פָּצַר
𐤐𐤑𐤓
pâtsar
H6484 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To press, urge, implore, or insist with persistent or forceful entreaty; to urge someone repeatedly or strongly, often in the context of hospitality, negotiation, or appeals. The word also carries nuances of stubbornness or tenacious insistence in some contexts.
Semantic Range
to urge pressingly, to insist, to implore strongly, to prevail upon by entreaty, to press forcefully in social situations, to demonstrate tenacious insistence
Root / Etymology
Root: פצר (PṢR). Derives from a fundamental meaning likely related to 'pressing upon.' While the broader root meaning is not widely attested, the verb פָּצַר as used in Biblical Hebrew represents the act of pressing or urging, particularly in interpersonal interactions. The underlying physical image may be one of pressing against or upon, extended metaphorically to emotional or social pressure.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פָּצַר appears sparingly in the Hebrew Bible, primarily in narratives where someone strongly urges or implores another person (e.g., Abraham urging guests to stay in Genesis 19:3, the men of Sodom pressing upon Lot in Genesis 19:9, and the Shunammite’s urging of Elisha in 2 Kings 4:8). The term frequently marks a persistent or insistent request in situations marked by cultural etiquette, hospitality, or negotiation. It can reflect both positive insistence (hospitality, generosity) and negative connotations (obstinacy, refusal to relent), depending on context. In later Hebrew, the root is rare and does not feature prominently in rabbinic usage. In translation traditions, the nuances of determined persuasion or repeated urging are often flattened to simpler terms like 'urged' or 'insisted.' Unlike related verbs such as חזק (to be strong, prevail) or אנס (to compel, force), פָּצַר shades more toward verbal or social insistence than physical compulsion. There is no evidence that the English term 'stubborn' or 'stubbornness' fully encapsulates the biblical usage, but the idea of persistent urging or insistent appeal is consistent across extant cases.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to peck at, i.e. (figuratively) stun or dull; press, urge, stubbornness.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פצר (p-ṣ-r) — to press, to urge, to insist
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6477 | פְּצִירָה | the blunting file |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6484-02 |
וַ/יִּפְצַר | vayifetsar | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he urged | and he pressed insistently | 4 |
H6484-03 |
וַ/יִּפְצְר֨וּ | vayifetseru | HC/Vqw3mp |
And they pressed / They kept pressing | and they pressed insistently | 2 |
H6484-01 |
הַפְצַ֑ר | hafetsar | HVha |
is stubbornness | to urgently press | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6484-02 |
Genesis 19:3 | וַ/יִּפְצַר | vayifetsar | HC/Vqw3ms |
he insisted | and he pressed insistently |
H6484-03 |
Genesis 19:9 | וַ/יִּפְצְר֨וּ | vayifetseru | HC/Vqw3mp |
And they pressed / They kept pressing | and they pressed insistently |
H6484-02 |
Genesis 33:11 | וַ/יִּפְצַר | vayifetsar | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he urged | and he pressed insistently |
H6484-02 |
Judges 19:7 | וַ/יִּפְצַר | vayifetsar | HC/Vqw3ms |
and urged | and he pressed insistently |
H6484-01 |
1 Samuel 15:23 | הַפְצַ֑ר | hafetsar | HVha |
is stubbornness | to urgently press |
H6484-03 |
2 Kings 2:17 | וַ/יִּפְצְרוּ | vayifetseru | HC/Vqw3mp |
and they urged | and they pressed insistently |
H6484-02 |
2 Kings 5:16 | וַ/יִּפְצַר | vayifetsar | HC/Vqw3ms |
And he urged | and he pressed insistently |