פָּנֶה
face
‘face’ is one of 8 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Construct-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
Gender
- Both
- Attested as both masculine and feminine.
Number
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Every verse where H6440 appears in the Book of 2 Kings — 68 distinct verses. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
2 Kings
- 2 Kings 1:15 מִ/פָּנָ֑י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms The angel of Yahweh said to Elijah, Go down with him: don't be afraid of him. He arose, and went down with him to the king.
- 2 Kings 3:14 לְ/פָנָ֔י/ו פְּנֵ֛י prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms n c bp cs Elisha said, As Yahweh of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.
- 2 Kings 3:24 מִ/פְּנֵי/הֶ֑ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites.
- 2 Kings 4:12 לְ/פָנָֽי/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms He said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. When he had called her, she stood before him.
- 2 Kings 4:29 פְּנֵ֥י n c bp cs Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go your way: if you meet any man, Don't greet him; and if anyone greets you, don't answer him again: and lay my staff on the face of the child.
- 2 Kings 4:31 לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֗ם פְּנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp n c bp cs Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child has not awakened.
- 2 Kings 4:38 לְ/פָנָ֑י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Elisha came again to Gilgal. There was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.
- 2 Kings 4:43 לִ/פְנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs His servant said, What, should I set this before a hundred men? But he said, Give the people, that they may eat; for thus says Yahweh, They shall eat, and shall leave of it.
- 2 Kings 4:44 לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֛ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp So he set it before them, and they ate, and left of it, according to the word of Yahweh.
- 2 Kings 5:1 לִ/פְנֵ֤י פָנִ֔ים prep + n c bp cs n c bp Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Yahweh had given victory to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, [but he was] a leper.
- 2 Kings 5:2 לִ/פְנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs The Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
- 2 Kings 5:3 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs She said to her mistress, Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! then would he recover him of his leprosy.
- 2 Kings 5:15 לְ/פָנָי/ו֒ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, please take a present from your servant.
- 2 Kings 5:16 לְ/פָנָ֖י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms But he said, As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none. He urged him to take it; but he refused.
- 2 Kings 5:23 לְ/פָנָֽי/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they bore them before him.
- 2 Kings 5:27 מִ/לְּ/פָנָ֖י/ו prep + prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave to you, and to your seed forever. He went out from his presence a leper [as white] as snow.
- 2 Kings 6:1 לְ/פָנֶ֖י/ךָ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2ms The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, See now, the place where we dwell before you is too strait for us.
- 2 Kings 6:22 לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֗ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp He answered, You shall not strike them: would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
- 2 Kings 6:32 מִ/לְּ/פָנָ֗י/ו prep + prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See you how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him: isn't the sound of his master's feet behind him?
- 2 Kings 8:9 לְ/פָנָ֔י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, Shall I recover of this sickness?
- 2 Kings 8:11 פָּנָ֖י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms He settled his gaze steadfastly [on him], until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.
- 2 Kings 8:15 פָּנָ֖י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms It happened on the next day, that he took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his place.
- 2 Kings 9:14 מִ/פְּנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was keeping Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria;
- 2 Kings 9:32 פָנָי/ו֙ n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms He lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? There looked out to him two or three eunuchs.
- 2 Kings 9:37 פְּנֵ֥י n c bp cs and the body of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.
- 2 Kings 10:4 לְ/פָנָ֑י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings didn't stand before him: how then shall we stand?
- 2 Kings 11:2 מִ/פְּנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, [and put them] in the bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain;
- 2 Kings 11:18 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it down; his altars and his images broke they in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The priest appointed officers over the house of Yahweh.
- 2 Kings 12:17 פָּנָ֔י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
- 2 Kings 13:4 פְּנֵ֣י n c bp cs Jehoahaz begged Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Syria oppressed them.
- 2 Kings 13:14 פָּנָי/ו֙ n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died: and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over him, and said, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen of it!
- 2 Kings 13:23 פָּנָ֖י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms But Yahweh was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
- 2 Kings 14:8 פָנִֽים n c bp Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.
- 2 Kings 14:11 פָנִ֔ים n c bp But Amaziah would not hear. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah.
- 2 Kings 14:12 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to his tent.
- 2 Kings 16:3 מִ/פְּנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yes, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel.
- 2 Kings 16:14 לִ/פְנֵ֣י פְּנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs n c bp cs The brazen altar, which was before Yahweh, he brought from the forefront of the house, from between his altar and the house of Yahweh, and put it on the north side of his altar.
