פָּצַם
𐤐𐤑𐤌
pâtsam
H6480 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To break open, split, or tear apart, especially as a result of violent force; the verb primarily describes the action of something being rent, fractured, or burst, particularly in the context of an earthquake or other sudden destructive event.
Semantic Range
to split violently, to burst open (especially by earthquake), to crack, to tear apart
Root / Etymology
Root: פצם. The root conveys the idea of bursting or splitting through violent force. The verb פָּצַם likely derives from this triliteral root, and its meaning is closely tied to the physical breaking open or splitting of something, often with a connotation of suddenness or violence. The root is rare and does not produce a large word family in Hebrew. Cognates are not attested in other Semitic languages, so the root's wider etymological connections are uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical Hebrew, פָּצַם (pāṣam) is a rare verb, occurring only in poetic or descriptive contexts. Its primary usage is found in texts that describe dramatic natural disasters, such as earthquakes, where the land or structures are depicted as being split open or sundered. The violence and suddenness suggested by the term distinguish it from other roots for 'breaking' (e.g., שבר shavar, which often means 'to break, smash' but can have a broader and more neutral application). פָּצַם carries a connotation of catastrophic rupture, rather than ordinary breakage. In translation history, it has sometimes been rendered in English as 'to rend' or 'to burst asunder,' but the nuance of earth-shattering force is not always fully captured in standard English renderings. The term is not common in later biblical Hebrew or post-biblical usage, and so does not show semantic development beyond the original contexts. There is no evidence that פָּצַם acquired specialized religious or metaphoric senses in later periods; its usage is primarily literal and descriptive of destructive natural events.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to rend (by earthquake); break.
Bantu Hebrew
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פצם (p-ṣ-m) — bursting, splitting, violent breaking open
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6480-01 |
פְּצַמְתָּ֑/הּ | petsametah | HVqp2ms/Sp3fs |
You have torn it | you burst her open | you burst her open | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6480-01 |
Psalms 60:4 | פְּצַמְתָּ֑/הּ | petsametah | HVqp2ms/Sp3fs |
You have torn it | you burst her open | you burst her open |