← H6437 H6439 →

פִּנָּה

𐤐𐤍𐤄

pinnâh

H6438 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Architectural or structural corner; by extension, a cornerstone or principal architectural feature; metaphorically, a leading or prominent person (chieftain, leader), or a key element in a group or structure. The word's semantic range covers both concrete (physical) and metaphorical (social, communal) aspects, referencing corners of buildings, chief structural elements, and leading persons within a community.

Semantic Range

corner (of a building or structure), pinnacle, bulwark, key structural element, chief person, leader, principal member, cornerstone, tower

Root / Etymology

פִּנָּה derives from the root פנה, which primarily means 'to turn' or 'to face.' The noun pinnâh is formed with a feminine ending and denotes the place where something turns — i.e., a corner — especially in architectural contexts. The metaphorical usage for a leading person or key figure derives from the idea of the corner as the most prominent or essential part of a structure. The shift from physical corner to social prominence is common in Semitic languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פִּנָּה appears frequently in descriptions of buildings, such as temples or city walls, where it denotes literal corners as structural elements (e.g., Joshua 2:15; Jeremiah 31:38). In a few instances, it is applied metaphorically to people, especially in the sense of leaders or principal men (Zechariah 10:4). This reflects Ancient Near Eastern literary convention, where architectural terms were commonly used metaphorically for community or tribal leaders. The association later contributed to the notion of 'cornerstone' as both a literal stone and a metaphor for foundational figures within a community. The standard translation as 'corner' or 'chief' can sometimes obscure this metaphorical richness. The English term 'chieftain' reflects this social application, although original contexts rarely imply formalized leadership positions. There is a related term אבן פנה ('cornerstone') in Psalm 118:22 and elsewhere, which underscores the prominence of the corner in biblical thought.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of פֵּן; an angle; by implication, a pinnacle; figuratively, a chieftain; bulwark, chief, corner, stay, tower.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

פנה (Yefuneh) — to turn, to face, to pay attention

Root פנה to turn, to direct, to face
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3312 יְפֻנֶּה He will be turned
H3942 לִפְנַי before me
H6434 פֵּן the corners
H6435 פֵּן lest
H6437 פָּנָה in their turning

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6438-02 הַ/פִּנָּ֛ה hapinah HTd/Ncfsa of the corner the corner the corner 6
H6438-08 פִּנּ֔וֹת pinot HNcfpc corners corners of corners of 6
H6438-06 פִּנַּ֥ת pinat HNcfsc corner corner-of corner of 5
H6438-05 פִּנָּ֖ה pinah HNcfsa corner cornerstone corner 4
H6438-03 הַ/פִּנּ֔וֹת hapinot HTd/Ncfpa the corners the structural corners the structural corners 2
H6438-10 פִּנֹּתָ֔י/ו pinotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms corners thereof his corners its corners 2
H6438-01 פִנָּה֙ finah HNcfsa cornerstone structural corner structural corner 1
H6438-04 לְ/פִנָּ֔ה lefinah HR/Ncfsa for a corner for a corner for a corner 1
H6438-07 פִּנָּתָֽ/הּ pinatah HNcfsc/Sp3fs its cornerstone her corner her cornerstone 1
H6438-09 פִּנּוֹתָ֔/ם pinotam HNcfpc/Sp3mp their corner towers their corners their corners 1

Occurrences in Scripture

29 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6438-10 Exodus 27:2 פִּנֹּתָ֔י/ו pinotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms corners thereof his corners its corners
H6438-10 Exodus 38:2 פִּנֹּתָ֔י/ו pinotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms its corners his corners its corners
H6438-08 Judges 20:2 פִּנּ֣וֹת pinot HNcfpc corners corners of chieftains of
H6438-08 1 Samuel 14:38 פִּנּ֣וֹת pinot HNcfpc you leaders corners of leaders of
H6438-08 1 Kings 7:34 פִּנּ֔וֹת pinot HNcfpc corners corners of corners of
H6438-02 2 Kings 14:13 הַ/פִּנָּ֔ה hapinah HTd/Ncfsa of-the-Corner the corner the corner
H6438-06 Isaiah 19:13 פִּנַּ֥ת pinat HNcfsc cornerstone of corner-of corner of
H6438-06 Isaiah 28:16 פִּנַּ֤ת pinat HNcfsc corner corner-of corner-of
H6438-02 Jeremiah 31:38 הַ/פִּנָּֽה hapinah HTd/Ncfsa of the corner the corner the corner
H6438-06 Jeremiah 31:40 פִּנַּ֨ת pinat HNcfsc corner corner-of corner-of
H6438-04 Jeremiah 51:26 לְ/פִנָּ֔ה lefinah HR/Ncfsa for a corner for a corner for a corner
H6438-08 Ezekiel 43:20 פִּנּ֣וֹת pinot HNcfpc corners corners of corners of
H6438-08 Ezekiel 45:19 פִּנּ֥וֹת pinot HNcfpc corners corners of corners of
H6438-03 Zephaniah 1:16 הַ/פִּנּ֥וֹת hapinot HTd/Ncfpa the corners the structural corners the structural corners
H6438-09 Zephaniah 3:6 פִּנּוֹתָ֔/ם pinotam HNcfpc/Sp3mp their corner towers their corners their corners
H6438-01 Zechariah 10:4 פִנָּה֙ finah HNcfsa cornerstone structural corner structural corner
H6438-05 Psalms 118:22 פִּנָּֽה pinah HNcfsa the corner cornerstone the corner
H6438-05 Proverbs 7:8 פִּנָּ֑/הּ pinah HNcfsc/Sp3fs her corner cornerstone her corner
H6438-05 Proverbs 7:12 פִּנָּ֣ה pinah HNcfsa corner cornerstone corner
H6438-06 Proverbs 21:9 פִּנַּת pinat HNcfsc corner corner-of corner of
H6438-06 Proverbs 25:24 פִּנַּת pinat HNcfsc corner corner-of corner of
H6438-08 Job 1:19 פִּנּ֣וֹת pinot HNcfpc corners corners of corners of
H6438-07 Job 38:6 פִּנָּתָֽ/הּ pinatah HNcfsc/Sp3fs its cornerstone her corner her cornerstone
H6438-02 Nehemiah 3:24 הַ/פִּנָּֽה hapinah HTd/Ncfsa the corner the corner the corner
H6438-02 Nehemiah 3:31 הַ/פִּנָּֽה hapinah HTd/Ncfsa the corner the corner the corner
H6438-02 Nehemiah 3:32 הַ/פִּנָּה֙ hapinah HTd/Ncfsa the-corner the corner the corner
H6438-02 2 Chronicles 26:9 הַ/פִּנָּ֛ה hapinah HTd/Ncfsa of the corner the corner the corner
H6438-03 2 Chronicles 26:15 הַ/פִּנּ֔וֹת hapinot HTd/Ncfpa the corners the structural corners the structural corners
H6438-05 2 Chronicles 28:24 פִּנָּ֖ה pinah HNcfsa corner cornerstone corner
← H6437 Hebrew Lexicon H6439 →