- 2 Kings 16:18 מִ/פְּנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs The covered way for the Sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry outside, turned he to the house of Yahweh, because of the king of Assyria.
- 2 Kings 17:2 לְ/פָנָֽי/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
- 2 Kings 17:8 מִ/פְּנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made.
- 2 Kings 17:11 מִ/פְּנֵי/הֶ֑ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations whom Yahweh carried away before them; and they worked wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger;
- 2 Kings 17:18 פָּנָ֑י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Therefore Yahweh was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
- 2 Kings 17:20 מִ/פָּנָֽי/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Yahweh rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
- 2 Kings 17:23 פָּנָ֔י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms until Yahweh removed Israel out of his sight, as he spoke by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day.
- 2 Kings 18:5 לְ/פָנָֽי/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms He trusted in Yahweh, the God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor [among them] that were before him.
- 2 Kings 18:22 לִ/פְנֵי֙ prep + n c bp cs But if you tell me, We trust in Yahweh our God; isn't that he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
- 2 Kings 18:24 פְּנֵ֨י n c bp cs How then can you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
- 2 Kings 19:6 מִ/פְּנֵ֤י prep + n c bp cs Isaiah said to them, Thus shall you tell your master, Thus says Yahweh, Don't be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
- 2 Kings 19:14 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of Yahweh, and spread it before Yahweh.
- 2 Kings 19:15 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs Hezekiah prayed before Yahweh, and said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sit [above] the cherubim, you are the God, even you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.
- 2 Kings 19:26 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as grain blasted before it is grown up.
- 2 Kings 20:2 פָּנָ֖י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying,
- 2 Kings 20:3 לְ/פָנֶ֗י/ךָ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2ms Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight. Hezekiah wept sore.
- 2 Kings 21:2 מִ/פְּנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel.
- 2 Kings 21:9 מִ/פְּנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs But they didn't listen: and Manasseh seduced them to do that which is evil more than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel.
- 2 Kings 21:11 לְ/פָנָ֑י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, and has done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols;
- 2 Kings 21:13 פָּנֶֽי/הָ n c bp cs + sfx pers 3fs I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.
- 2 Kings 22:10 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book. Shaphan read it before the king.
- 2 Kings 22:19 מִ/פְּנֵ֣י לְ/פָנָ֑/י prep + n c bp cs prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cs because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself before Yahweh, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants of it, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh.
- 2 Kings 23:3 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all [his] heart, and all [his] soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant.
- 2 Kings 23:13 פְּנֵ֣י n c bp cs The high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mountain of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
- 2 Kings 23:25 לְ/פָנָ֜י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Like him was there no king before him, who turned to Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
- 2 Kings 23:27 פָּנַ֔/י n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cs Yahweh said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.
- 2 Kings 24:3 פָּנָ֑י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms Surely at the commandment of Yahweh came this on Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did,
- 2 Kings 24:20 פָּנָ֑י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms For through the anger of Yahweh did it happen in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- 2 Kings 25:19 פְנֵֽי n c bp cs and out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men of war; and five men of those who saw the king's face, who were found in the city; and the scribe, the captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city.
- 2 Kings 25:26 מִ/פְּנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs All the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
- 2 Kings 25:29 לְ/פָנָ֖י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms and changed his prison garments. [Jehoiachin] ate bread before him continually all the days of his life:
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
פנים — transliterated pânîym — is a Hebrew noun carrying the sense “face.” Where the King James Version says “before,” newer translations reach for “face of” (unfoldingWord Literal Text); the renderings breakdown has the detail. It appears 1,891 verses across 38 books of the Hebrew Bible, among its most common vocabulary. Debuting at Genesis 1:2, it then recurs through the corpus. It is not a single-sense word — see its full sense range. See the sense tree, 1,891-verse concordance, and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H6440 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 1,891
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 1,891 distinct verses.
- 38 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 38 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #20
- by frequency
- Top 25 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 20 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 1,891 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 1,891 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 820 verses · 43%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 542 verses · 29%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 529 verses · 28%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
BDB lists this Strong’s number as 2 distinct words (homographs). Each count above pools all of them and is not split by sense — see the Senses section below. A low-frequency rendering may belong to a different one of those words, not the primary meaning.
- King James Version†: Before 989×, Face 251×, Presence 66×
- American Standard Version†: Before 818×, Face 203×, Presence 61×
- Berean Standard Bible†: Before 459×, Face 209×, Presence 143×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text†: Face of 688×, Face 539×, Faces 156×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H6440 across 2,087† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 178 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 22 further occurrences.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H6440 across 2,079† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 354 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H6440 across 1,833† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 150 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 285 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H6440 across 2,096† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 86 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
44 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 44 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
- I.
