Word Study for H6606 (פְּתַח)

pᵉthach /peth-akh'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to פָּתַח

Meaningto open

KJV usageopen.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pᵉthach — 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 Aramaic word pᵉthach, represented by H6606, is the counterpart to the Hebrew פָּתַח and means to open or open. Despite its simple definition, its usage is significant. It appears only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, both within the book of Daniel.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H6606 is used in two starkly different contexts. First, it describes a personal act of faithfulness, where Daniel's windows were open toward Jerusalem as he prayed, in defiance of a royal decree Daniel 6:10. Second, it appears in a divine vision of the end times, where the heavenly court is convened, and the books were opened for judgment Daniel 7:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the action of opening:

H3551 kav (a window): This is the physical object that was kept open by Daniel. It appears in the narrative describing his consistent prayer routine toward Jerusalem Daniel 6:10.
H5609 çᵉphar (a book): This is the object that is opened in the heavenly vision. In the context of the judgment, these books or rolls contain records Daniel 7:10.
H7560 rᵉsham (to record; sign, write): This word establishes the setting for Daniel's action. He knew the decree was signed, yet he kept his windows open Daniel 6:10.
H3488 yᵉthib (to sit or dwell; (be) set, sit): This verb is used immediately before the books are opened, stating that "the judgment was set" Daniel 7:10, establishing the formal, judicial nature of the scene.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6606 is found in its contrasting applications, moving from the human to the divine.

An Opening of Faithful Defiance: In Daniel's story, the open window is a symbol of his unwavering access to and worship of God, which could not be shut by human law. It was an intentional act of piety after he knew the writing was signed Daniel 6:10.
An Opening of Divine Judgment: In Daniel's vision, the opening of the books signifies ultimate accountability and revelation. It marks a moment when all deeds are brought to light before the heavenly court and the Ancient of days Daniel 7:10.

Summary

In summary, while appearing only twice, H6606 is a pivotal word. It bridges the gap between a believer's personal, physical act of keeping an opening for prayer and the ultimate, cosmic act of God opening books for judgment. The word pᵉthach illustrates that whether it is a window or a book of records, the act of opening has profound implications for faithfulness and final accountability.

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 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.

פְּתִיחָן
פְּתִיחוּ

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

2 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.