פֶּ֫גֶר (pe.ger)
pe.ger
corpse
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 17 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun pe.ger refers to a dead body, covering both human corpses and animal carcasses. It appears seventeen times in the Old Testament, with notable usage in Numbers, Jeremiah, and Isaiah. The term is straightforward and physical, describing the remains of a creature after death without inherent ritual or emotional qualifiers.
While most occurrences simply denote a dead body, some contexts suggest a broader sense of a monument or stela, likely because such stones were originally associated with burial markers or memorials. In Jeremiah 34:20, for instance, the word describes the bodies of Zedekiah’s officials cast out to die, emphasizing their exposure and dishonor rather than any sacred status.
Translators typically render pe.ger as "corpse" or "carcass," depending on whether the subject is human or animal. The word carries no theological commentary on the afterlife; it simply identifies the physical reality of death. Its presence in prophetic literature often underscores judgment or the consequences of covenant failure, as seen in Isaiah 34:3 where it joins other images of devastation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word pe.ger describes a corpse or carcass, marking the final physical state of life after death. It appears in contexts ranging from ancient burial practices to stark warnings of judgment. When you encounter this term, it reminds us that death is a real and serious part of our human experience, not something to be ignored or softened into abstraction.
In passages like Genesis 15:11, the image of birds feeding on carcasses highlights the vulnerability of life and the need for protection. In prophetic books such as Isaiah and Jeremiah, pe.ger often signals the consequences of turning away from God. These scenes are not meant to frighten us into fear, but to show the weight of our choices and the seriousness of covenant faithfulness.
Yet even in these heavy texts, there is a quiet hope. The fact that Scripture names death so plainly means it does not have the final word. Christians believe that Christ entered this reality of mortality to defeat its power. This word invites us to take life seriously, to honor those who have passed, and to rest in the promise that God’s love outlasts every grave.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 17 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- corpses/ your3×
- [were] corpses3×
- [the] corpses of3×
- the/ corpses1×
- the/ corpse[s]1×
- the/ carcasses1×
- on/ [the] corpses of1×
- like/ a corpse1×
- and/ corpses/ your1×
- and/ corpses/ their1×
- and/ corpses1×
- [the] corpse[s] of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פִּגְרֵ֣י2×
- פְּגָרִ֥ים2×
- פֶּ֣גֶר1×
- פִּגְרֵי/כֶ֖ם1×
- פִּגְרֵי/כֶ֔ם1×
- פִּגְרֵ֖י1×
- פְּגָרִ֛ים1×
- פִגְרֵי/כֶ֜ם1×
- כְּ/פֶ֥גֶר1×
- וּ/פִגְרֵי/כֶ֖ם1×
- וּ/פִגְרֵי/הֶ֖ם1×
- וּ/פְגָרִים֙1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 15:11
The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
This verse uses pe.ger to describe Abram’s need to protect the carcasses from scavengers, illustrating the vulnerability of life and the importance of care in death.
-
Isaiah 34:3
Their slain will also be cast out, and the stench of their dead bodies will come up. The mountains will melt in their blood.
Here the word emphasizes the totality of judgment, where the stench of dead bodies rises as a sign of God’s wrath against enemies.