- 1. face, faces (Je 30:6; Ez 27:35 +, cf. 1:6; 10:14, 21 etc.): e.g. Jeremiah 30:6
- a. lit., of man Gn 43:31; 2 S 19:5; 1 K 19:13; Lv 13:41; Dn 8:18; 10:9, 15 +; עוֹר פ׳ Ex 34:29, 30, 35; pale (from alarm) Is 29:22; Je 30:6, flushed Is 13:8;Ez 21:3, cf. Na 2:11; Jo 2:6; tearful Is 25:8; Jb 16:16; sad, פ׳ רעים Gn 40:7, cf.Ne 2:2, 3, also רֹעַ פ׳ Ec 7:3 i.e. sadness; יֵיטִב פ׳ Pr 15:13 maketh glad the face; נָֽפְלוּ פָנֶיךָ Gn 4:5, 6 why is thy face fallen (in displeasure), cf. 1 S 1:18 (reading נָֽפְלָה, נָֽפְלוּ, or הִפִּילָה); covered with shame Ez 7:18; whence fig. of confusion, discomfiture Je 51:51 ψ 69:8; 83:17, etc. e.g. Genesis 43:31
- b. of י׳ Ex 33:20, cf. v 23. e.g. Exodus 33:20
- c. פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים face to face, of seeing (God) Gn 32:31, cf. Ju 6:22, knowing Dt 34:10, judging Ez 20:35, speaking Ex 33:11, and so פ׳ בְּפ׳ Dt 5:4; נִתְרָאֶה פָּנִים 2 K 14:8 see each other (in the) face = meet each other in battle, cf. v 11 = 2 Ch 25:17, 21. e.g. Genesis 32:31
- d. of relations with י׳: הֵרִים פ׳ Ezr 9:6, in worship (v. also נשׂא); in spiritual sense Je 2:27; 32:33 (פָּנָה אֵלַי עֹרֶף וְלֹא פָנִים); נָתַן פ׳ לִדְרוֹשׁ י׳ 2 Ch 20:3; נָתַן אֶת־פ׳ אֶל־אֲדֹנָי Dn 9:3; הַבָּנִים קְשֵׁי פָנִים Ez 2:4. e.g. Ezra 9:6
- e. of י׳ himself, לֹא יָסִיר פָּנִים מִכֶּם 2 Ch 30:9; פְּנֵי י׳ בְּעֹשֵׂי רָ֑ע ψ 34:17; גַּעֲרַת פָּנֶיךָ 80:17.—Vid. further sub 7. e.g. 2 Chronicles 30:9
- 2.
- a. = presence, person, of י׳ Ex 33:14, 15, בְּפָנָיו Dt 4:37, מַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו Is 63:9; לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים, v. לֶחֶם; of י׳ in anger La 4:16 ψ 21:10; 139:7; of Absalom; 2 S 17:11; in weakened sense, nearly = sf. (cf. נפשׁ 4 a), ψ 42:12; 43:5 Pr 7:15. e.g. Exodus 33:14
- b. c. ראה technically, see one’s face, i.e. appear before one, in one’s presence: before a man Gn 32:21 (+ 3 other uses of פ׳), (God, c. יראה pointed as Niph., v. II 2); especially as privilege, = have access to, man of rank Gn 43:3, 5; 44:23, 26, king Ex 10:28(×2) cf. v 29 (all J), 2 S 14:24(×2), 28, 32 cf. 3:13(×2); רֹאֵי פְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ 2 K 25:19 = Je 52:25;Est 1:14; implying favour of person seen, man Gn 33:10 (J), God v 10, cf. Jb 33:26 (Hiph.), and, c. חזה, ψ 11:7; 17:15. e.g. Genesis 32:21
