### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **pîyach**, represented by `{{H6368}}`, is defined as **a powder (as easily puffed away), i.e. ashes or dust; ashes**. It appears **2 times** across **2 unique verses** in the Bible. This term is exclusively used to describe the substance used by Moses and Aaron in the sixth plague inflicted upon Egypt.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
Both occurrences of `{{H6368}}` are found in the Exodus narrative. In [[Exodus 9:8]], the Lord commands Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of **ashes** from a furnace. Moses is then instructed to sprinkle these ashes toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. The fulfillment of this command is recorded in [[Exodus 9:10]], where they take the **ashes** of the furnace, and when Moses sprinkles them toward heaven, they become boils breaking forth with blains on both people and animals.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for the meaning and impact of **pîyach**:
* `{{H3536}}` **kibshân** (furnace): The **ashes** `{{H6368}}` are specifically taken from a **furnace**, a term also associated with the smoke of divine judgment in Sodom and Gomorrah [[Genesis 19:28]].
* `{{H2236}}` **zâraq** (sprinkle): This action is how the ashes are dispersed. Moses is commanded to **sprinkle** the ashes [[Exodus 9:8]]. The same word is used for scattering coals of judgment [[Ezekiel 10:2]] and for sprinkling the blood of the covenant [[Exodus 24:8]].
* `{{H76}}` **ʼăbaʻbuʻâh** (blains): These inflammatory pustules are the direct result of the sprinkled ashes, becoming the physical manifestation of the plague upon the Egyptians [[Exodus 9:10]].
* `{{H8064}}` **shâmayim** (heaven): The ashes are sprinkled toward **heaven**, indicating the divine origin of the plague [[Exodus 9:10]]. Heaven is established as the realm of God from the first verse of scripture [[Genesis 1:1]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H6368}}` is concentrated in its role as an instrument of divine power and judgment.
* **Agent of Judgment:** The **ashes** are not inert but are transformed into a plague of **blains** `{{H76}}`. They originate from a **furnace** `{{H3536}}`, a symbol connected to God's powerful presence and judgment.
* **Divine Authority:** The act of **sprinkling** `{{H2236}}` the ashes toward **heaven** `{{H8064}}` is a symbolic gesture, demonstrating that the ensuing plague comes directly from God's authority, not from a natural cause or human power.
* **Power in Humility:** The use of a substance described as "a powder (as easily puffed away)" to bring a powerful nation to its knees highlights God's ability to enact His will through seemingly insignificant means.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6368}}` **pîyach** is a highly specific term, locked into the singular biblical event of the sixth plague of Egypt. It is more than just burnt residue; it functions as a divinely appointed agent of judgment. Its connection to the furnace, the act of being sprinkled toward heaven, and its resulting affliction of blains illustrates a key theological point: God's power can transform a humble, dusty substance into an undeniable and devastating demonstration of His sovereignty.
TRV