeremiah 34:20). The term highlights the lack of vitality by contrasting with bodies still imbued with life or dignity. In some prophetic passages, פֶּגֶר is used to characterize the fate of those under divine judgment. It may refer to both human and animal remains, though in some contexts (such as Leviticus 26:30) it is applied polemically to idolatrous images, likening them to lifeless corpses to emphasize their impotence. English translations commonly use 'carcass' or 'corpse,' which generally captures the sense, though 'carcass' sometimes implies animals, while פֶּגֶר is used of human bodies as well. The more common alternative for human dead body in biblical Hebrew is נְבֵלָה (nevelah), but נְבֵלָה often emphasizes ritual impurity, whereas פֶּגֶר underscores physical lifelessness and humiliation. No clear chronological shift occurs in the term’s meaning across the biblical periods, though its metaphorical extension to idols is most prominent in late prophetic literature. Later Jewish tradition and translations sometimes render פֶּגֶר with terms associated with disgrace.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from פָּגַר; a carcase (as limp), whether of man or beast; figuratively, an idolatrous image; carcase, corpse, dead body.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

פגר (p-g-r) — to be feeble, to be exhausted, to cease functioning

Root פגר to be feeble, to be exhausted, to cease functioning
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6296 פָּגַר they grew exhausted

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6297-09 פִּגְרֵ֖י pigerey HNcmpc corpses-of lifeless bodies of lifeless bodies of 4
H6297-07 פְּגָרִ֥ים pegarim HNcmpa corpses lifeless bodies corpses 3
H6297-10 פִּגְרֵי/כֶ֔ם pigereykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your corpses your lifeless bodies your corpses 2
H6297-03 הַ/פְּגָרִ֑ים hapegarim HTd/Ncmpa of the corpses the lifeless bodies the corpses 2
H6297-06 פָּ֑גֶר pager HNcmsa of corpses lifeless body corpses 1
H6297-05 כְּ/פֶ֥גֶר kefeger HR/Ncmsa like a corpse like a lifeless body like a lifeless body 1
H6297-13 וּ/פִגְרֵי/הֶ֖ם ufigereyhem HC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp and their corpses and their lifeless bodies and their corpses 1
H6297-08 פֶּ֣גֶר peger HNcmsc the corpse lifeless body of the corpse 1
H6297-01 בְּ/פִגְרֵי֙ befigerey HR/Ncmpc on-the-carcasses in the corpses of on the corpses of 1
H6297-04 הַ/פֶּ֔גֶר hapeger HTd/Ncmsa the corpses the lifeless body the lifeless body 1

Occurrences in Scripture

22 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6297-03 Genesis 15:11 הַ/פְּגָרִ֑ים hapegarim HTd/Ncmpa the carcasses the lifeless bodies the lifeless bodies
H6297-10 Leviticus 26:30 פִּגְרֵי/כֶ֔ם pigereykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your dead bodies your lifeless bodies your lifeless bodies
H6297-09 Leviticus 26:30 פִּגְרֵ֖י pigerey HNcmpc the dead bodies lifeless bodies of lifeless bodies of
H6297-02 Numbers 14:29 פִגְרֵי/כֶ֜ם figereykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your corpses your corpses your corpses
H6297-14 Numbers 14:32 וּ/פִגְרֵי/כֶ֖ם ufigereykhem HC/Ncmpc/Sp2mp your corpses your lifeless bodies your corpses
H6297-10 Numbers 14:33 פִּגְרֵי/כֶ֖ם pigereykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your corpses your lifeless bodies your corpses
H6297-08 1 Samuel 17:46 פֶּ֣גֶר peger HNcmsc the corpse lifeless body of the corpse
H6297-07 2 Kings 19:35 פְּגָרִ֥ים pegarim HNcmpa corpses lifeless bodies lifeless bodies
H6297-05 Isaiah 14:19 כְּ/פֶ֥גֶר kefeger HR/Ncmsa like a corpse like a lifeless body like a lifeless body
H6297-13 Isaiah 34:3 וּ/פִגְרֵי/הֶ֖ם ufigereyhem HC/Ncmpc/Sp3mp and their corpses and their lifeless bodies and their corpses