English · KJV
H6481

פָּצַע

pâtsaʻ /paw-tsah'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto split, i.e. wound
KJV usagewound.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pâtsaʻ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word pâtsaʻ, represented by H6481, is a primitive root used to mean to split or wound. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. Its usage consistently points to the act of inflicting a physical injury or the state of being wounded.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical appearances, H6481 describes different forms of physical harm. In 1 Kings 20:37, it is the result of a deliberate, requested blow, where one man smites another and wounds him as a sign. In Song of Solomon 5:7, it describes a violent assault where the watchmen of the city smote and wounded the speaker. A third context appears in Deuteronomy 23:1, where being wounded in the stones is a specific condition that excludes a man from the congregation of the LORD.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the context of being wounded:

  • H5221 nâkâh (to strike): This word, meaning to strike, is used alongside H6481 to describe the action that leads to the wound in both Song of Solomon 5:7 and 1 Kings 20:37.
  • H1795 dakkâh (mutilated): This term is paired directly with H6481 in Deuteronomy 23:1 to describe the specific nature of the injury as a form of mutilation.
  • H3772 kârath (to cut off): Appearing in the same list of disqualifications in Deuteronomy 23:1, this word for to cut off describes a related type of physical impairment that also results in exclusion from the assembly.

Theological Significance

The use of H6481 carries specific weight in the contexts where it is found.

  • Legal & Ritual Status: In Deuteronomy 23:1, being wounded is not merely a physical state but a condition that affects a person's standing within the religious community, barring them from the congregation of the LORD.
  • Vulnerability and Betrayal: The wounding in Song of Solomon 5:7 is inflicted by the city's watchmen, who were meant to protect. This highlights themes of vulnerability and the failure of those in authority.
  • Prophetic Obedience: In 1 Kings 20:37, the act of being wounded serves as part of a prophetic message, demonstrating that the physical injury itself can be an integral component of a divine communication or a test of obedience.

Summary

In summary, H6481 is a specific and impactful term for being wounded. Though it appears only three times, it is used to illustrate a range of situations, from violent attack to a legal disqualification and a prophetic sign. It demonstrates how physical integrity was tied to community standing and could be employed to convey powerful symbolic messages within the biblical narrative.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • פָצֹעַ
  • פְצוּעַ
  • פְצָעוּ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H5221 נָכָה a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively); beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [id H1795 דַּכָּה from דָּכָה like דַּכָּא; mutilated; [phrase] wounded. H3772 כָּרַת a primitive root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Deuteronomy, 1 Kings, and Song of Solomon (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

1
Deuteronomy
1
1 Kings
1
Song of Solomon

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.