פַּקֻּעָה
𐤐𐤒𐤏𐤄
paqquʻâh
H6498 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A specific plant referred to in biblical texts, identified as a wild cucumber or gourd-like fruit, likely characterized by its tendency to split open and scatter seeds. Used as a concrete noun for a plant whose fruit bursts open when ripe. The term denotes a species of wild gourd, distinguished from cultivated varieties.
Semantic Range
wild cucumber, wild gourd, a bitter or poisonous field fruit, plant whose fruit bursts open when ripe
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root פקע, which denotes 'to split open, burst.' The noun פַּקֻּעָה derives from this root in reference to a plant whose fruit characteristically bursts open to release its seeds.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פַּקֻּעָה appears in 2 Kings 4:39, where it is gathered in the field and added to a stew, with perilous results due to its toxicity. Botanical identification varies, but modern scholars often associate it with Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple, wild gourd, or wild cucumber). Unlike the generic term for gourd (קִישּׁוּא) or for cultivated melons, פַּקֻּעָה indicates a wild, naturally occurring species. The word's use in biblical narrative may carry negative connotations due to its inedibility or poisonous nature. Later English translations sometimes use 'wild gourd,' which may be misleading if understood as a domesticated vegetable. The term does not appear in Torah, but only in prophetic narrative, reflecting practical knowledge of wild plants among ancient Israelites. Subsequent Jewish tradition, as found in rabbinic writings, attempts to identify the species but is also variable.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as פֶּקַע; the wild cucumber (from splitting open to shed its seeds); gourd.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פקע (p-q-ʿ) — split open, burst, break open
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6497 | פֶּקַע | the bulging projections |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6498-01 |
פַּקֻּעֹ֥ת | paquot | HNcfpc |
wild gourds | burst-open wild gourds | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6498-01 |
2 Kings 4:39 | פַּקֻּעֹ֥ת | paquot | HNcfpc |
wild gourds | burst-open wild gourds |