פָּדַע
𐤐𐤃𐤏
pâdaʻ
H6308 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To bring back or recover from a state of loss, separation, or danger; to reclaim. In the Hebrew Bible, פָּדַע (pâdaʻ) signifies the act of retrieving or bringing back someone or something that had been lost, separated, or was in jeopardy, particularly in personal or social contexts. It often refers to physically recovering a person or object rather than abstract deliverance or spiritual redemption.
Semantic Range
to retrieve what was lost or stolen, to recover property or persons, to bring back missing items, to regain possession; does not denote legal redemption or ritual deliverance
Root / Etymology
Root: פָּדַע. Although similar to פָּדָה (padah, H6299), which means 'to ransom, redeem,' פָּדַע is distinct both morphologically and semantically, and the precise etymological connection between the two is debated. פָּדַע appears to be an onomatopoeic or archaic variant, with its use limited in the Hebrew Bible.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פָּדַע occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible (notably in 1 Samuel 30:18, 'David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken'). Its meaning centers on retrieving what has been lost or taken, with a physical and personal nuance, rather than the juridical or cultic sense of legal redemption carried by פָּדָה. English translations may render it as 'recovered' or 'brought back,' but these can flatten the original flavor—the term implies an active effort to reclaim and restore. Unlike more common terms for redemption, פָּדַע is not used for YHWH’s salvific acts or ritual ransom. Its specific usage marks a distinction in the approach to loss and recovery within biblical society, particularly emphasizing personal initiative. The word remains neutral in regard to religious context or formal covenantal deliverance, which is central to other roots like גָּאַל (gaʼal, 'to redeem as kinsman'). There is no evidence for continued use in later Hebrew or Second Temple literature, and it should not be confused with theologically loaded English terms like 'redeem' or 'save.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to retrieve; deliver.
Bantu Hebrew
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פדע (p-d-ʿ) — retrieve, bring back, recover
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6308-01 |
פְּ֭דָעֵ/הוּ | pedaehu | HVqv2ms/Sp3ms |
deliver-him | retrieve him | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6308-01 |
Job 33:24 | פְּ֭דָעֵ/הוּ | pedaehu | HVqv2ms/Sp3ms |
deliver-him | retrieve him |