Word Study for H6596 (פֹּת) | Strong's Concordance

pôth /pohth/ Ask about this word

Rootor פֹּתָה

Meaning(Ezekiel 13:19), from an unused root meaning to open; a hole, i.e. hinge or the female pudenda

KJV usagehinge, secret participle

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pôth — 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 pôth, represented by H6596, is defined as a hole, used for a hinge or to refer to the female pudenda, or secret parts. Derived from a root meaning to open, this term appears 2 times across 2 unique verses, showcasing its specific and distinct applications in scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H6596 appear in sharply contrasting contexts. In its architectural sense, it describes a functional component of the temple. The construction of the inner house, the most holy place, included "the hinges of gold" for the doors 1 Kings 7:50. In its anatomical sense, the word is used in a prophecy of judgment against the daughters of Zion, where the Lord "will discover their secret parts" Isaiah 3:17, signifying humiliation and exposure.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context in which H6596 is used:

H1004 bayith (a house): This word provides the setting for the use of H6596 as hinges. The hinges were specifically for the doors of the inner house 1 Kings 7:50, a term that can also refer to God's dwelling place in a broader sense Malachi 3:10.
H1817 deleth (door): This term is functionally connected to H6596, as the hinges were made for the doors of the temple 1 Kings 7:50. A door itself can be a literal gateway or a metaphorical one, as in the prayer to "keep the door of my lips" Psalms 141:3.

Theological Significance

The significance of H6596 is found in its dual application, representing both sacred construction and divine judgment.

Sanctity of Worship: The use of "hinges of gold" for the doors leading to the most holy place underscores the immense value and holiness attributed to every part of the temple's construction and function 1 Kings 7:50.
Consequence of Pride: The term's use for "secret parts" in Isaiah's prophecy serves as a powerful metaphor for shame and vulnerability. It illustrates that what is pridefully displayed will lead to the forced exposure of what should be hidden Isaiah 3:17.
Concept of Openings: Rooted in the idea "to open," H6596 applies to both a physical mechanism that allows opening (a hinge) and a part of the body that is exposed, linking the architectural and the anatomical through a shared concept.

Summary

In summary, H6596 is a rare but potent word whose meaning shifts dramatically with its context. It moves from a description of a small, golden component essential to the function of God's holy temple to a stark symbol of judgment and humiliation. Through its two appearances, pôth demonstrates how a single Hebrew term can convey concepts of both sacred detail and profound consequence.

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 noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

פֹּתוֹת
פָּתְ

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Kings and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1 Kings

Isaiah

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.