← H6450 H6452 →

פִּסָּה

𐤐𐤎𐤄

piççâh

H6451 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פסס to spread, to expand, to dissipate

Definition

A portion of material or substance, typically as much as can be grasped or held in the hand; specifically, a handful. The term can refer to any small measure scooped or allotted, used in both literal and metaphorical senses to denote a portion, measure, or abundance, frequently in the context of offerings, distributions, or measurements of grain or other materials.

Semantic Range

handful, portion taken by hand, small amount, measure of grain or meal, (ritual) portion, abundance

Root / Etymology

From the root פ־ס־ס (פסס), which carries the basic meaning 'to spread,' 'dissipate,' or 'expand.' פִּסָּה is derived as a noun form signifying something spread out or taken as a spread or handful. The lexical value extends specifically to that which is taken by hand, hence a handful or small portion.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פִּסָּה occurs very infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is chiefly attested in ritual contexts (e.g., Leviticus 6:15) referring to a priest's removal of a handful of grain as part of a sacrificial offering. The measure is not precisely quantified, but contextually denotes as much as can be taken up by the hand (often interpreted as a three-fingered scoop in rabbinic sources). The term serves to indicate an act of taking a symbolic portion, distinguishing it both from more technical weights/measures (like אֵפוֹ or חֹמֶר) and from other terms meaning 'handful' such as מְלֹא חָפְנָו (literally, 'the fullness of his cupped hands'), which may refer to larger or less formal quantities. Standard English translations render it as 'handful,' but this can obscure the ritual and symbolic significance attached to פִּסָּה in priestly contexts. Outside such contexts, its usage is rare or absent.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from פָּסַס; expansion, i.e. abundance; handful.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

פסס (p-s-s) — to spread, to expand, to dissipate

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6446 פַּס the broad panels
H6447 פַּס palm-surface of
H6450 פַּס דַּמִּים in the Boundary-of-Blood
H6461 פָּסַס they have vanished
H6462 פִּסְפָּה and Pisepah

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6451-01 פִסַּת fisat HNcfsc abundance of grain handful of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6451-01 Psalms 72:16 פִסַּת fisat HNcfsc abundance of grain handful of
← H6450 Hebrew Lexicon H6452 →