פַּח (pach)
pach
snare; plate
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 21 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun pach primarily denotes a snare or trap, specifically one used for catching birds. In its literal sense, it refers to the physical device designed to entangle and capture prey. This concrete image serves as the foundation for its frequent figurative use in Scripture, where it symbolizes sudden calamity, hidden plots, or any source of danger that ensnares the unsuspecting.
While less common, the word also carries the meaning of a metal plate, likely referring to thin sheets of metal used in construction or decoration. However, the overwhelming majority of its twenty-one occurrences in Psalms, Jeremiah, and Isaiah employ the "snare" sense. The sources highlight how this term captures the experience of being caught in unexpected trouble, often resulting from human schemes or divine judgment.
A notable example appears in Psalm 91:3, where trust in God is described as deliverance from the "snare of the fowler." Here, pach represents the subtle, hidden dangers that threaten safety. The word effectively conveys the tension between vulnerability and protection, illustrating how believers navigate a world filled with potential pitfalls while seeking refuge in divine care.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pach describes a bird trap, a device designed to catch prey by surprise. In Scripture, this image shifts from a physical tool to a picture of hidden dangers. Life often feels like walking through a field where traps are set. We cannot see every plot or sudden danger that lies ahead.
Psalm 91:3 offers a gentle reminder of God’s protection. It says He delivers us from the snare of the fowler. This does not mean we will never face trouble. It means that when danger comes, our trust in God provides a safe refuge. We are not left to navigate these hidden paths alone.
When you feel overwhelmed by unseen threats, remember this promise. God sees what others miss. He watches over your steps and keeps you from falling into the nets of those who wish you harm. Rest in that care today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 21 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- snares3×
- in <the>/ snare3×
- a trap3×
- and/ snare2×
- <into>/ a trap2×
- the/ snare1×
- from/ a snare of1×
- from/ [the] snare of1×
- and/ snares1×
- a trap of1×
- a snare1×
- a bird-trap1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בַּ/פָּ֑ח3×
- פָּ֑ח2×
- פַּ֣ח2×
- לְ/פַ֣ח2×
- וָ/פָ֑ח2×
- פַּחֵ֣י1×
- פַּח֙1×
- פַּ֭חִים1×
- פַּ֫חִ֥ים1×
- פַּ֤ח1×
- פַחִ֑ים1×
- פַח֙1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 91:3
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence.
This verse uses the word to describe God as the deliverer from hidden, unexpected dangers.
-
Psalms 124:7
Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
The text compares the soul escaping to a bird breaking free from a fowler's snare, highlighting rescue.
-
Joshua 23:13
know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no longer drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you.
Here the word warns that disobedience turns foreign nations into traps that entangle God's people.
-
Job 18:9
A snare will take him by the heel. A trap will catch him.
This verse illustrates sudden calamity by stating a snare will take a person by the heel.