ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA HEBREA
Peh (H6310) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
פֶּה (peh) is a common Hebrew noun meaning "mouth," extended to speech, edge, or any opening.
Significado de la palabra
The lemma פֶּה (peh, H6310) refers primarily to the mouth — the physical mouth of a person or animal. In Genesis 8:11 the dove brings the olive leaf "in her mouth," rendered 'beak,' while Genesis 29:2-10 describes the stone upon the well's mouth, showing the noun applied to an opening as well as to a living creature's mouth.
Beyond the literal mouth, פֶּה stands for what the mouth does: speech and personal command. Genesis 24:57 calls for inquiring at the damsel's 'mouth,' glossed 'opinion,' and Genesis 41:40 says all the people will be ruled 'according unto thy word,' where פֶּה is glossed 'command.' The noun thus covers utterances, decisions, and the spoken word of authority.
The word is also extended to edges and extremities (Genesis 34:26: 'edge of the sword,' glossed 'edge') and, in one specialized use noted in the lexicon, to a weight equal to one third of a shekel found in 1 Samuel 13:21.
Uso en las Escrituras
In the example verses, פֶּה occurs most often as the literal mouth of a person, animal, or container: Cain's curse in Genesis 4:11 names the ground that 'hath opened its mouth,' and Genesis 42:27 notes money found 'in the mouth of his sack.' These passages treat the mouth or opening as a concrete point of contact where something is received, sealed, or uncovered.
In other passages פֶּה shifts from anatomy to utterance and authority. Genesis 24:57 frames asking someone's opinion as inquiring 'at her mouth,' and Genesis 41:40 places Joseph's 'word' (פֶּה) over Pharaoh's house. Genesis 34:26 applies the noun to the 'edge' of a sword, the outer limit of a blade, showing how 'mouth' can describe any rim or boundary. Genesis 25:28, where the gloss 'taste' attaches to the act of eating venison, fits the broader pattern of פֶּה marking what passes through the mouth.
La palabra en detalle
- H6310 פֶּה (peh) — mouth; by extension speech, command, edge/opening, and (in 1Sa 13:21) a one-third-shekel weight.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Genesis 4:11 The ground 'opens its mouth' (פֶּה) to receive blood, using the noun for a literal opening of the earth.
- Genesis 8:11 The dove carries the olive leaf 'in her mouth' (פֶּה), glossed 'beak,' showing the animal mouth.
- Genesis 41:40 Joseph's 'word' (פֶּה), glossed 'command,' shows peh as the spoken authority of a ruler.
- Genesis 42:27 Money found 'in the mouth of his sack' (פֶּה) extends the noun to the opening of a container.
Preguntas frecuentes
What does פֶּה (peh) literally mean?
Literally 'mouth.' In the supplied verses it covers the mouth of a person (Gen 24:57), an animal such as a dove (Gen 8:11), and the opening of a sack or well (Gen 29:2-10; 42:27).
Does peh also mean 'word' or 'command'?
Yes. In Genesis 41:40, peh is glossed 'command' for the ruling word that governs the house. In Genesis 24:57, inquiring 'at her mouth' is glossed 'opinion,' again pointing to speech.
What range of meanings does peh cover beyond the mouth?
The supplied verses and lexicon show three further uses: the edge of a blade (Gen 34:26), any opening such as a well's mouth (Gen 29:2-10), and the mouth of a sack as a sealed opening (Gen 42:27). The lexicon also lists a rare weight of one-third of a shekel (1Sa 13:21).