פָּשַׁט (pa.shat)
pa.shat
to strip
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 34 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb pa.shat carries the core idea of stripping or spreading out, a meaning that shifts depending on whether it describes removing clothing or launching an attack. In its basic sense, it means to take off a garment, as seen when priests changed clothes in Leviticus 16:23 or when Solomon’s lover removed her outer robe in Song of Solomon 5:3. This physical act of uncovering is linked to the root idea of unfolding or extending something outward.
That same image of spreading out applies to military action, where pa.shat describes troops rushing forward to raid or invade. The sources note this usage in passages like Judges 9:44, where soldiers fall upon a city, and 1 Samuel 30:14, where David’s men make an invasion against the Amalekites. The word captures the sudden, aggressive expansion of force, much like a swarm of locusts covering the land in Nahum 3:16.
A distinct nuance appears in the Hiphil stem, which means to strip someone else of their garments or skin. This is visible in 1 Samuel 31:8, where Philistines strip the slain King Saul, and Hosea 2:3, where God threatens to strip a woman naked as judgment. The verb thus moves from simple removal to violent exposure, highlighting how stripping can be an act of both preparation and punishment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pa.shat captures the physical act of removing layers, whether it is a priest taking off holy garments or soldiers stripping armor from the fallen. In the narrative of Joseph, his brothers stripped him of his colorful tunic, an act that marked a painful loss and separation. Yet this same verb describes Jonathan stripping himself to give his robe to David, showing how removal can also signal deep loyalty and the sharing of one’s own status for the sake of another.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that true intimacy often requires vulnerability. Just as Saul was stripped on Mount Gilboa, leaving him exposed without protection, we too face moments where our external defenses are removed. These times can feel like judgment or defeat, but they also invite us to rely entirely on God’s provision rather than our own armor.
When you encounter hardship that feels like being laid bare, remember that stripping away the unnecessary is sometimes necessary for restoration. The Bible shows both the cruelty of this act and its potential for sacrifice. Trust that God sees your exposure and offers a hope that no enemy can take away.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 34 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they made a raid4×
- to/ strip3×
- they made a raid2×
- they had made a raid2×
- and/ he stripped off2×
- you strip off/ !1×
- you have stripped off1×
- we had made a raid1×
- to/ skin1×
- they have stripped off1×
- they have made a raid1×
- strip off1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַֽ/יִּפְשְׁט֖וּ3×
- לְ/פַשֵּׁ֖ט2×
- תַּפְשִׁט֑וּ/ן1×
- תַּפְשִֽׁיט\׃1×
- פָּשַׁ֥ט1×
- פָּשַׁ֜טְנוּ1×
- פָּשַׁ֙טְתִּי֙1×
- פָּשְׁט֗וּ1×
- פָּשְׁט֕וּ1×
- פָּֽשְׁט֛וּ1×
- פְּשֹׁ֣טָֽה1×
- פְּשַׁטְתֶּ֖ם1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 37:23
When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him;
This verse uses the word to describe the violent removal of Joseph’s tunic, marking the beginning of his journey through suffering.
-
I Samuel 18:4
Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.
Here Jonathan strips himself of his robe to give it to David, transforming an act of removal into a powerful sign of covenant friendship.
-
I Samuel 31:8
On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
The Philistines strip Saul’s body after his death, using the word to highlight the total defeat and humiliation of Israel’s first king.
-
Leviticus 16:23
“Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting, and shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there.
Aaron takes off his linen garments after entering the Holy Place, showing how stripping can be part of a sacred ritual of transition.