פְּתוֹר
𐤐𐤕𐤅𐤓
Petor
H6604 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Pethor is a place name denoting a city located in Mesopotamia, most notably identified as the hometown of the diviner Balaam in the Hebrew Bible (Numbers 22–24). The term functions exclusively as a proper noun and does not carry a broader lexical sense beyond signifying this locale. In the biblical context, Pethor is associated with Aram Naharaim (the region by the Euphrates), indicating a site of cultural and religious contact with Israelite neighbors.
Semantic Range
proper name of a city in Mesopotamia; place associated with divinatory practices; hometown of Balaam
Root / Etymology
etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Pethor appears only in narratives concerning Balaam in the Torah (Numbers 22:5; Deuteronomy 23:4) and possibly in later references. The identification of Pethor is debated; some propose a location near the Euphrates River in northern Mesopotamia, in line with the biblical description of Balaam's origin 'by the river.' The word is non-Hebrew in origin (linguistically regarded as 'of foreign origin'), and no Hebrew root is directly associated with it. Ancient translations, including the Septuagint and later rabbinic sources, maintain the transliteration without translating the name, reflecting its status as a foreign toponym. In English translation traditions, it has sometimes been arbitrarily retained or replaced with speculative identifications. References to Balaam's status as a 'diviner' from Pethor underscore the site's associations with eastern divinatory traditions. The term is not used outside the context of Balaam, and does not acquire new semantic range or connotations in later periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign origin; Pethor, a place in Mesopotamia; Pethor.
Bantu Hebrew
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פתור (p-t-w-r) — uncertain; proper place name
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6604-02 |
פְּ֠תוֹרָ/ה | petorah | HNp/Sd |
Pethor | Pethor | 1 |
H6604-01 |
מִ/פְּת֛וֹר | mipetor | HR/Np |
from Pethor | from Pethor | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6604-02 |
Numbers 22:5 | פְּ֠תוֹרָ/ה | petorah | HNp/Sd |
Pethor | Pethor |
H6604-01 |
Deuteronomy 23:5 | מִ/פְּת֛וֹר | mipetor | HR/Np |
from Pethor | from Pethor |