פַּח (H6341) — Hebrew Lexicon

פַּח

𐤐𐤇

pach

H6341 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פחח to spread out, beat thin, flatten

Definition

A device or object made of thinly beaten metal, particularly a thin metal plate or sheet, and by extension, a trap or snare, especially one designed to capture animals by being spread on the ground. In figurative usage, it denotes entrapment or danger awaiting the unwary. The word primarily refers to something spread out—either as a physical object (a thin plate) or as a net/trap designed to ensnare.

Semantic Range

thin metal plate or sheet, metallic lamina, snare, trap, spring net, device for catching animals, means of entrapment or danger (figurative)

Root / Etymology

From the root פָּחַח (pāḥaḥ), meaning 'to spread out, to beat thin (metal), to flatten.' פַּח (pach) derives as a noun indicating a substance or device resulting from this spreading or flattening process. The primary reference is to metalwork (a thin metal plate), secondarily extended to the idea of a net (spread out to catch) or snare owing to their shared characteristic of being laid out flat or spread wide.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite texts, פַּח primarily denotes a metallic sheet or thin plate, likely used in construction, ornamentation, or for practical utensils (Num 17:3 [Heb. 17:2]). In the majority of cases throughout the Hebrew Bible, especially in poetic and prophetic literature (e.g., Psalms, Proverbs), פַּח signifies a trap or snare for catching birds or animals, highlighting the element of being laid or spread to create a hidden danger (e.g., Ps 91:3; Prov 22:5). The figurative sense frequently occurs in wisdom literature and prophets, where it symbolizes the unseen hazards or the plotting of the wicked. English translations often render פַּח as 'snare,' but their context does not always convey the full nuance of the original term, which includes the imagery of something fine and spread out, and in a few cases, refers specifically to metalworking. Unlike מוֹקֵשׁ (moqesh, baited snare) or רֶשֶׁת (reshet, net), פַּח emphasizes the flat, spread quality, whether metal or netting. Over time, especially in post-exilic texts, the connation of danger or entrapment becomes dominant, with the metallic sense largely receding from usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from פָּחַח; a (metallic) sheet (as pounded thin); also a spring net (as spread out like a lamina); gin, (thin) plate, snare.

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Root Family

פחח (p-ḥ-ḥ) — to spread out, beat thin, flatten

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H6351	פָּחַח	to set a snare

Word Forms

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H6341-07`	פַּ֤ח	pach	`HNcmsc`	a trap	spread-out snare	7
`H6341-05`	לְ/פַ֣ח	lefach	`HR/Ncmsa`	a snare	a spread-out trap	3
`H6341-01`	בַּ/פָּ֑ח	bapach	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in the trap	in the spread-out snare	3
`H6341-02`	פַח֙	fach	`HNcmsa`	a snare	spread-out snare	3
`H6341-03`	פַחִים֙	fachim	`HNcmpa`	snares	spread-out snares	2
`H6341-11`	וָ/פָ֑ח	vafach	`HC/Ncmsa`	and-snare	and spread-out snare	2
`H6341-06`	מִ/פַּ֥ח	mipach	`HR/Ncmsc`	from the snare	spread-out trap of	2
`H6341-09`	פַּ֫חִ֥ים	pachim	`HNcmpa`	snares	spread-out traps	2
`H6341-08`	פַּחֵ֣י	pachey	`HNcmpc`	the sheets	thin-beaten plates of	1
`H6341-04`	הַ/פַּ֥ח	hapach	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the snare	the spread-out snare	1
`H6341-10`	וּ/פַחִ֖ים	ufachim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and snares	spread-out traps	1

Occurrences in Scripture

27 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H6341-08`	Exodus 39:3	פַּחֵ֣י	pachey	`HNcmpc`	the sheets	thin-beaten plates of
`H6341-03`	Numbers 17:3	פַחִים֙	fachim	`HNcmpa`	of bowls	spread-out snares
`H6341-05`	Joshua 23:13	לְ/פַ֣ח	lefach	`HR/Ncmsa`	for-snares	a spread-out trap
`H6341-05`	Isaiah 8:14	לְ/פַ֣ח	lefach	`HR/Ncmsa`	for-a-trap	a spread-out trap
`H6341-11`	Isaiah 24:17	וָ/פָ֑ח	vafach	`HC/Ncmsa`	and-snare	and spread-out snare
`H6341-01`	Isaiah 24:18	בַּ/פָּ֑ח	bapach	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in the trap	in the spread-out snare
`H6341-10`	Jeremiah 18:22	וּ/פַחִ֖ים	ufachim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and snares	spread-out traps
`H6341-11`	Jeremiah 48:43	וָ/פָ֑ח	vafach	`HC/Ncmsa`	snare	and spread-out snare
`H6341-01`	Jeremiah 48:44	בַּ/פָּ֑ח	bapach	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in the trap	in the spread-out snare
`H6341-02`	Hosea 5:1	פַח֙	fach	`HNcmsa`	a snare	spread-out snare
`H6341-07`	Hosea 9:8	פַּ֤ח	pach	`HNcmsc`	snare	spread-out snare
`H6341-07`	Amos 3:5	פַּ֣ח	pach	`HNcmsa`	a trap	spread-out snare
`H6341-07`	Amos 3:5	פַּח֙	pach-2	`HNcmsa`	a trap	spread-out snare
`H6341-09`	Psalms 11:6	פַּ֫חִ֥ים	pachim	`HNcmpa`	snares	spread-out traps
`H6341-05`	Psalms 69:23	לְ/פָ֑ח	lefach	`HR/Ncmsa`	a snare	a spread-out trap
`H6341-06`	Psalms 91:3	מִ/פַּ֥ח	mipach	`HR/Ncmsc`	from the snare	spread-out trap of
`H6341-07`	Psalms 119:110	פַּ֣ח	pach	`HNcmsa`	a snare	spread-out snare
`H6341-06`	Psalms 124:7	מִ/פַּ֪ח	mipach	`HR/Ncmsc`	from the snare	spread-out trap of
`H6341-04`	Psalms 124:7	הַ/פַּ֥ח	hapach	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the snare	the spread-out snare
`H6341-07`	Psalms 140:6	פַּ֡ח	pach	`HNcmsa`	a trap	spread-out snare
`H6341-02`	Psalms 141:9	פַ֭ח	fach	`HNcmsa`	the trap	spread-out snare
`H6341-02`	Psalms 142:4	פַ֣ח	fach	`HNcmsa`	snare	spread-out snare
`H6341-07`	Proverbs 7:23	פָּ֑ח	pach	`HNcmsa`	snare	spread-out snare
`H6341-09`	Proverbs 22:5	פַּ֭חִים	pachim	`HNcmpa`	snares	spread-out traps
`H6341-07`	Job 18:9	פָּ֑ח	pach	`HNcmsa`	a trap	spread-out snare
`H6341-03`	Job 22:10	פַחִ֑ים	fachim	`HNcmpa`	snares	spread-out snares
`H6341-01`	Ecclesiastes 9:12	בַּ/פָּ֑ח	bapach	`HRd/Ncmsa`	in a snare	in the spread-out snare

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