פִּתֹם
𐤐𐤕𐤌
Pitom
H6619 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun referring to the city of Pithom, an ancient settlement in the eastern Nile Delta region of Egypt. Appears particularly as a place associated with construction labor by the Israelites during the period of their oppression in Egypt. The name itself is non-Hebrew and does not carry a descriptive meaning in Biblical Hebrew beyond its function as a toponym.
Semantic Range
Pithom (an Egyptian city), city built by Israelites during Egyptian bondage, royal storage/treasury city
Root / Etymology
The name פִּתֹם (Pithom) is of Egyptian origin and does not derive from a Semitic (Hebrew) root. The etymology is likely connected to the Egyptian phrase 'Pr-Atum' (House/Temple of Atum), referring to a sanctuary or city dedicated to the Egyptian god Atum. The word itself is a Hebrew transliteration of a foreign place-name, not a word formed by Hebrew morphological principles. Root: uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פִּתֹם (Pithom) appears in Exodus 1:11 as one of two store-cities (the other being Raamses) constructed by the Israelites under Egyptian rule. The historical identification of Pithom has been the subject of ongoing debate; possibilities include Tell el-Mashkuta or Tell el-Retaba, both sites in the eastern delta. In the biblical context, the naming of Pithom served to locate the narrative historically and geographically within Egypt, specifically during the period of Israelite subjugation prior to the exodus. Later translations sometimes preserve the name as 'Pithom,' while others attempt Greek renderings or interpret the toponym. English translations capture the Hebrew toponym accurately, though the original audience would have understood it as an Egyptian city of some importance, involved in royal construction projects. No religious or ethnic identity is attached to the name apart from its Egyptian context. As a proper name, פִּתֹם does not appear beyond the exodus narrative, nor does it develop variant or metaphorical meanings within Hebrew literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Egyptian derivation; Pithom, a place in Egypt; Pithom.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
uncertain (uncertain) — non-Hebrew toponym; Egyptian city name
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1085 | בִּלְדַּד | Bildad |
| H1095 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר | Belteshatsar |
| H1114 | בִּלְשָׁן | Bilshan |
| H1150 | בִּנְעָא | Bin'a |
| H116 | אֱדַיִן | and then |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6619-01 |
פִּתֹ֖ם | pitom | HNp |
Pithom | Pithom | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6619-01 |
Exodus 1:11 | פִּתֹ֖ם | pitom | HNp |
Pithom | Pithom |