פִּיפִיָּה
𐤐𐤉𐤐𐤉𐤄
pîyphîyâh
H6374 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A sharp edge or point, especially of a cutting implement; frequently used in the phrase 'edge of the sword,' but can also refer to the sharp point or cutting surface of any tool or weapon. The term highlights the dangerous, destructive, or decisive function of the 'mouth' or 'edge' of such implements, sometimes by extension referring to a figurative edge (as in 'double-edged' to express increased sharpness or destructive potential).
Semantic Range
edge (of a sword or weapon), sharp point or blade, cutting edge, two-edged (by idiom), tooth (figuratively), destructive edge
Root / Etymology
Formed from the noun פֶּה (peh, 'mouth') by reduplication and extended with the ending -yāh. The core idea is 'mouth,' but here in the sense of a tool's opening, rim, or sharpened edge, especially one that 'bites' or cuts. The reduplication intensifies or specifies the meaning, producing a word that most consistently refers to a sharpened edge, particularly one capable of cutting or dividing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פִּיפִיָּה occurs only a few times in the Hebrew Bible (notably Prov 5:4), primarily in poetic or metaphorical contexts. It is classically associated with the 'edge' or cutting part of a sword or sharp tool. The phrase 'פִּיפִיּוֹת חָרֶב' (the edges/mouths of the sword) is an idiom referring to a sword's sharpness and lethal potential. English 'two-edged' is used in translation but the idiom in Hebrew reflects the concept of doubled sharpness or extreme danger. Other terms from פֶּה (peh, 'mouth') are also used for edges or mouths of objects (mouth of a pit, mouth of a river), but פִּיפִיָּה is a specialized form for the sharp edge, usually with martial, violent, or decisive connotations. The sense of 'tooth' is secondary and metaphorical, drawn from the notion of biting or dividing. KJV and other translations often render the term as 'two-edged' or 'edge' in martial contexts, but underlying Hebrew imagery is of mouths that devour or cut.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
for פֵּיָה; an edge or tooth; tooth, [idiom] two-edged.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פיה (p-y-h) — mouth, opening, edge, rim
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6374-01 |
פִּֽיפִיּ֑וֹת | pifiot | HNcbpa |
double edges | cutting edges | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6374-01 |
Isaiah 41:15 | פִּֽיפִיּ֑וֹת | pifiot | HNcbpa |
double edges | cutting edges |
H6374-01 |
Psalms 149:6 | פִּֽיפִיּ֣וֹת | pifiot | HNcbpa |
two-edged | cutting edges |