- 3. face of seraphim Is 6:2, cherubim Ex 25:20(×2) = 37:9(×2), Ez 1:8, 11; 2 Ch 3:13 +. e.g. Isaiah 6:2
- 4. face of animals, פְּנֵי הַצֹּאן Gn 30:40; פ׳ אַרְיֵה וּפ׳ שׁוֹר ופ׳ נֶשֶׁר Ez 1:10 (in descr. of cherubim), cf. 10:14; פ׳ אַרְיֵה also 1 Ch 12:8 (fig.), פ׳־כְפִיר Ez 41:19; פִּתְחֵי פ׳ Jb 41:6 of crocodile. e.g. Genesis 30:40
- 5. face (= surface) of ground (הָאֲדָמָה) Gn 2:6; 4:14; 7:4 ψ 104:30 +, so פ׳ הָאָרֶץ Gn 1:29; 7:3; 8:9; 11:4, 8, 9; 19:28; Is 24:1, פ׳ תֵבֵל Is 14:21; 27:6; of a field; Pr 24:31; פ׳ תְהוֹם Gn 1:2(×2) Jb 38:30, פ׳ הַמַּיִם Gn 7:18; פ׳ רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם 1:20; פ׳־כִסֵּה Jb 26:9 i.e. of God’s throne (but Bu reads כֶּסֶה fullmoon); פ׳ הַלּוֹט Is 25:7 v. [לוּט]; פ׳ לְבוּשׁוֹ Jb 41:5 the expanse of his [the crocodile’s] coat; front (especially Ezek.), of house Ez 41:14; 47:1, פ׳ הַקֹּדֶשׁ 41:21; of gate 40:6, 20, 22; 42:15; 43:4; of chamber 40:44(×2), 45, 46; of pot (סִיר) Je 1:13; פ׳ הַמִּלְחָמָה 2 S 10:9 battle-front = 1 Ch 19:10 (vb. agrees with הַמּ׳ in gender, Ges§ 146 a); = van of locust-army Jo 2:20 (opp. סֹפוֹ); front, i.e. edge, of sword Ez 21:21, of axe Ec 10:10; = condition, state of a thing, as denoted by its appearance; of flock Pr 27:23; פ׳ הַדָּבָר 2 S 14:20 the appearance (situation, attitude) of the affair. e.g. Genesis 2:6
- 6. as adv.loc. מִפָּנִים וּמֵאָחוֹר 2 S 10:9 before and behind = פ׳ וְא׳ 1 Ch 19:10, also Ez 2:10; 2 Ch 13:14; פְּנֵי toward Ct 7:5, also in front (to the East?) of 2 Ch 20:16 (v. לִפְנֵי d infr.); לְפָנִים forward Je 7:24 (opp. לְאָחוֹר); מִלִּפְנִים 1 K 6:29 v. פְּנִימָה; adv.temp. לְפָנִים formerly Dt 2:12, 20; Jos 11:10; Ju 1:10, 11, 23 + 12 times; מִלְּפָנִים Is 41:26 from beforetime (‖ מֵרֹאשׁ). e.g. 2 Samuel 10:9
- 7. for other phrases see: אוֹר vb. Hiph. 5; אוֹר n. 10; בּוֹשׁ Hiph.; בקשׁ Pi. 3; בּשֶׁת 1, p. 102; [הַכָּרָה], p. 648; הָדַר 2; וָעַם Niph.; וָעַף 1; חָבַשׁ 1 a; I. חָדָה; I. חָוַר; חָזַק Pi. 5; II. חלה; IV. חמר; חָפָה; טָחַן; יָעַד Hoph.; יְשׁוּעָה 3, p. 447; כּוּן Hiph. 3; כִּפֶּר 1, p. 497; כָּסָה Pi. 1, 2; מָאוֹר, p. 22; מְגַמָּה p. 169; I. מוּל; מַשּׂא, p. 673; [נָבַט] Hiph. 3; נֶגֶד 1, 2 c; נֹכַח; נָכַר Hiph.; נָפַל 3 b, and Hiph. 5; נָשָׂא 1 b (3); נָתַן 2 b; סָבַב Hiph. 1 a; סָתַר Hiph. 2; סֵתֶר 2 a; עַז, עָזַז Hiph.; עָמַד Hiph. 6 a; ii. עֻמָּה; [צָרַב]; [קָדַם] Pi.; שִׂים; שׁוּב Hiph.; שִׁית; II. שָׁנָה Pi.; תֹּפֶת I. עֵבֶר 2.
