Lexical Summary piymah: Fatness, Richness Original Word: פִימָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance plumpProbably from an unused root meaning to be plump; obesity -- collops. Brown-Driver-Briggs מִּימָה noun feminine superabundance (of fat); — ׳פ Job 15:27 ("" חֶלְגּוֺ. Topical Lexicon Entry Title: פִימָה (pîmâh) Linguistic Range and Semantic Field The noun פִימָה occurs a single time in the Hebrew Bible (Job 15:27). Its core sense is the excess layer of fat that accumulates around the waist or loins. In Hebrew thought “fat” could signal prosperity and abundance (Genesis 45:18; Deuteronomy 32:14), yet it could also picture dullness, pride, or moral insensitivity (Deuteronomy 32:15; Psalm 17:10). פִימָה belongs to this latter, negative nuance: uncontrolled corpulence symbolizing arrogant security in earthly plenty. Old Testament Usage Job 15:27: “Though his face is covered with fat and his waist bulges with flesh.” Eliphaz employs פִימָה to indict the hypothetical wicked man who mocks God. He presents a vivid caricature: a face swollen and a midsection distended with layers of flesh. The imagery conveys self-indulgence, overconfidence, and spiritual blindness. By invoking corpulence of the paunch, Eliphaz argues that outward opulence masks internal ruin (Job 15:20-35). Cultural-Historical Background In the Ancient Near East, visible fat was often a status marker. Royal reliefs from Mesopotamia portray victorious rulers as heavier, implying power and plenitude. Israel’s Scriptures acknowledge the same social perception yet introduce a moral dimension: fatness without righteousness invites judgment (Psalm 73:7; Isaiah 10:16). פִימָה thus taps a cultural symbol familiar to Job’s audience—turning it upside-down to warn the prosperous against complacency. Theological Significance 1. Moral Obesity versus Covenant Faithfulness: Scripture associates covenant devotion with “circumcised hearts” (Deuteronomy 10:16), not bloated bodies. פִימָה embodies the antithesis: an exterior enlarged by earthly gain that conceals a heart estranged from God (Psalm 78:31). Connections with Wider Biblical Themes • Pride Precedes Collapse: Proverbs 16:18 warns against haughty self-trust. פִימָה visually reinforces that peril. Practical Ministry Implications 1. Diagnostic Imagery: פִימָה offers preachers a concrete metaphor to expose hidden idols of comfort and plenty. Summary פִימָה, though appearing only once, enriches biblical theology by portraying the peril of self-satisfied excess. It reminds every generation that external surplus, however esteemed by culture, can signal internal poverty when detached from reverent obedience to the Lord. Forms and Transliterations פִּימָ֣ה פימה pî·māh piMah pîmāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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