פָּשָׂה
to spread
Definition
The Hebrew verb פָּשָׂה (pâsâh) primarily means 'to spread' or 'to extend over a surface.' In its biblical usage, it almost exclusively describes the spreading of a skin disease, specifically the infectious skin condition often translated as 'leprosy' (צָרַעַת, tzara'at) in the ritual purity laws of Leviticus. The word denotes the physical progression of the disease across the skin, as seen in Leviticus 13:5, 7, 22, and 27, where a priest examines whether a mark has 'spread' to determine ceremonial uncleanness. There is no significant evidence of the word being used in other metaphorical or general contexts in the Hebrew Bible; its semantic range is tightly focused on this specific medical-ritual application.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used 18 times, all within Leviticus 13, which details the diagnosis and handling of skin diseases. Its usage is highly specialized, appearing only in the priestly instructions for examining suspicious skin eruptions. The pattern is formulaic: after a period of quarantine, the priest checks to see if the disease has 'spread' (פָּשָׂה) in the skin. This determination is critical for declaring a person clean or unclean (e.g., Leviticus 13:5-8, 22-23, 27-28). It is not found in narrative, poetic, or prophetic books.
Etymology
פָּשָׂה is a primitive root in Biblical Hebrew, meaning its origin is not derived from another Hebrew word. Cognates in other Semitic languages, such as Arabic and Aramaic, support the core meaning of 'spreading' or 'extending.' In Hebrew, its meaning became narrowly specialized for the spreading of a physical affliction, particularly within the technical vocabulary of the priestly law.
Semantic Range
While פָּשָׂה itself is a technical term, its consistent use in Leviticus 13 connects it to the important biblical concepts of purity, holiness, and divine order. The spreading of a disease rendered a person ritually unclean, separating them from the community and the sanctuary. Understanding this term enriches the reading of these laws by highlighting how physical conditions had theological and social consequences, pointing to the need for wholeness and the priestly mediation required for restoration.
In its original setting, פָּשָׂה was a diagnostic term within a system of communal health and ritual purity. The 'spreading' was not merely a medical observation but a legal criterion that determined a person's social and religious status. The modern understanding of 'leprosy' (Hansen's disease) differs significantly from the range of skin conditions (tzara'at) described in Leviticus, which included various rashes, molds, and discolorations affecting skin, garments, and houses.
פָּרַשׂ (pāraś, H6566) — to spread out, stretch out (like a curtain or hands); often used in more general or metaphorical contexts. שָׂרַע (śāraʿ, H8279) — to have a skin disease; the root of 'leprosy' (צָרַעַת), describing the state of being afflicted, whereas פָּשָׂה describes the action of the affliction spreading.
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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