- 1. face, faces (Je 30:6; Ez 27:35 +, cf. 1:6; 10:14, 21 etc.): e.g. Jeremiah 30:6
- II. פְּנֵי, with prepositions:—
- 1. אֶל־פְּנֵי:
- a. to the presence of, Ex 23:17 pregn. יֵרָאֶה … אֶל־פְּנֵי הָאָדוֹן shall appear (coming) to the presence of (= before) י׳ (‖ 34:23 אֶת־פְּנֵי הָא׳); c. יָצָא = to confront 2 Ch 19:2. e.g. Exodus 23:17
- b. to the front of, after a vb. of motion, Lv 6:7 הַקְרֵב אֹתָהּ … אֶל־פְּנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, 9:5; 16:2 Nu 17:8; 20:10. e.g. Leviticus 6:7
- c. towards or on the front of (אֶל = עַל: see p. 41), Ez 41:4, 12, 15, 25; 42:2, 3, 7, 10, 13; 45:7; 48:21. e.g. Ezekiel 41:4
- d. on to the surface of, Lv 14:53 וְשִׁלַּח … אֶל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה, Ez 16:5. e.g. Leviticus 14:53
- 2. אֶת־פְּנֵי close by (II. אֵת) the face or front of: hence
- a. in the presence of, 1 S 2:11 אֶת־פ׳ עֵלִי 1 K 12:6 who stood אֶת־פ׳ שְׁלֹמֹה (cf. לִפְנֵי 10:8), Est 1:10; Pr 17:24; pregn. (nisi וַיַּנִּחֵם leg., 𝔖 𝔗 We Dr al.) 1 S 22:4. Spec. אֶת־פְּנֵי י׳ Gn 19:13 (1 S 2:17), v 27 1 S 2:18; and with נִרְאָה of the appearance of all males at the three annual חַגִּים, Ex 34:23 יֵרָאֶה כָּל־זְכוּרְךָ אֶת־פ׳ הָאָדֹן, v 24 Dt 16:16 (cf. Dr), 31:11; 1 S 1:22 (‖אל־פ׳ י׳ Ex 23:17); so פָּנַי alone Ex 23:15 = 34:20 (לֹא יֵרָאוּ פָנַי רֵיקָם), Is 1:12, פָנֶיךָ ψ 42:3 (according to many, as GesThes Di Ex 23:15 Che Is 1:12, crit. n., the vb. in all these passages was originally Qal, afterwards pointed as Niph. to avoid the expression see the face of י׳); אֶת־פָּנֶיךָ in thy presence ψ 16:11; 21:7; 140:14. e.g. 1 Samuel 2:11
- b. in front of, Gn 33:18 וַיִּחַן אֶת־פ׳ הָעִיר, Lv 4:6 לִפְנֵי י׳ אֶת־פ׳ פָרֹכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, v 17.—מֵאֵת פְּנֵי from before, v. II. אֵת 4 a. e.g. Genesis 33:18
- 3. בִּפְנֵי: †(a) in the face of, mostly in partic. phrases, with hostile import: thus, with יָרַק to spit Nu 12:14; Dt 25:9; התיצב to make a stand Dt 7:24; 11:25, and עמד Jos 10:8, לֹא יַעֲמֹד אִישׁ בְּפָנֶיךָ 21:42; 23:9; עָנָה to answer (give evidence) against, Ho 5:5 וענה גאון ישׂראל בפניו, 7:10; Jb 16:8; וְנָקֹטּוּ בִּפְנֵיהֶם = feel loathing against their own selves, Ez 6:9, so 20:43; 36:31. †(b) in front of, Ez 42:12. e.g. Numbers 12:14
- 4. לִפְנֵי, proposes at the face or front of, the most general word for in the presence of, before: as Gn 18:22 עֹמֵד לִפְנֵי אַבְרָהָם, Ex 4:21; 11:10; 2 S 2:14; Pr 17:18 + often; after a vb. of motion, Gn 47:2 וַיַּצִּיגֵם לפני פ׳ and set them before Ph., 27:20 כִּי הִקְרָה י׳ לפני lit. made (it) to meet before me (cf. 24:12), Ex 29:10; Pr 18:16 etc. In partic., e.g. Genesis 18:22
