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פֶּסֶל

𐤐𐤎𐤋

peçel

H6459 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פסל to hew, to carve, to chisel

Definition

A carved or sculpted figure, typically referring to an image or statue fashioned from wood, stone, or metal, often for religious or cultic purposes. The term most frequently denotes an idol—an object of veneration or representation of a deity in a concrete form—but can more broadly refer to any figures that are engraved or hewn.

Semantic Range

carved image, sculpted figure, idol, graven image, statue made for worship, engraved representation, object representing a deity

Root / Etymology

From the root פָּסַל (pasal), meaning 'to hew, cut, carve.' פֶּסֶל (pesel) is a noun form indicating an object that has been shaped, specifically by chiseling, carving, or engraving. The nominal form refers to the product of this activity: a sculpted or graven image.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פֶּסֶל is especially associated with prohibitions in Israelite law regarding the creation and veneration of physical representations of divine beings, in contrast to broader ancient Near Eastern practices where cultic images were common. In legal and prophetic contexts (e.g. Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 5:8; Isaiah 40:19), it is usually a term of censure or prohibition, not merely descriptive. The semantic nuance between פֶּסֶל (about images carved from hard materials) and מַסֵּכָה (massekah, a molten or cast image) is important: the latter refers to images formed by pouring cast metal, whereas פֶּסֶל is specifically carved—highlighting differing technologies and materialities. In the monarchic and later periods, especially in prophetic polemic, פֶּסֶל becomes a symbol of improper worship. English translations commonly render it as 'graven image' or 'idol,' which captures much of the term's cultic and legal significance but potentially flattens nuance in material and technical aspects. The term is not used neutrally, but almost always in the context of idol-making or idol worship, and is rarely used for secular or non-religious sculpture.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

lemma פֶסֶל missing dagesh, corrected to פֶּסֶל; from פָּסַל; an idol; carved (graven) image.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פסל (p-s-l) — to hew, to carve, to chisel

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6456 פְּסִיל with their carved-idols
H6458 פָּסַל he carved him

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6459-07 פֶּ֖סֶל pesel HNcmsa a graven image carved idol 12
H6459-02 פֶ֨סֶל֙ fesel HNcmsa idol carved image 6
H6459-09 וּ/פֶ֤סֶל ufesel HC/Ncmsa or graven image and a carved image 3
H6459-03 הַ/פָּ֑סֶל hapasel HTd/Ncmsa graven image the carved image 2
H6459-06 מִ/פָּ֑סֶל mipasel HR/Ncmsa by the graven image from a carved image 2
H6459-04 הַ/פֶּ֨סֶל֙ hapesel HTd/Ncmsa the idol the carved image 1
H6459-05 לְ/פִסְל֑/וֹ lefiselo HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms for his idol to his carved image 1
H6459-10 וּ/פִסְלִ֥/י ufiseli HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs and-my-carved-image and my carved image 1
H6459-08 פִּסְלָ֔/ם piselam HNcmsc/Sp3mp their idol their carved image 1
H6459-01 בַּ/פָּ֑סֶל bapasel HRd/Ncmsa in-the-idol in the carved-image 1

Occurrences in Scripture

30 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6459-02 Exodus 20:4 פֶ֨סֶל֙ fesel HNcmsa idol carved image
H6459-09 Leviticus 26:1 וּ/פֶ֤סֶל ufesel HC/Ncmsa or graven image and a carved image
H6459-07 Deuteronomy 4:16 פֶּ֖סֶל pesel HNcmsa a graven image carved idol
H6459-07 Deuteronomy 4:23 פֶּ֨סֶל֙ pesel HNcmsa an idol carved idol
H6459-07 Deuteronomy 4:25 פֶּ֨סֶל֙ pesel HNcmsa a graven image carved idol
H6459-02 Deuteronomy 5:8 פֶ֨סֶל֙ fesel HNcmsc graven image carved image
H6459-02 Deuteronomy 27:15 פֶ֨סֶל fesel HNcmsa a graven image carved image
H6459-07 Judges 17:3 פֶּ֣סֶל pesel HNcmsa a graven image carved idol
H6459-07 Judges 17:4 פֶּ֣סֶל pesel HNcmsa a carved image carved idol
H6459-09 Judges 18:14 וּ/פֶ֖סֶל ufesel HC/Ncmsa and a carved image and a carved image
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