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פִּקּוּד

𐤐𐤒𐤅𐤃

piqqûwd

H6490 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פקד to attend to, appoint, assign, entrust, muster

Definition

A directive, instruction, or charge that is given with authority; in biblical texts, primarily denoting mandates or requirements issued by a sovereign, particularly by God. While most common as a collective plural referring to divine commandments, the term can also refer to obligations or official decrees more generally, including those issued by human authorities. The nuance of the term emphasizes something entrusted or assigned—a duty, order, or formal instruction—rather than only a legal regulation.

Semantic Range

mandate, directive, precept, obligation, charge, appointment, official decree, assigned task; especially God's instructions or requirements in the psalms

Root / Etymology

From the root פקד (p-q-d), meaning 'to attend to, appoint, visit, muster.' The noun piqqûd is derived from the stem פקד and denotes 'that which is appointed, assigned, or commanded.' The formation signifies the result or object of the root action—thus, an injunction, directive, or obligation that has been given or imposed. The word is a masculine noun, used almost exclusively in the plural in the Hebrew Bible.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פִּקּוּד (piqqûd) is attested predominantly in Psalms (especially Psalm 119) and frequently translated in English versions as 'precepts' or 'commandments.' Unlike מִצְוָה (mitsvah, 'commandment') and חֹק (choq, 'statute'), piqqûd highlights what has been appointed or entrusted, with a nuance of responsibilities or duties to be observed—often, but not exclusively, religious in character. Its use in the Hebrew Bible most often refers to Yahweh's authoritative mandates given to Israel as part of the covenant, particularly in poetic/psalmic contexts, reinforcing the sense of obligations imposed by a sovereign. In the post-exilic and Second Temple Hebrew (and in later Jewish tradition), the term is less common, with mitsvah and other terms becoming more prevalent. English translations sometimes render the term too narrowly; its broader nuance encompasses not just commands but appointed tasks or charges, reflecting its root sense. It is rare outside poetic and liturgical passages and does not appear as frequently as other legal/religious terminology.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or פִּקֻּד; from פָּקַד; properly, appointed, i.e. a mandate (of God; plural only, collectively, for the Law); commandment, precept, statute.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פקד (p-q-d) — attend to, appoint, assign, entrust, muster

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4662 מִפְקָד at mustering-of
H4663 מִפְקָד the appointed-muster site
H6485 פָּקַד I will appoint
H6486 פְּקֻדָּה their appointed oversight
H6487 פִּקָּדוֹן in an entrusted deposit

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6490-03 פִקֻּדֶ֗י/ךָ fiqudeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms Your precepts your appointed directives 8
H6490-09 פִּקּוּדֶ֥י/ךָ piqudeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms Your precepts your appointed directives 6
H6490-01 בְּ/פִקֻּדֶ֥י/ךָ befiqudeykha HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms on your precepts in your assigned directives 2
H6490-08 פִּקּ֘וּדֵ֤י piqudey HNcmpc precepts of appointed mandates of 2
H6490-05 לְ/פִקֻּדֶ֑י/ךָ lefiqudeykha HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms for Your precepts to your appointed directives 1
H6490-04 פִקֻּודֶֽי/ךָ fiquvdeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms your precepts your appointed charges 1
H6490-02 פִ֝קֻּדָ֗י/ו fiqudayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his precepts his assigned mandates 1
H6490-06 מִ/פִּקּוּדֶ֥י/ךָ mipiqudeykha HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms From Your precepts from your appointed directives 1
H6490-07 פִּקּוּדָֽי/ו piqudayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his precepts his assigned mandates 1
H6490-10 וּ֝/מִ/פִּקּוּדֶ֗י/ךָ umipiqudeykha HC/R/Ncmpc/Sp2ms from your precepts and from your appointed directives 1

Occurrences in Scripture

24 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6490-08 Psalms 19:9 פִּקּ֘וּדֵ֤י piqudey HNcmpc precepts of appointed mandates of
H6490-02 Psalms 103:18 פִ֝קֻּדָ֗י/ו fiqudayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his precepts his assigned mandates
H6490-07 Psalms 111:7 פִּקּוּדָֽי/ו piqudayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his precepts his assigned mandates
H6490-03 Psalms 119:4 פִקֻּדֶ֗י/ךָ fiqudeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms Your precepts your appointed directives
H6490-01 Psalms 119:15 בְּ/פִקֻּדֶ֥י/ךָ befiqudeykha HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms on Your precepts in your assigned directives
H6490-09 Psalms 119:27 פִּקּוּדֶ֥י/ךָ piqudeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms of Your precepts your appointed directives
H6490-05 Psalms 119:40 לְ/פִקֻּדֶ֑י/ךָ lefiqudeykha HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms for Your precepts to your appointed directives
H6490-03 Psalms 119:45 פִקֻּדֶ֣י/ךָ fiqudeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms Your precepts your appointed directives
H6490-03 Psalms 119:56 פִקֻּדֶ֣י/ךָ fiqudeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms Your precepts your appointed directives
H6490-09 Psalms 119:63 פִּקּוּדֶֽי/ךָ piqudeykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms of your precepts your appointed directives
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