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פֶּה

𐤐𐤄

peh

H6310 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פאה to blow, edge, side, to emit

Definition

A mouth—the bodily organ used for eating, speaking, or blowing—serving both literal and metaphorical functions. The term denotes the mouth as a physical feature, the act or means of speech, and, by extension, the opening of anything (such as a cave or vessel), or the edge, extremity, or boundary of an object. It is also used idiomatically and adverbially with prepositions to express concepts of accordance, proportion, or measure (e.g., 'according to the word,' 'by the mouth of,' 'by the measure of').

Semantic Range

mouth (organ), opening (of cave, well, river), edge, rim, boundary, speech, utterance, declaration, command, according to (in idioms), by the word/command/declaration of, proportional measure

Root / Etymology

From the root פאה (pʾh), which at the root level carries the sense of 'to blow' or 'to emit,' as well as 'edge' or 'side' in other noun forms. פֶּה develops from this root meaning to denote the anatomical mouth, as the source of blowing, eating, or speaking, and by further extension, any opening or edge.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פֶּה is the standard word for 'mouth' in Biblical Hebrew and appears frequently to denote the physical mouth of a person (Gen 8:11; Exod 4:10), animals (Num 22:28), or even objects (mouth of a well, Gen 29:2; mouth of a cave, Josh 10:18). Metaphorically, it denotes speech, command, or utterance ('by the mouth of YHWH,' 'at the mouth of two witnesses'), and this idiomatic use is common in texts governing legal or ritual procedure (Deut 17:6). The mouth is often metonymic for utterance, command, or decision (e.g., 'from the mouth of'). As an edge or opening, פֶּה also describes the entry, rim, or extremity of objects and places (Isa 19:7, 'mouth of the river'; 1 Kgs 7:23, rim of the sea). In adverbial constructions, it expresses correspondence, proportion, or agreement (e.g., 'according to the word [mouth] of'). There is a distinction in nuance between פֶּה as 'mouth' (organ or opening) and related terms such as שָׂפָה (safah, 'lip'), which can focus on the border or edge. In post-biblical Hebrew, פֶּה retains its corporeal and figurative meanings. Later translation traditions sometimes render פֶּה with a focus on spoken word, command, or assent; English 'edge' or 'mouth' often only partially capture the full spectrum of its metaphorical and idiomatic uses.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from פָּאָה; the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to; accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פאה (p-ʾ-h) — to blow, edge, side, emit

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6284 פָּאָה let me blow-scatter them
H6285 פֵּאָה in edge of
H6312 פּוּאָה to Puah
H6367 פִּי הַחִירֹת mouth of

Word Forms

55 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6310-38 פִּ֥י pi HNcmsc mouth mouth of 109
H6310-23 לְ/פִי lefi HR/Ncmsc with the mouth of according to the mouth of 55
H6310-02 בְּ/פִ֥י befi HR/Ncmsc in the mouth of in the mouth of 27
H6310-12 פִ֖/י fi HNcmsc/Sp1cs my mouth my mouth 27
H6310-29 מִ/פִּ֣י mipi HR/Ncmsc from the mouth of from mouth of 22
H6310-37 פֶּ֛ה peh HNcmsa mouth mouth 21
H6310-42 פִּ֖י/ךָ pikha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your mouth your mouth 21
H6310-46 פִּ֨י/ו piv HNcmsc/Sp3ms his mouth his mouth 20
H6310-48 וּ/פִֽי ufi HC/Ncmsc and mouth and mouth-of 15
H6310-19 כְּ/פִ֣י kefi HR/Ncmsc according to according to the mouth of 15

Occurrences in Scripture

498 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6310-39 Genesis 4:11 פִּ֔י/הָ piha HNcmsc/Sp3fs its mouth her mouth
H6310-03 Genesis 8:11 בְּ/פִ֑י/הָ befiha HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs in her mouth in her mouth
H6310-39 Genesis 24:57 פִּֽי/הָ piha HNcmsc/Sp3fs her her mouth
H6310-10 Genesis 25:28 בְּ/פִ֑י/ו befiv HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his mouth in his mouth
H6310-38 Genesis 29:2 פִּ֥י pi HNcmsc the mouth mouth of
H6310-38 Genesis 29:3 פִּ֣י pi HNcmsc mouth mouth of
H6310-38 Genesis 29:3 פִּ֥י pi-2 HNcmsc mouth mouth of
H6310-38 Genesis 29:8 פִּ֣י pi HNcmsc mouth mouth of
H6310-38 Genesis 29:10 פִּ֣י pi HNcmsc mouth mouth of
H6310-23 Genesis 34:26 לְ/פִי lefi HR/Ncmsc with the edge of according to the mouth of
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