פַּטִּישׁ
𐤐𐤈𐤉𐤔
paṭṭîysh
H6360 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A heavy tool with a head and handle, primarily used for striking, pounding, or shaping objects. In biblical contexts, פַּטִּישׁ denotes a hammer, especially a substantial implement made of metal or stone utilized by craftsmen (such as smiths or stonemasons) or metaphorically for an instrument of force or destruction. The word can also be used figuratively for something that shatters or breaks, as in prophetic imagery.
Semantic Range
hammer (the tool), heavy implement for striking, metaphor for force or destruction, image of shattering or breaking
Root / Etymology
Likely derived from an unused root *פטש meaning 'to pound' or 'to hammer.' The root itself is not attested elsewhere in biblical Hebrew, and so the etymology is uncertain but presumed from the pattern and the function of related Semitic roots. The form פַּטִּישׁ is a noun referring to the tool itself.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פַּטִּישׁ occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, appearing only a few times: for example, in Jeremiah 23:29 (where it is used metaphorically for the power of a prophetic word to shatter), and in Judges 4:21 (in narratives with related tools). In most cases, it denotes a substantial hammer as used by smiths (Isaiah 41:7) or stonemasons. The use can be either literal or metaphorical; in prophetic literature, the hammer serves as an image for destructive or transformative force. Later Jewish tradition and translations sometimes rendered it simply as 'hammer,' but the exact form or function could differ from modern hammers. The term is distinct from מַקֶּבֶת (maqqevet), another biblical term for a smaller hammer or mallet used for lighter tasks.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
intensively from an unused root meaning to pound; a hammer; hammer.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פטש (p-ṭ-sh) — to pound, strike forcefully, hammer
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6360-01 |
פַּטִּ֖ישׁ | patish | HNcmsa |
the hammer | hammer | 2 |
H6360-02 |
וּ/כְ/פַטִּ֖ישׁ | ukhefatish | HC/R/Ncmsa |
and like a hammer | hammer | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6360-01 |
Isaiah 41:7 | פַּטִּ֖ישׁ | patish | HNcmsa |
with the hammer | hammer |
H6360-02 |
Jeremiah 23:29 | וּ/כְ/פַטִּ֖ישׁ | ukhefatish | HC/R/Ncmsa |
and like a hammer | hammer |
H6360-01 |
Jeremiah 50:23 | פַּטִּ֖ישׁ | patish | HNcmsc |
the hammer | hammer |