◄ 6379. pakah ►
Lexical Summary
pakah: To open, to open the eyes, to be observant

Original Word: פָכָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: pakah
Pronunciation: pah-KAH
Phonetic Spelling: (paw-kaw')
KJV: run out
NASB: trickling
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to pour

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
run out

A primitive root; to pour -- run out.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
perhaps denominative verb from pak
Definition
to trickle
NASB Translation
trickling (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מָּכָה verb Pi`el trickle, perhaps denominative; — Participle plural מַיִם מְפַכִּים מִן Ezekiel 47:2 water trickling on the south side.

Topical Lexicon
Linguistic and Conceptual Overview

The root conveyed by פָכָה (Strong’s 6379) sits behind several common Hebrew words for “snare” or “trap” (especially 6341 פַּח and 6354 פַּחַת). Although the root itself is not attested in conjugated form in the Old Testament, its semantic field is clearly reflected in the nouns and participles that describe the devices hunters and soldiers used to capture prey or enemies. The imagery of the concealed snare, suddenly closing on the unsuspecting, became a ready metaphor for every kind of hidden peril—particularly spiritual deceit—throughout the canon of Scripture.

The Snare Motif in Worship and Wisdom Literature

1. Divine deliverance: “Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly plague” (Psalm 91:3). God is repeatedly portrayed as the One who rescues His covenant people from invisible threats.
2. Praise after rescue: “We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; the net is torn, and we have escaped” (Psalm 124:7). The confession acknowledges both human helplessness and divine intervention.
3. Moral caution: “Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse, but he who guards his soul stays far from them” (Proverbs 22:5). The snare becomes an ethical warning—sin is not merely an open assault but a hidden trap for the careless.
4. Ecclesiastes underscores life’s unpredictability: “Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time” (Ecclesiastes 9:12). The Preacher stresses humanity’s inability to anticipate disaster apart from God’s wisdom.

Prophetic Use and Covenant Warnings

The prophets adapt the snare image to describe judgment that comes suddenly on rebellious Israel and the nations (Amos 3:5; Hosea 9:8). They also warn against idolatry becoming “a snare” (Exodus 23:33; Judges 2:3), reinforcing that spiritual compromise, not only military power, imperils God’s people.

Extension into New Testament Teaching

Although Greek vocabulary changes, the conceptual heritage persists:
• “...so that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:26).
• “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8); the predator metaphor retains the element of hidden danger seeking to capture.

This continuity supports the unity of Scripture’s message: humans need deliverance from unseen spiritual forces, and God supplies that rescue in the Messiah.

Historical Background: Traps in the Ancient Near East

Archaeology and iconography reveal several types of snares—pit-falls lined with stakes, spring-loaded nets, and baited nooses. Hunters relied on skillful concealment; the victim’s ignorance was essential to success. Biblical writers tapped this cultural reality, making the theological point that unseen sin and satanic strategies are likewise effective because they remain unnoticed until too late.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

• Preaching and teaching: The snare motif underscores the urgency of spiritual vigilance (Matthew 26:41) and the sufficiency of divine protection.
• Counseling: Believers caught in addictive patterns often describe their bondage in the very terms Scripture provides—“I feel trapped.” Presenting Christ as the One who “breaks the snare” offers hope grounded in biblical imagery.
• Discipleship: Encouraging daily discernment through the Word and prayer parallels Old Testament wisdom about avoiding the path where traps are set.

Doctrinal Significance

The root idea behind פָכָה illustrates humanity’s vulnerability and God’s redemptive purpose. Every image of an opened snare points to the ultimate liberation accomplished at the cross, where “having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them” (Colossians 2:15). Thus, even a root without direct occurrences contributes to the coherent biblical revelation of salvation—from the concealed snares of sin to the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Links
Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts
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