פּוּגָה

𐤐𐤅𐤂𐤄

pûwgâh

H6314 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פוג to grow numb, to become feeble, to abate, to subside

Definition

A period of respite, cessation, or relief, especially from hardship, toil, or suffering; denotes an interlude or pause, often used in the sense of deliverance or release from distress. The term signals a temporary state where ongoing activity, distress, or oppression is halted, creating a sense of rest or relief from what preceded it.

Semantic Range

respite, intermission, relief from suffering, pause from activity, cessation of crying or distress; not ritual rest but specifically relief from hardship

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root פּוּג (pûg), which conveys the idea of growing numb, becoming exhausted, fading away, or abating. פּוּגָה is a feminine noun formation from this root, emphasizing the result or state of 'cessation' or 'relief.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

פּוּגָה occurs only a few times in the Hebrew Bible, notably in contexts of hardship and hope for relief (e.g., Lamentations 3:49 - 'My eye will flow and not cease, there will be no פּוּגָה'). It does not reference ritual rest (such as Sabbath) but a ceasing of emotional, physical, or external pressure, particularly in contexts of suffering or lament. English translations such as 'relief,' 'respite,' or 'intermission' adequately convey the general sense, but can miss the nuance of emotional and existential reprieve present in the word's usage. The term is distinct from other words for rest in Hebrew (e.g., מְנוּחָה, שָׁבָת) which imply rest as a normative or ritual state, while פּוּגָה is more the interruption or temporary halt of affliction. This distinction is significant in later interpretive traditions as well, where the sense of cessation from pain rather than positive rest is most evident.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from פּוּג; intermission; rest.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פוג (p-w-g) — to grow numb, to become feeble, to abate, to subside

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2014 הֲפֻגָה respite periods
H6313 פּוּג I have grown slack

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6314-01 פוּגַת֙ fugat HNcfsa relief abating respite 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6314-01 Lamentations 2:18 פוּגַת֙ fugat HNcfsa relief abating respite