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פָּסַח

𐤐𐤎𐤇

pâçach

H6452 verb

SILEX Entry

Root פּסח to limp, to move unevenly, to waver, to pass over, to spare

Definition

To limp, halt, or walk unevenly (literal sense); to pass over, spare, show passivity or reluctance, or skip (figurative and narrative sense). In narratives relating to the so-called 'Passover,' to 'pass over' with the sense of sparing or protecting during judgment. May also denote expressions of physical unsteadiness or indecision, including hesitancy or wavering between choices.

Semantic Range

to limp, to be lame, to halt, to skip, to pass over (in the sense of sparing), to hesitate, to waver between choices, to perform ritual or commemorative passing over

Root / Etymology

Root פּ-ס-ח (פסח), conveying the idea of limping or moving unevenly. The verb form develops concrete meanings like 'to limp' or 'be lame,' and figurative meanings such as 'to hesitate,' or 'to pass over' in the sense of sparing or skipping. The ritual noun פֶּסַח (pesach, 'passover offering') is derived from the same root but its exact connection (i.e., whether literally 'passing over' or 'protecting') is debated.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Hebrew usage (e.g. Exodus 12), פָּסַח primarily denotes the action associated with a deity 'passing over' or sparing certain households during a time of judgment. The same root is used elsewhere for physical limping or lameness (e.g. 2 Samuel 4:4; 1 Kings 18:21, 26). The figurative sense developed into 'wavering' or 'hesitating,' especially in prophetic criticism of the Israelites' indecision regarding allegiance to the deity (e.g. 1 Kings 18:21: 'How long will you limp (halt) between two opinions?'). Later, in ritual and communal memory, it became associated with the spring festival and its offering (Pesach). English 'Passover' reflects a rendering tradition but obscures the physical and figurative senses still present in the Hebrew text. LXX and subsequent Greek usage ('to pass by/over') influenced English vocabulary but may not capture all early nuances. No technical theological meaning should be presumed in the word itself in the earliest contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to hop, i.e. (figuratively) skip over (or spare); by implication, to hesitate; also (literally) to limp, to dance; halt, become lame, leap, pass over.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פסח (p-s-ḥ) — limping, uneven movement, wavering, passing over, sparing

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6453 פֶּסַח Passover rite
H6454 פָּסֵחַ Limping-One
H6455 פִּסֵּחַ limping one

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6452-06 וַֽ/יְפַסְּח֔וּ vayefasechu HC/Vpw3mp and they limped and they limped about 1
H6452-03 פֹּסְחִים֮ posechim HVqrmpa limp/hesitate limping ones 1
H6452-08 וְ/הַ/פִּסְחִים֙ vehapisechim HC/Td/Aampa and the lame and the limping ones 1
H6452-01 פָּ֠סַח pasach HVqp3ms passed over he limped 1
H6452-07 וַ/יִּפָּסֵ֖חַ vayipasecha HC/VNw3ms and became lame and he was limping 1
H6452-04 וּ/פָסַ֤ח ufasach HC/Vqq3ms and YHWH will pass over and he passed over 1
H6452-05 וּ/פָסַחְתִּ֖י ufasacheti HC/Vqq1cs and I will pass over and I pass over 1
H6452-02 פָּסֹ֥חַ pasocha HVqa pass-over to pass over 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6452-05 Exodus 12:13 וּ/פָסַחְתִּ֖י ufasacheti HC/Vqq1cs and I will pass over and I pass over
H6452-04 Exodus 12:23 וּ/פָסַ֤ח ufasach HC/Vqq3ms and YHWH will pass over and he passed over
H6452-01 Exodus 12:27 פָּ֠סַח pasach HVqp3ms passed over he limped
H6452-07 2 Samuel 4:4 וַ/יִּפָּסֵ֖חַ vayipasecha HC/VNw3ms and became lame and he was limping
H6452-08 2 Samuel 5:6 וְ/הַ/פִּסְחִים֙ vehapisechim HC/Td/Aampa and the lame and the limping ones
H6452-03 1 Kings 18:21 פֹּסְחִים֮ posechim HVqrmpa limp/hesitate limping ones
H6452-06 1 Kings 18:26 וַֽ/יְפַסְּח֔וּ vayefasechu HC/Vpw3mp and they limped and they limped about
H6452-02 Isaiah 31:5 פָּסֹ֥חַ pasocha HVqa pass-over to pass over
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