Bible Word Study
פִּסְפָּה
Piçpâh · Pispah, an Israelite
פִּסְפָּה
Pispah, an Israelite
Definition
Pispah is a proper name given to an Israelite man, a descendant of Asher, mentioned in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 7:38. As a personal name, it does not carry multiple senses or meanings in the biblical text; it functions solely to identify an individual within the tribal lineage. The name appears only in this single genealogical list, which traces the family of Asher's son, Heber.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a proper noun in the Old Testament, appearing only once in 1 Chronicles 7:38. Its usage is strictly genealogical, identifying Pispah as one of the sons of Jether within the tribe of Asher. There are no other contextual uses or patterns, as it is a unique personal name recorded in a list of descendants.
Etymology
The name Pispah (פִּסְפָּה) is likely derived from the Hebrew root פָּסַס (pāsas, H6461), which carries meanings related to 'breaking in pieces,' 'shattering,' or 'dispersing.' As a personal name, it may have been descriptive or aspirational, possibly connoting concepts of fragmentation or scattering. Its formation is similar to other Hebrew proper nouns ending in the feminine 'ah' suffix.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, personal names often held significant meaning, reflecting circumstances of birth, parental hopes, or characteristics. A name like Pispah, potentially linked to 'dispersion,' might have carried symbolic weight, though its specific significance for this individual is not explained in Scripture. It appears in a post-exilic genealogy (1 Chronicles), which emphasizes the continuity and identity of the tribes, underscoring the importance of lineage and covenant community.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]