פְּצִירָה (pe.tsi.rah)
pe.tsi.rah
bluntness
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun peṣîrâ appears only once in the Old Testament, found in 1 Samuel 13:21 during the narrative of Saul’s army preparing for battle against the Philistines. The text describes Israelites going to the Philistines to "sharpen" their plows, axes, and goads, with peṣîrâ listed among the items or actions involved. Because the word is so rare, its exact meaning remains uncertain, leading scholars to debate whether it refers to the act of sharpening itself or the resulting state of bluntness that needed correction.
Lexical sources offer two primary possibilities. Some translations suggest it means "sharpening," fitting the context of preparing tools for use. Others, including Brown-Driver-Briggs, propose it denotes "bluntness" or a dull edge, perhaps implying the removal of rust or damage before sharpening could occur. This ambiguity reflects the challenges of translating hapax legomena—words that appear only once in Scripture.
The verse highlights the practical reality of life under Philistine oppression. The Israelites lacked the metallurgical infrastructure to maintain their own tools, forcing them to rely on enemy-controlled workshops for even basic agricultural needs. This detail underscores the severity of Saul’s military disadvantage and the logistical burdens faced by ordinary farmers in that period.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word peṣîrâ appears only once in Scripture, nestled in the practical details of 1 Samuel 13:21. The Israelites are preparing for battle, but their tools are dull or broken. They must go to their enemies to get them fixed. This small detail reveals a heavy burden. Even basic farming requires help from those who oppress them.
God sees these daily struggles. He notices when our resources are scarce and our tasks feel impossible. The text does not ignore the hardship of sharpening axes or fixing plows. It shows that faithfulness often happens in the quiet, tedious moments of maintenance and repair.
This story reminds us that God is present in our ordinary lives. Whether we are fixing a broken tool or facing a difficult season, He is aware of our needs. We can trust Him to provide strength for the work ahead, even when the path seems unclear.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ charge1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/פְּצִ֣ירָה1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 13:21
The price was one payim each to sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks, axes, and goads.
This verse highlights the dependency of Israel on Philistine infrastructure, showing how spiritual warfare was intertwined with daily survival and economic restriction.