- a. With the implication of (a) under the eye or oversight of, Dt 25:2; 1 S 3:1. (b) under the eye and regard of, Gn 17:18 לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִחְיֶה לְפָנֶיךָ, Ho 6:2; Is 53:2 ψ 61:8; cf. Je 30:20; 31:36; Is 66:22 ψ 102:29: also 1 S 2:28; 2 S 19:14. (c) fig. for in (or into) the full (mental) view of, Gn 6:13 קֵץ כָּל־בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי is come in before me, La 1:22 תָּבֹא כָל־רָעָתָם לְפָנֶיךָ, Jon 1:2 עָֽלְתָה לְפָנַי (cf. אֶל Gn 18:21; Ex 2:23), Is 65:6 כְּתוּבָה לְפָנָ֑י, Je 2:22 נִכְתָּם עֲוֹנֵךְ לְפָנַי (cf. נֶגְדִּי Is 47:12). (d) openly before, 1 S 12:2 הִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי, and with collat. idea of deserving (and receiving) regard 2:35, especially לפני י׳ Gn 17:1 al. (v. p. 236a). (e) in presence of the moon or sun, ψ 72:5, 17, i.e. as long as they endure. (f) free before, at the disposal of, Gn 13:9 הֲלֹא כָל־הָאָרֶץ לְפָנֶיךָ (cf. 20:15; 34:10; 47:6; Je 40:4; 2 Ch 14:6), 24:51; Ct 8:12. (g) in the sight (estimation) of, Gn 7:1 thee have I seen to be just before me, 10:9 a mighty hunter before י׳, Dt 24:4 תּוֹעֵבָה ל׳ י׳, v 13 צְדָקָה ל׳ י׳, 1 S 20:1b, אָרוּר ל׳ י׳ Jos 6:26; 1 S 26:19, לְרָצוֹן ל׳ י׳ acceptable before י׳, Lv 1:3 +, ψ 19:15; 2 K 5:1 a great man לִפְנֵי אֲדֹנָיו, Pr 14:12 ψ 143:2; וַיִּיטַב ל׳ (late syn. of earlier בְּעֵינֵי) †Ne 2:5, 6; Est 5:14; טוֹב ל׳ Ec 2:26; 7:26; cf. also נָתַן לְרַחֲמִים לִפְנֵי, v. רַחֲמִים. (h) לִפְנֵי י׳, spec. of acts done with a solemn sense of י׳’s presence, often, but not always, at a sanctuary: Gn 27:7 that I may eat and bless thee before י׳, before I die, Ex 18:12 to eat bread before God, Dt 1:45 ye wept before י׳, 6:25; 12:7 (to eat, so v 18 14:23, 26; 15:20), v 12 (rejoice, so v 18 27:7; Is 9:2), Jos 18:6; 24:1; Ju 11:11; 20:23, 26; 21:2; 1 S 7:6; 10:19; 11:15; 12:7; 15:33; 23:18; 2 S 5:3; 7:18; 21:9; and constantly in P, as Ex 16:9, 33, 34; Lv 1:5, 11; 3:1, 7 etc.; of residents in Jerus. Is 23:18. So in הָלַךְ ל׳ י׳ 1 K 2:4 al. (v. p. 234b c). e.g. Deuteronomy 25:2
- b. In other phrases:—(a) עָמַד לִפְנֵי to stand before, i.e. wait upon, be in attendance on, Dt 1:38 al. (v. עָמַד 1 e). Simil. הָיָה לְפְנֵי 1 S 19:7 (cf. 29:8), 2 K 5:2; עָבַד ל׳ 2 S 16:19. (b) הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה לִפְנֵי to bow down before Gn 23:12; Dt 26:10; 2 K 18:22 al. (v. sub שָׁחָה; also נָפַל 3 b): so with הִתְפַּלֵּל to pray 1 S 1:12 +; cf. הלך לפני 1 K 12:30; 1 Ch 21:30. (c) to be smitten (נִגַּף) before a foe; v. נָגַף Niph. [contrast נוּס מִפְּנֵי: infr. 6 a]. So with נָפַל 1 S 14:13; נָתַן (in helplessness or flight), especially in Dt, as 1:8, 21; 7:2, 23; Jos 10:12; 11:6 + (Dr Dt lxxxii): cf. Ju 4:15; 2 S 5:20; Is 45:1; Je 1:17. (d) עָמַד לִפְנֵי to stand (make a stand) before (not quite so strong as ע׳ בִּפְנֵי, supr. 3), Ex 9:11; Ju 2:14; 2 K 10:4; Je 49:19 ψ 76:8; 147:17; Na 1:6; so with הִתְיַצֵּב Dt 9:2; Jos 1:5; Jb 41:2, קוּם Jos 7:12, 13. (e) in hostile sense (rare), יָצָא לִפְנֵי go forth to face 1 Ch 14:8; 2 Ch 14:9. (f) לִפְנֵי (נָתַן) שִׂים, of food, to set or place before, Gn 18:8; 24:33 +. (g) נָתַן לִפְנֵי to set before, i.e. propound for acceptance or choice, usually of laws (especially Dt Je), Dt 4:8; 11:26, 32; 30:1, 15, 19; 1 K 9:6 (D2), Je 9:12; 21:8; 26:4; 44:10; Dn 9:10, cf. Ez 23:24 (place at disposal of): so with שִׂים Ex 19:7; 21:1. e.g. Deuteronomy 1:38
