פָּדַע
to retrieve
Definition
The Hebrew verb פָּדַע (pâdaʻ) means 'to retrieve' or 'to deliver.' In its single biblical occurrence in Job 33:24, it describes God's gracious act of intervening to rescue a person from mortal danger, specifically from 'going down to the Pit.' The context is one of divine mercy and ransom, where God provides a mediator or a ransom payment to secure the person's release. Thus, the word carries a strong sense of costly recovery from a dire, life-threatening situation.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Job 33:24. It appears in Elihu's speech, where he describes God's redemptive action toward a person who is being chastened and is near death. The usage is in a poetic and theological context of suffering, repentance, and divine rescue. The pattern is singular but significant, depicting a personal act of deliverance initiated by God.
Etymology
פָּדַע (pâdaʻ) is a primitive root. Its exact derivation is uncertain, but it is often associated by scholars with the idea of 'ransoming' or 'redeeming,' potentially related to the more common root פָּדָה (pādâ, H6299), which means 'to redeem.' The development of meaning points toward a costly retrieval or deliverance.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it portrays God's initiative in delivering a person from death and judgment. It underscores the concepts of divine grace, mediation, and ransom—key themes that prefigure the ultimate redemption found in the New Testament. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Job 33 by highlighting the personal, costly nature of God's rescue operation for the repentant sinner.
In its ancient Near Eastern context, the idea of 'retrieving' or 'ransoming' someone from death or the Pit would resonate with understandings of the underworld and the value placed on life. The concept of a mediator or ransom payment reflects cultural practices of redemption and substitution.
פָּדָה (pādâ, H6299) — a more common term for 'redeem,' often used in contexts of family redemption and God's deliverance of Israel. נָצַל (nāṣal, H5337) — to deliver or snatch away, often from immediate danger. יָשַׁע (yāshaʻ, H3467) — to save or deliver, with a broad range of physical and spiritual salvation.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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