פָּגַר (pa.gar)
pa.gar
to faint
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb pagar, found in its Piel stem, describes a state of physical exhaustion or fainting. It conveys the sense of being worn out to the point of weakness, often resulting from intense effort or prolonged stress. The word captures the moment when human strength gives way to fatigue.
This term appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both instances located in 1 Samuel. In these passages, it illustrates the tangible toll of battle and leadership burdens on the human body. By limiting its usage to specific narrative moments, the text highlights the vulnerability of even the most capable individuals when pushed beyond their limits.
Translators typically render pagar as "faint" or "be exhausted," emphasizing the physical reality rather than spiritual despair. This distinction is important, as it grounds the biblical description of hardship in the body’s natural response to strain. The word serves as a reminder that endurance has its limits and that weakness is a common human experience.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pagar describes a physical exhaustion so deep that the body simply cannot go on. In 1 Samuel 30, David’s army faced such intense strain that two hundred men were left behind at the Besor Brook, too faint to continue the pursuit. This was not a failure of spirit, but a natural limit of human strength. The text does not shame these men; it simply records their condition.
When you feel worn out by life’s demands, this word offers a quiet comfort. It acknowledges that fatigue is a real and valid state. Even leaders like David had to care for those who could no longer keep pace. Your limits do not define your worth or your faithfulness. God sees the effort it takes just to stay in the race.
There is grace in admitting when you need rest. The story continues with David greeting the weary men, treating them with dignity despite their inability to fight. You are seen and valued even in your weakness. Let this truth bring peace to your tired heart today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they were [too] exhausted1×
- they had been [too] exhausted1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פִּגְּר֣וּ\׀1×
- פִּגְּר֔וּ1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 30:10
But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn’t go over the brook Besor.
This verse establishes the physical reality of pagar, showing how battle strain pushed men beyond their capacity to cross a simple brook.
-
I Samuel 30:21
David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to stay at the brook Besor; and they went out to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him. When David came near to the people, he greeted them.
Here, David’s gracious greeting to the faint men highlights that their exclusion from battle did not exclude them from community or honor.