- c. With reference to position: (a) in front of, before, especially with vbs. of motion (with which נֶגֶד is hardly used), Gn 32:21 בַּמִּנְחָה הַהֹלֶכֶת לְפָנָ֔י that goeth before me, 33:14 the cattle אֲשֶׁר לְפָנַי, Ex 17:5; 23:20 etc.; in the description of a march or procession, Ex 13:21, 22; Nu 10:33; Is 52:12; 58:8 +; 2 S 3:31 and wail before Abner (before his bier); of flocks before a shepherd Gn 32:18; of captives or booty driven before a conqueror 1 S 30:20 (read וַיִּנְהֲגוּ לְפָנָיו We Dr), Is 8:4; 40:10 = 62:11 וּפְעֻלָּתוֹ לְפָנָיו his recompence (i.e. his newly-recovered people, regarded as his prize of war) before him, Am 9:4; La 1:5, 6. (b) of a leader, etc. = at the head of, Dt 10:11; Ju 9:39; 1 S 8:20; Mi 1:13 al.; cf. בא ויצא לפני (העם) Nu 27:17; 1 S 18:13, 16; 2 Ch 1:10; Ec 4:16 before whom (at whose head) he was. (c) denoting superiority, before, above, Gn 48:20 וַיָּשֶׂם את־אפרים לפני מנשׁה, Jb 34:19. e.g. Genesis 32:21
- d. Of places (not very common): Ex 14:2 before Pi-haḥiroth …, before Baal-ẓephon, Nu 33:7b; Gn 23:17 אשׁר ל׳ מַמְרֵא (usually על פני מ׳: v. 7 a d), 1 Ch 19:7; Ne 8:1, 3; before the temple, veil, altar, etc., Ex 16:34 + ל׳ הָעֵדֻת, 30:6 + ל׳ הַפָּרֹכֶת, 40:5, 6; Nu 3:38; 7:10 al. (all P), 1 K 6:20(?), 21; 7:49 +. e.g. Exodus 14:2
- e. Of time, before: Am 1:1 לפני הָרָֽעַשׁ׃ before the earthquake, Gn 29:26; 30:30 לְפָנַי before me (i.e. before I came to thee), Ex 10:14 לפניו לא היה כן before it there was not the like, Nu 13:22; 1 K 16:25, 30 מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר לְפָנָיו, Is 43:10; 48:7; Pr 8:25; Jb 15:7 etc. Sq. inf., Gn 13:10 לִפְנֵי שַׁחֵת י׳ before י׳’s destroying, etc., 27:7 לִפְנֵי מוֹתִי, 36:31; 1 S 9:15 +. Once, in late Heb., לִפְנֵי מִזֶּה before this Ne 13:4. e.g. Amos 1:1
- f. In the manner of, like (rare and dub.), 1 S 1:16 אַל־תִּתֵּן אֶת־אֲמָֽתְךָ לִפְנֵי בַת־בִּלִיַּעַל like a worthless woman, Jb 3:24 like my food, 4:19 they are crushed like the moth (cf. Lat. pro). e.g. 1 Samuel 1:16
- 5. מִלִּפְנֵי73 from before:—
- a. from the presence of (properly, from a position before a person or object: to be distinguished from מִפְּנֵי; v. 6): (a) Gn 41:46 ויצא יוסף מִלִּפְנֵי פ׳ from before Ph. 47:10; 2 K 5:27; 6:32 +; מל׳ י׳ Gn 4:6 Cain went forth from before י׳, Jon 1:3, 10; spec. of the sanctuary, Lv 9:24 ותצא אשׁ מלפני י׳ (so 10:2), קֶצֶף Nu 17:11 (cf. 2 Ch 19:2), with לָקַח etc. Lv 16:12; Nu 17:24; 20:9; 1 S 21:7 the shew-bread that was removed from before י׳; from before a place 1 K 8:54; Ezr 10:6 2 Ch 1:13. (b) of taking, etc., from before a person, Gn 23:4 to bury my dead from before me, v 3 Ex 36:3; Dt 17:18 וכתב לו מִשְׁנֵה התורה הזאת מל׳ הכהנים from (the copy) before the priests, 28:31 גָּזוּל מלפניך. (c) with בקשׁ Est 4:8 [cf. מִן קֳדָם Dn 2:18]; and to express the idea of proceeding from a person, Est 1:19 [cf. Dn 2:15], Ec 10:5; 1 Ch 29:12 הָעשֶׁר