### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew root H6581 (פָּשָׂה, pâsâh) is a primitive verb primarily conveying the meaning "to spread" or "to expand." This core sense encompasses a range of applications, suggesting an outward movement from a point of origin, covering a wider area, or increasing in extent. It implies a dynamic process of diffusion, proliferation, or growth. While it most frequently describes the physical spreading of a condition, it can also extend to metaphorical or abstract concepts of expansion.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The vast majority of occurrences of H6581 are found in the book of Leviticus, specifically within the detailed regulations concerning ritual purity and the diagnosis of skin afflictions, commonly referred to as *tzara'at* (often translated as "leprosy"). In this context, the verb describes the active progression or "spreading" of a blemish on the skin or a mildew in a garment or house.
* **Leviticus 13:** This chapter repeatedly uses H6581 to describe the spreading of a skin lesion. For example, [[Leviticus 13:5]], [[Leviticus 13:7]], [[Leviticus 13:8]], [[Leviticus 13:20]], [[Leviticus 13:22]], [[Leviticus 13:25]], [[Leviticus 13:27]], [[Leviticus 13:35]], and [[Leviticus 13:57]] all employ pâsâh to indicate that if the affliction "spreads" on the skin, the affected individual is declared unclean. The act of spreading is a critical diagnostic criterion for the priest, signaling the severity and progressive nature of the impurity.
* **Lamentations 4:8:** In a poignant description of the suffering of Jerusalem's inhabitants during the siege, it is said, "Their appearance is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin is shriveled on their bones; it is dry like wood." (NASB). The KJV and some other translations render a specific clause with pâsâh as "their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick." Here, the sense is that their skin has "spread out" or "cleaved" thinly over their emaciated frames, highlighting extreme physical deterioration.
* **Psalm 69:26:** "For they persecute him whom You have struck, and they talk of the grief of those whom You have wounded." (NASB). Some interpretations of H6581 here suggest "to spread abroad" or "to enlarge" the pain of the afflicted, indicating a malicious propagation of suffering or mockery. Other translations might render it as "to add to" or "to extend" the pain. This usage moves beyond the purely physical to encompass a metaphorical spread of malicious intent or intensified suffering.
### Related Words & Concepts
The semantic field of H6581 (pâsâh) intersects with several other Hebrew terms related to growth, expansion, and defilement:
* **`{{H6566}}` (paras):** To spread out, stretch out. This word is very close in both form and meaning to pâsâh, often referring to the spreading of hands in prayer, wings, or nets. While paras often implies a deliberate act of spreading, pâsâh in Leviticus can describe a more organic, uncontrolled spread.
* **`{{H7235}}` (rabah):** To be great, many, much; to multiply, increase. While rabah focuses on quantitative or numerical increase, pâsâh emphasizes spatial or qualitative expansion.
* **`{{H6509}}` (parats):** To break forth, burst out, spread out. This term often carries a sense of breaking boundaries or overflowing, similar to the expansive nature of pâsâh.
* **`{{H6879}}` (tsara'at):** The specific skin affliction (often "leprosy") whose spreading is described by pâsâh. The two words are intrinsically linked in the Levitical context.
* **`{{H5060}}` (naga'):** To touch, strike, reach. Often used in the context of defilement or affliction, naga' describes the initial contact or onset, while pâsâh describes the subsequent progression.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of H6581 is most profoundly revealed in its primary context within Leviticus. Here, the "spreading" of *tzara'at* transcends mere physical observation to become a potent symbol of spiritual realities:
* **Holiness and Impurity:** The spreading of the affliction directly impacts an individual's ritual purity, rendering them unclean and requiring separation from the community and the tabernacle/temple. This underscores God's absolute holiness and the strict requirements for His people to maintain purity in His presence. The spreading disease vividly illustrates how defilement can permeate and corrupt.
* **The Pervasiveness of Sin:** The physical spreading of *tzara'at* serves as a powerful metaphor for the insidious and pervasive nature of sin. Just as a physical blemish can expand and corrupt the body, so too can sin spread within an individual's heart, a family, or an entire community, leading to widespread spiritual defilement and separation from God. The progressive nature of the disease highlights the escalating consequences of unaddressed sin.
* **Divine Judgment and Discipline:** While not every instance of *tzara'at* was a direct judgment for a specific sin (e.g., Job's suffering), the Bible does record instances where such afflictions were indeed a consequence of divine discipline (e.g., Miriam in [[Numbers 12:10]]). The spreading of the disease can thus be seen as a visible manifestation of God's displeasure and the escalating effects of disobedience.
* **Need for Cleansing and Restoration:** The priestly examination and subsequent declaration of uncleanliness or cleanness, based in part on the "spreading," emphasize the need for divine intervention and a prescribed process for purification and restoration. This points to the ultimate need for God's grace and redemptive work to cleanse humanity from the pervasive "spread" of sin.
### Summary
The Hebrew root H6581 (פָּשָׂה, pâsâh) fundamentally means "to spread" or "to expand." Its most significant biblical usage is found in the Levitical purity laws, where it describes the progression of skin afflictions like *tzara'at*. In this context, the "spreading" of the disease is a critical diagnostic sign for the priest, determining the extent of ritual impurity and necessitating separation from the holy community. This highlights the Old Testament's profound emphasis on holiness and the pervasive nature of defilement. Beyond physical ailments, the term can also describe the spreading of a physical covering or, metaphorically, the propagation of information or the intensification of suffering. Theologically, pâsâh serves as a powerful image for the seriousness of impurity, the insidious and pervasive influence of sin, and the divine requirement for cleansing and restoration to maintain a holy relationship with God.
TRV