פָּשַׂק
to dispart (the feet or lips), i.e. become licentious
Definition
The Hebrew verb פָּשַׂק (pâsaq) means to open or spread wide, specifically referring to the parting of body parts. In its two biblical occurrences, it describes opening the lips to speak (Proverbs 13:3) and, in a graphic metaphorical sense, the spreading of the legs in a context of sexual promiscuity (Ezekiel 16:25). The core idea is a deliberate, often unrestrained, act of opening or exposing. While the physical action is neutral, the contexts give it a strong moral dimension, associating it with either careless speech or brazen sexual immorality.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only twice in the Old Testament, in two distinct contexts. In Proverbs 13:3, it is used literally and positively: 'He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide (פָּשַׂק) his lips comes to ruin.' Here, it warns against unrestrained, careless speech. In Ezekiel 16:25, it is used metaphorically and negatively as part of God's indictment of Jerusalem's idolatry, described as prostitution: 'You built your lofty place at the head of every street, and made your beauty an abomination, and spread (פָּשַׂק) your legs to every passerby.' This depicts a shocking, deliberate, and public act of spiritual unfaithfulness.
Etymology
פָּשַׂק (pâsaq) is a primitive root. Its core meaning relates to parting or separating. Cognates in other Semitic languages support the sense of 'opening' or 'splitting.' The word does not appear to be derived from a more common Hebrew root, standing as its own specific term for this kind of physical opening.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant because it connects physical actions with spiritual and moral conditions. In Proverbs, it ties speech directly to wisdom and life preservation, a key theme in biblical wisdom literature. In Ezekiel, it provides a brutally vivid metaphor for idolatry, framing spiritual adultery not as a private mistake but as a deliberate, public, and shameless rejection of covenant faithfulness. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by revealing the intended shock value in Ezekiel's prophecy and the concrete, physical imagery behind the warning about the power of words in Proverbs.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, actions described by פָּשַׂק carried strong cultural connotations. Unrestrained speech was seen as foolish and dangerous, lacking the discretion valued in wisdom traditions. The metaphorical use in Ezekiel 16:25 draws on the cultural understanding of cultic prostitution associated with pagan fertility religions. Jerusalem's actions are portrayed as even more brazen than typical pagan worship, 'spreading wide' at every street corner, emphasizing a total and public abandonment of cultural and covenantal norms of modesty and exclusive loyalty.
פָּתַח (pâthach, H6605) — a more general and common verb for 'to open' (a door, ear, mouth). פָּשַׂק implies a wider, more deliberate, or even forced opening. בָּקַע (bâqaʿ, H1234) — means to split or cleave open (like the ground or a rock); פָּשַׂק focuses on parting or spreading what is already joined (like legs or lips).
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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