פֶּתַח

𐤐𐤕𐤇

pethach

H6607 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

An opening or entrance, typically a physical space in a wall, door, gate, tent, or other barrier that allows passage from one place to another. Frequently denotes the literal threshold or entry point but can, in context, refer to the location immediately inside or outside such an opening. The term encompasses entrances of tents, houses, city gates, temples, as well as figurative openings (e.g., to the mouth or to opportunity or threat).

Semantic Range

entrance, doorway, opening, threshold, gate entrance, tent opening, place of entry, figurative opening (e.g., opportunity, danger waiting), threshold area

Root / Etymology

From the root פ-ת-ח (פתח), which fundamentally means 'to open.' The noun פֶּתַח is derived as the result or product of the action 'to open'—that is, 'an opening' or 'entryway.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

פֶּתַח occurs throughout the Hebrew Bible, most commonly to denote the doorway or entrance to a tent, house, or city gate. In patriarchal and wilderness settings, it typically refers to a tent opening (e.g., Genesis 18:1). In the monarchic and later periods, it is frequently used for city gates or the entrances to sanctuaries and temples (e.g., 1 Kings 6:8). The term is functionally distinct from דֶּלֶת (delet, 'door'; H1817), which refers more specifically to the door or barrier itself, and from שַׁעַר (shaʿar, 'gate'; H8179), which more frequently means the large gate structure of a city or compound. פֶּתַח can also be used in proximal spatial references—at or near the entrance—and rarely in a figurative sense (e.g., Genesis 4:7: 'sin crouches at the entrance'). English translations often blur the distinctions among פתח, delet, and shaʿar, sometimes rendering פֶּתַח as 'door,' 'gate,' or 'opening' without reference to the original's specific imagery of the open space. Later Jewish tradition’s use of the term may include metaphorical applications, but these are generally absent in biblical usage.

Translation Consistency

primary "entrance" 40 occurrences

'Entrance' is the most natural single-word rendering for פֶּתַח, covering literal doorways, gates, tent openings and the immediate threshold area while also working for figurative openings (opportunity, danger). It is the most frequent P2 choice and fits typical usage better than more specialized alternatives like 'threshold'.

Alternatives (124 occurrences):
"entrance-of" (107x) "opening" (7x) "openings" (5x) "gates" (1x) "opening-of" (1x) "like their openings" (1x) "like the openings of" (1x) "doors" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from פָּתַח; an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or entrance way; door, entering (in), entrance (-ry), gate, opening, place.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פתח (p-t-ḥ) — to open, to unbolt, to free passage

Root פתח to open, to unbolt, to free passage
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3315 יֶפֶת to Yepheth
H3316 יִפְתָּח to He-Will-Open
H4668 מַפְתֵּחַ the opener
H4669 מִפְתָּח the opening
H5318 נֶפְתּוֹחַ Opening-Spring

Word Forms

30 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6607-16 פֶּֽתַח petach HNcmsc entrance opening-of entrance-of 106
H6607-09 הַ/פֶּ֔תַח hapetach HTd/Ncmsa of the entrance the opening the entrance 10
H6607-13 לְ/פֶ֣תַח lefetach HR/Ncmsc for the entrance to the opening of to the entrance of 8
H6607-22 וּ/פֶ֥תַח ufetach HC/Ncmsc and-opening and opening-of and entrance-of 5
H6607-02 בְּ/פֶ֣תַח befetach HR/Ncmsc at the entrance at the opening of in the entrance of 4
H6607-20 פִּתְחֵ֥י pitechey HNcmpc gates openings of entrances of 4
H6607-14 מִ/פֶּ֣תַח mipetach HR/Ncmsc from the door from the opening of from the entrance of 3
H6607-27 וּ/מִ/פֶּתַח֩ umipetach HC/R/Ncmsc and from entrance and from opening and from entrance 2
H6607-07 פְתָחִ֣ים fetachim HNcmpa of the doors openings openings 1
H6607-01 בַּ/פָּֽתַח bapatach HRd/Ncmsa in the doorway in the opening in the opening 1

Occurrences in Scripture

164 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6607-12 Genesis 4:7 לַ/פֶּ֖תַח lapetach HRd/Ncmsa at the door to the opening at the opening
H6607-22 Genesis 6:16 וּ/פֶ֥תַח ufetach HC/Ncmsc and the door and opening-of and entrance-of
H6607-16 Genesis 18:1 פֶּֽתַח petach HNcmsc at the entrance opening-of at the entrance of
H6607-14 Genesis 18:2 מִ/פֶּ֣תַח mipetach HR/Ncmsc from the entrance from the opening of from the entrance of
H6607-16 Genesis 18:10 פֶּ֥תַח petach HNcmsc at the entrance opening-of entrance-of
H6607-11 Genesis 19:6 הַ/פֶּ֑תְחָ/ה hapetechah HTd/Ncmsa/Sd to the doorway toward the opening toward the opening
H6607-16 Genesis 19:11 פֶּ֣תַח petach HNcmsc at the entrance opening-of entrance-of
H6607-08 Genesis 19:11 הַ/פָּֽתַח hapatach HTd/Ncmsa the door the opening the entrance
H6607-02 Genesis 38:14 בְּ/פֶ֣תַח befetach HR/Ncmsc at the entrance of at the opening of in the entrance of
H6607-16 Genesis 43:19 פֶּ֥תַח petach HNcmsc at the entrance opening-of at the entrance of