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פִּסֵּחַ

𐤐𐤎𐤇

piççêach

H6455 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

A person who is lame or crippled, especially unable to walk or move normally as a result of injury or congenital condition. The term refers specifically to impairment or disability of the feet or legs, resulting in limping or an inability to stand or move properly. The word is used descriptively of individuals who have a noticeable physical limitation in their gait or movement.

Semantic Range

lame, physically disabled (especially of the legs or feet), one who limps or is unable to walk normally; occasionally used figuratively for social or national restoration or weakness

Root / Etymology

From the root פָּסַח (p-s-ḥ), which originally means 'to limp, hop, pass over.' פִּסֵּחַ is a participial or adjectival form meaning 'limping, one who limps; lame.' Though derived from a verb meaning 'to limp,' the noun/adjective specifically refers to someone rendered disabled in walking.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פִּסֵּחַ appears in various texts to describe individuals who are physically disabled, especially regarding their legs or feet (e.g., 2 Samuel 4:4; Leviticus 21:18). In ritual and cultic contexts (e.g., Leviticus 21:18, Malachi 1:8), people or animals with this condition are excluded from priestly or sacrificial roles, reflecting ancient concepts of wholeness and fitness for holiness rather than modern ideas of social standing. Later biblical periods do not show significant shift in core meaning, but prophetic texts sometimes use the term figuratively to depict social or national restoration (e.g., Isaiah 35:6: 'the lame will leap like a deer'), symbolizing healing and renewal. Standard English translations ('lame, crippled') capture the literal meaning but may miss the breadth of its ritual and social implications in Ancient Israelite society. The term should be distinguished from other words for sickness (e.g., חֹלֶה, חִגֵּר), as פִּסֵּחַ focuses exclusively on limping or inability to walk properly.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from פָּסַח; lame; lame.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

פסח (Pasecha) — to pass over, to spare, to leap

Root פסח to limp, to hop, to pass over
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6453 פֶּסַח Passover rite
H6454 פָּסֵחַ Limping-One

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6455-01 פִסֵּ֖חַ fisecha HAamsa lame limping one lame 3
H6455-06 פִּסֵּ֨חַ֙ pisecha HAamsa lame limping man lame 3
H6455-08 וּ/פִסֵּ֔חַ ufisecha HC/Aamsa and-lame and a limping one and a lame man 2
H6455-02 הַ/פִּסֵּ֨חַ֙ hapisecha HTd/Aamsa the lame the limping one the lame 1
H6455-03 הַ/פִּסְחִים֙ hapisechim HTd/Aampa the-lame the limping ones the lame 1
H6455-04 לַ/פִּסֵּ֣חַ lapisecha HRd/Aamsa to the lame to a limping man to the lame one 1
H6455-05 מִ/פִּסֵּ֑חַ mipisecha HR/Aamsa from a lame man limping man from a lame man 1
H6455-07 פִּסְחִ֖ים pisechim HAampa the lame limping ones the lame 1

Occurrences in Scripture

13 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6455-01 Leviticus 21:18 פִסֵּ֔חַ fisecha HAamsa lame limping one lame man
H6455-06 Deuteronomy 15:21 פִּסֵּ֨חַ֙ pisecha HAamsa lame limping man lame
H6455-03 2 Samuel 5:8 הַ/פִּסְחִים֙ hapisechim HTd/Aampa the-lame the limping ones the lame
H6455-08 2 Samuel 5:8 וּ/פִסֵּ֔חַ ufisecha HC/Aamsa and-lame and a limping one and a lame man
H6455-01 2 Samuel 9:13 פִסֵּ֖חַ fisecha HAamsa was lame limping one limping one
H6455-01 2 Samuel 19:27 פִסֵּ֖חַ fisecha HAamsa lame limping one lame
H6455-07 Isaiah 33:23 פִּסְחִ֖ים pisechim HAampa the lame limping ones the lame
H6455-06 Isaiah 35:6 פִּסֵּ֔חַ pisecha HAamsa the lame limping man the limping man
H6455-08 Jeremiah 31:8 וּ/פִסֵּ֔חַ ufisecha HC/Aamsa and the lame and a limping one and the lame
H6455-06 Malachi 1:8 פִּסֵּ֥חַ pisecha HAamsa lame limping man limping man
H6455-02 Malachi 1:13 הַ/פִּסֵּ֨חַ֙ hapisecha HTd/Aamsa the lame the limping one the lame
H6455-05 Proverbs 26:7 מִ/פִּסֵּ֑חַ mipisecha HR/Aamsa from a lame man limping man from a lame man
H6455-04 Job 29:15 לַ/פִּסֵּ֣חַ lapisecha HRd/Aamsa to the lame to a limping man to the lame one
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