פָּשָׂה (pa.sah)
pa.sah
to spread
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 18 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb pasah carries the simple, physical meaning of spreading out or stretching open. In the Old Testament, it describes an action that extends something over a wider area, often involving fabric or coverings. The sources note its use in contexts where materials are laid out or expanded, such as when tents are pitched or garments are spread.
While the word appears in various settings, its most significant theological weight comes from its connection to the Passover festival. Although the noun pesach (Passover) is derived from a different root meaning "to pass over," the verb pasah shares a conceptual link with the idea of spreading protection or shelter. This linguistic nuance highlights how physical actions in ancient Israel often carried deeper symbolic meanings regarding divine care and provision.
Translators typically render pasah as "spread" or "stretch out," depending on the specific context. For instance, when describing the spreading of a tent or a cloak, the word emphasizes the act of covering or extending an object to provide space or shelter. This straightforward usage reminds readers of the tangible ways God’s people interacted with their environment, using simple actions to create safety and order in their daily lives.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read about spreading a tent or laying out a cloak in Leviticus, we see a simple act of daily life. The Hebrew word pasah describes this physical stretching out. It is not just about making space; it is about creating shelter and order in a chaotic world. These actions provided safety for families and communities, turning raw materials into places of rest.
This tangible care mirrors how God provides for His people. Just as a tent spreads over a family to offer protection from the elements, divine care often comes in practical, everyday forms. We find safety not in grand gestures alone, but in the steady provision that covers our needs. This word reminds us that God’s protection is as real and necessary as the roof over our heads.
Reflecting on this helps us appreciate the quiet ways we are sustained. Whether through community support or personal resilience, there is a sense of being covered and held. It invites us to look for these small acts of care in our own lives, recognizing them as part of a larger pattern of provision that keeps us secure.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 18 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it has spread14×
- it will spread4×
- certainly <to spread>3×
- certainly [if] <to spread>1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פָּשָׂ֥ה3×
- פָשָׂ֤ה3×
- פָּשֹׂ֥ה2×
- פָשָׂ֥ה2×
- פָשָׂ֣ה2×
- תִפְשֶׂה֙1×
- תִפְשֶׂ֤ה1×
- תִפְשֶׂ֖ה1×
- פָּשֹׂ֨ה1×
- פָּשֹׂ֤ה1×
- פָּשְׂתָ֥ה1×
- פָשָׂ֔תָה1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 13:5
The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. Behold, if in his eyes the plague is arrested and the plague hasn’t spread in the skin, then the priest shall isolate him for seven more days.
This verse establishes the baseline for diagnosis by noting when a plague has not spread, highlighting the word's role in defining boundaries of health.
-
Leviticus 13:8
The priest shall examine him; and behold, if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is leprosy.
Here the spreading indicates a definitive change in status, showing how the physical expansion of the mark leads to a clear declaration of uncleanness.
-
Leviticus 13:51
He shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever use the skin is used for, the plague is a destructive mildew. It is unclean.
The application to garments shows that this concept extends beyond the body to the materials we use, affecting our entire living environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word pasah mean?
Is this word related to Passover?
Where does this word appear in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (18 verses across 1 books)
Leviticus 18 verses
The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. Behold, if in his eyes the plague is arrested and the plague hasn’t…
Leviticus 13:6The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day. Behold, if the plague has faded and the plague hasn’t spread in…
Leviticus 13:7But if the scab spreads on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall show himself…
Leviticus 13:8The priest shall examine him; and behold, if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him…
Leviticus 13:22If it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a plague.
Leviticus 13:23But if the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread, it is the scar from the boil; and the priest shall…
Leviticus 13:27The priest shall examine him on the seventh day. If it has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him…
Leviticus 13:28If the bright spot stays in its place, and hasn’t spread in the skin, but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn,…
Leviticus 13:32On the seventh day the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread, and there is no yellow…
Leviticus 13:34On the seventh day, the priest shall examine the itch; and behold, if the itch hasn’t spread in the skin, and its…
Leviticus 13:35But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing,
Leviticus 13:36then the priest shall examine him; and behold, if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest shall not look for the…
Leviticus 13:51He shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the…
Leviticus 13:53“If the priest examines it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or…
Leviticus 13:55Then the priest shall examine it, after the plague is washed; and behold, if the plague hasn’t changed its color, and…
Leviticus 14:39The priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the plague has spread in the walls of the house,
Leviticus 14:44then the priest shall come in and look; and behold, if the plague has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew…
Leviticus 14:48“If the priest shall come in, and examine it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the house, after the house was…