פַּנַּג
probably pastry
Definition
The Hebrew word פַּנַּג (pannag) is a hapax legomenon, appearing only once in the Old Testament in Ezekiel 27:17. Its precise meaning is uncertain, but it is generally understood to refer to a type of food commodity. Most modern lexicons and translations render it as a 'pastry,' 'confections,' or a 'sweet cake.' The context in Ezekiel 27:17 lists it among the goods Judah and Israel traded with Tyre, suggesting it was a valuable or desirable food item. Due to the single occurrence and uncertain derivation, no other major senses or meanings are attested in biblical literature.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only in Ezekiel 27:17, within a prophetic oracle detailing the luxurious trade of the city of Tyre. The verse states: 'Judah and the land of Israel were your traders; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, millet, honey, oil, and pannag.' Here, pannag is listed among agricultural products and delicacies, indicating its role as a trade good, likely a foodstuff considered a luxury or specialty item.
Etymology
The etymology of פַּנַּג (pannag) is uncertain and debated among scholars. It has no clear Hebrew root and is likely a loanword, possibly from an Akkadian or other ancient Near Eastern language. Some have suggested connections to words meaning 'millet cake' or 'sweetened pastry,' but these are speculative. Its meaning is inferred primarily from its context in Ezekiel 27:17 among foodstuffs.
Semantic Range
In the cultural context of ancient Near Eastern trade, pannag was likely a processed food item, perhaps a sweet or baked good, that held value in commerce. Its inclusion in a list with staples like wheat and oil, as well as luxuries like honey, suggests it was neither a mere basic staple nor an extreme rarity, but a desirable commodity. This reflects the diversity and specialization of agricultural and culinary production in the region that was worthy of long-distance trade.
מַנָּה (manna, H4478) — a bread-like food from heaven, distinct as a miraculous provision rather than a traded good. דְּבַשׁ (devash, H1706) — honey, a common sweetener, but a more general term. לֶחֶם (lechem, H3899) — bread, a general term for food or baked goods.
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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