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פִּנָּה

𐤐𐤍𐤄

pinnâh

H6438 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פנה to turn, to direct, to face

Definition

Architectural or structural corner; by extension, a cornerstone or principal architectural feature; metaphorically, a leading or prominent person (chieftain, leader), or a key element in a group or structure. The word's semantic range covers both concrete (physical) and metaphorical (social, communal) aspects, referencing corners of buildings, chief structural elements, and leading persons within a community.

Semantic Range

corner (of a building or structure), pinnacle, bulwark, key structural element, chief person, leader, principal member, cornerstone, tower

Root / Etymology

פִּנָּה derives from the root פנה, which primarily means 'to turn' or 'to face.' The noun pinnâh is formed with a feminine ending and denotes the place where something turns — i.e., a corner — especially in architectural contexts. The metaphorical usage for a leading person or key figure derives from the idea of the corner as the most prominent or essential part of a structure. The shift from physical corner to social prominence is common in Semitic languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פִּנָּה appears frequently in descriptions of buildings, such as temples or city walls, where it denotes literal corners as structural elements (e.g., Joshua 2:15; Jeremiah 31:38). In a few instances, it is applied metaphorically to people, especially in the sense of leaders or principal men (Zechariah 10:4). This reflects Ancient Near Eastern literary convention, where architectural terms were commonly used metaphorically for community or tribal leaders. The association later contributed to the notion of 'cornerstone' as both a literal stone and a metaphor for foundational figures within a community. The standard translation as 'corner' or 'chief' can sometimes obscure this metaphorical richness. The English term 'chieftain' reflects this social application, although original contexts rarely imply formalized leadership positions. There is a related term אבן פנה ('cornerstone') in Psalm 118:22 and elsewhere, which underscores the prominence of the corner in biblical thought.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of פֵּן; an angle; by implication, a pinnacle; figuratively, a chieftain; bulwark, chief, corner, stay, tower.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פנה (p-n-h) — to turn, to face, to direct

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3312 יְפֻנֶּה He will be turned
H3942 לִפְנַי before me
H6434 פֵּן the corners
H6435 פֵּן lest
H6437 פָּנָה in their turning

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6438-02 הַ/פִּנָּ֔ה hapinah HTd/Ncfsa of the corner the corner 6
H6438-08 פִּנּ֣וֹת pinot HNcfpc corners corners of 6
H6438-06 פִּנַּ֥ת pinat HNcfsc corner corner-of 5
H6438-05 פִּנָּֽה pinah HNcfsa corner cornerstone 4
H6438-03 הַ/פִּנּ֥וֹת hapinot HTd/Ncfpa the corners the structural corners 2
H6438-10 פִּנֹּתָ֔י/ו pinotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms corners thereof his corners 2
H6438-01 פִנָּה֙ finah HNcfsa cornerstone structural corner 1
H6438-04 לְ/פִנָּ֔ה lefinah HR/Ncfsa for a corner for a corner 1
H6438-09 פִּנּוֹתָ֔/ם pinotam HNcfpc/Sp3mp their corner towers their corners 1
H6438-07 פִּנָּתָֽ/הּ pinatah HNcfsc/Sp3fs its cornerstone her corner 1

Occurrences in Scripture

29 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6438-10 Exodus 27:2 פִּנֹּתָ֔י/ו pinotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms corners thereof his corners
H6438-10 Exodus 38:2 פִּנֹּתָ֔י/ו pinotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms its corners his corners
H6438-08 Judges 20:2 פִּנּ֣וֹת pinot HNcfpc corners corners of
H6438-08 1 Samuel 14:38 פִּנּ֣וֹת pinot HNcfpc you leaders corners of
H6438-08 1 Kings 7:34 פִּנּ֔וֹת pinot HNcfpc corners corners of
H6438-02 2 Kings 14:13 הַ/פִּנָּ֔ה hapinah HTd/Ncfsa of-the-Corner the corner
H6438-06 Isaiah 19:13 פִּנַּ֥ת pinat HNcfsc cornerstone of corner-of
H6438-06 Isaiah 28:16 פִּנַּ֤ת pinat HNcfsc corner corner-of
H6438-02 Jeremiah 31:38 הַ/פִּנָּֽה hapinah HTd/Ncfsa of the corner the corner
H6438-06 Jeremiah 31:40 פִּנַּ֨ת pinat HNcfsc corner corner-of
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