פַּשׁ (pash)
pash
folly
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun pash denotes a state of foolishness or moral weakness, appearing only once in the Bible at Job 35:15. In this context, it describes the empty nature of human complaints when directed toward God without genuine understanding.
Lexical sources define it simply as folly or stupidity, linking it to a lack of wisdom rather than mere ignorance. Its singular usage highlights how Job’s friends and Elihu view his suffering not as a test of faith, but as a result of this inherent foolishness in approaching the Divine.
This rare word underscores the biblical theme that true wisdom begins with reverence. By labeling human presumption as pash, the text distinguishes between honest lament and arrogant demands for explanation, pointing readers toward humility before God's sovereignty.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pash appears only once in Scripture, found in Elihu’s speech in Job 35:15. It describes a specific kind of folly—not simple ignorance, but a moral weakness that treats God as an obligation to be managed rather than a Sovereign to be revered. When we approach God with demands or complaints that ignore His wisdom, we step into this realm of pash.
This rare term invites us to examine the posture of our hearts. Honest lament is different from arrogant presumption. God hears our cries, but He also calls us to humility. Instead of treating prayer as a transaction, we can choose to trust His character even when we do not understand His ways. This shift from demanding answers to resting in His presence brings peace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in <the>/ folly1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בַּ/פַּ֣שׁ1×
Key Verses
-
Job 35:15
But now, because he has not visited in his anger, neither does he greatly regard arrogance,
Elihu uses this word to warn that approaching God with arrogance or expecting Him to answer our demands on our own terms is a form of foolishness that misses His true nature.