Lexical Summary pada: To redeem, to ransom, to deliver Original Word: פָדַע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance deliver A primitive root; to retrieve -- deliver. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition perhaps deliver NASB Translation deliver (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מָּדַע] verb dubious, only Imperative masculine singular suffix מְּדָעֵהוּ Job 33:34 a meaning like deliver him needed, Manuscripts Bu Du מְּרָעֵהוּ; < read (פדה) מְּדֵהוּ Ew Di SS. Topical Lexicon Overview פָדַע (Strong’s 6308) appears only once in the Hebrew Scriptures, yet it captures a vital dimension of Yahweh’s character: His willingness to intervene, ransom, and preserve life. The verb occurs in Job 33:24, where Elihu portrays God as graciously sparing an afflicted sinner from descent into the grave. Though rare as a lexical form, its theological resonance reaches into the whole canon, complementing the more familiar roots גאל (redeem) and פדה (ransom). Biblical Context: Job 33:24 “Then He is gracious to him and says, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom.’” (Berean Standard Bible) Elihu presents God as the decisive Deliverer. The verb “Spare” (פְּדָעֵהוּ) is imperative in force: “Deliver him!” It conveys an urgent, compassionate command issued by God Himself, highlighting His sovereignty over life and death. The immediate context contrasts divine discipline with divine mercy; suffering is not punitive alone but can become the stage for redemption when God utters this rescuing word. The Concept of Divine Deliverance 1. Personal intervention – The act is not delegated; God speaks directly. Connection to the Broader Theme of Redemption Although פָדַע itself is unique to Job, Scripture consistently portrays redemption as God’s costly liberation of His people: The solitary verb in Job 33 thus harmonizes with the unfolding redemptive narrative, from the exodus to the cross, where the ultimate ransom is paid (Mark 10:45). Historical and Cultural Background In the ancient Near East a ransom (כֹּפֶר) could free a captive or commute a death sentence. Elihu’s language presupposes that cultural reality yet elevates it: the ransom originates with God, not man. The implied setting reveals God as both Judge and Benefactor—He identifies the price and secures its payment. Christological Foreshadowing Job’s sufferings anticipate the righteous sufferer par excellence, Jesus Christ. The imperative “Spare him” prefigures the Father’s declaration over all who are united to the Son: spared from wrath through a ransom God Himself provides. Job’s longing for a Mediator (Job 9:33) converges with Elihu’s proclamation of deliverance, pointing forward to “the one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Pastoral and Ministry Implications • Assurance: Believers facing guilt or affliction may rest in the certainty that God both commands and accomplishes deliverance. Homiletical Insights Preachers may trace the trajectory from Job’s individual rescue to the cosmic redemption in Christ, illustrating how one rare Hebrew verb distills the gospel. Emphasize the immediacy (“Spare him!”), the costliness (“I have found”), and the result (escape from the Pit). Practical Application for Today 1. Worship: Praise flows from recognizing that God not only identifies our peril but personally secures our release. Related Scriptures for Study Forms and Transliterations פְּ֭דָעֵהוּ פדעהו pə·ḏā·‘ê·hū pəḏā‘êhū PedaehuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 33:24 HEB: וַיְחֻנֶּ֗נּוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר פְּ֭דָעֵהוּ מֵרֶ֥דֶת שָׁ֗חַת NAS: to him, and say, 'Deliver him from going down KJV: unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down INT: him be gracious and say Deliver going to the pit 1 Occurrence |
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