### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **petsaʻ**, represented by `{{H6482}}`, means **a wound** or **wounding**. It appears **8 times** across **7 unique verses**. This term is used to describe a physical injury, often resulting from violence, legal punishment, or personal affliction.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical usage, `{{H6482}}` appears in several distinct contexts. It is foundational to the legal principle of retribution, establishing the standard of "**wound** for **wound**" [[Exodus 21:25]]. It is also found in a context of personal violence, where Lamech boasts of having slain a man for his **wounding** [[Genesis 4:23]]. Metaphorically, the prophet Isaiah uses the term to describe the spiritual state of Israel as a body covered in untreated **wounds**, bruises, and sores from "the sole of the foot even unto the head" [[Isaiah 1:6]]. It can also represent undeserved suffering, as Job laments that God "multiplieth my **wounds** without cause" [[Job 9:17]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning and context of `{{H6482}}`:
* `{{H2250}}` **chabbûwrâh** (bruise, stripe, hurt): This word frequently appears alongside `{{H6482}}` to provide a fuller picture of physical trauma, such as the "bruises" on the nation of Israel [[Isaiah 1:6]] or the "hurt" for which Lamech took revenge [[Genesis 4:23]].
* `{{H2280}}` **châbash** (bind up): This term for treating an injury is used to highlight the severity of Israel's condition, whose wounds "have not been... **bound up**" [[Isaiah 1:6]], signifying a state of utter neglect.
* `{{H7401}}` **râkak** (to mollify): Similar to binding, this word for softening a wound with ointment is used in the negative to emphasize Israel's untreated spiritual state [[Isaiah 1:6]].
* `{{H2600}}` **chinnâm** (without a cause): This adverb modifies `{{H6482}}` to describe wounds that are either inflicted unjustly [[Job 9:17]] or acquired through foolishness that leads to strife [[Proverbs 23:29]].
### Theological Significance
The concept of `{{H6482}}` carries significant theological weight, representing both consequence and correction.
* **Symbol of Consequence:** Wounds often serve as a physical manifestation of sin, violence, or folly. In Exodus, it is part of a system of just consequence [[Exodus 21:25]], while in Proverbs it is the outcome of strife and indulgence [[Proverbs 23:29]].
* **Metaphor for Spiritual Sickness:** Isaiah uses the imagery of untreated wounds to vividly portray the spiritual rebellion and decay of a nation. The state of being covered in wounds without any care illustrates a condition of total corruption [[Isaiah 1:6]].
* **Instrument of Purification:** Paradoxically, a wound can be beneficial. Proverbs teaches that the "**wounds** of a friend" are **faithful** `{{H539}}` [[Proverbs 27:6]], implying that painful correction is valuable. Furthermore, "The blueness of a **wound** cleanseth away evil" [[Proverbs 20:30]], presenting it as a means of purification.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6482}}` is more than a simple term for an injury. While it denotes physical harm in legal [[Exodus 21:25]] and personal [[Genesis 4:23]] contexts, its greater significance lies in its metaphorical applications. It serves as a powerful symbol for the spiritual sickness of a nation [[Isaiah 1:6]], the pain of unjust suffering [[Job 9:17]], and, conversely, the purifying power of faithful correction [[Proverbs 27:6]]. The word illustrates how physical affliction can describe both the consequences of evil and the path to cleansing.
TRV