והכבוד מלפניך (cf. Acts 3:19); ψ 17:2 מלפניך יֵצֵא משׁפטי. (d) of cutting off, etc., from before י׳ (cf. לִפְנֵי a b, c), Lv 22:3; 1 K 8:25 לֹא־יִכָּרֵת לְךָ אִישׁ מִלְּפָנַי, Je 31:36; 33:18; Is 48:19: ψ 51:13 אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מִלְּפָנֶיךָ (cf. 8 a); Je 16:17 לֹא נִסְתְּרוּ מִלְּפָנַי, 18:23; Ne 3:37. (e) of expelling from before an invader, Ex 23:28; Dt 9:4; 11:23; 31:3 + (but much less common than מִפְּנֵי). e.g. Genesis 41:46
- b. (Chiefly late) to express the source or cause, with the force of the לְ weakened, in cases where the earlier language would have used מִפְּנֵי: with vbs. of fearing, 1 S 18:12; Ec 3:14; 8:12, 13; 1 Ch 16:30 חִילוּ מִלְּפָנָיו [‖ ψ 96:9 מפניו], ψ 114:7(×2); Est 7:6; 2 Ch 32:7 (+ מפני); failing, etc., Is 57:16 ψ 97:5; being humbled, 1 K 21:29 (+ מפני), 2 Ch 32:12, 23; 34:27 [‖ 2 K 22:19 מפני], 36:12; crying for help 1 S 8:18 [cf. מפני Ex 3:7], singing 1 Ch 16:33 [‖ ψ 96:13 לפני], fleeing 19:18 [‖ 2 S 10:18 מִפְּנֵי]. e.g. 1 Samuel 18:12
- c. of time, once, = לִפְנֵי Ec 1:10. With later usages of מל׳, cf. מִן קֳדָם in Biblical Aramaic and 𝔗 (DrSm lxx–lxxi, lxxiii); v. also Köii. 320. Cp. מִלְּפָנִים Is 41:26 (‖מֵרֹאשׁ). e.g. Ecclesiastes 1:10
- 6. מִפְּנֵי from the face or presence of, from before, Ex 14:19 וַיִּסַּע עמוד הענן מִפְּנֵיהֶם removed from before them, Is 30:11; Ho 11:2; so e.g. Exodus 14:19
- a. (often with suggestion of causation (v. מִן 2 d, e, f), because of, for fear of [so AV RV Ju 9:21; 1 S 21:11; 23:26; Je 35:11(×2); 37:11; 41:9; 50:16]) after vbs. of hiding Gn 3:8; 4:14; Is 2:10 (cf. v 19, 21); and especially of escaping, Ju 9:21 (Thes ‘bene 𝔙 ob metum A.’), 1 S 18:11; 19:10; 23:26, or fleeing, Ex 4:3; 14:25; 1 S 17:24 + often (v. בָּרַח and נוּס), and expelling, destroying, etc. Ex 23:30 אֲגָֽרְשֶׁנּוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ I will expel them from before thee, 34:11, 24 אוֹרִישׁ גּוֹיִם מִפָּנֶיךָ (v. הוֹרִישׁ), Lv 18:24; Dt 8:20; Am 2:9 ψ 89:24 + often (as though clearing the way for Israel, for Israel’s sake: cf. Is 63:12 בּוֹקֵעַ מַיִם מִפְּנֵיהֶם, Jos 2:10; 4:23). Pregn. Is 17:9 כַּעֲזוּבַת … אשׁר עזבו מפני בני ישׂר׳ which they forsook (fleeing) from before, etc. e.g. Judges 9:21
- b. implying causation more distinctly, ψ 9:4 יאבדו מפניך perish from before thee or at thy presence, Dt 7:20: very often with vbs. of fearing, as נור, יגר, חיל, ירא, ערץ, פחד, קוץ Ex 9:30; Nu 22:3(×2); Dt 1:17; Je 5:22 etc. (mostly when the object inspiring fear is a person: when it is a thing, מִן alone is preferred; but see Dt 5:5; 9:19); of being alarmed or dismayed Gn 45:3; Jos 2:9; Je 1:17; Jb 23:15, etc.; of humbling oneself Ex 10:3; Ju 11:33 +; with other words, to indicate the external ground of an action or effect, as הַס מִפָּנָיו be silent at (i.e. because of) his presence Zp 1:7; Hb 2:20; Ju 5:5 the mts. flowed מפני י׳ at the presence of י׳, Is 63:19; Je 4:26; Na 1:5, ψ 68:3 as wax melteth מפני אשׁ; Dt 20:19; Is 19:1; 26:17 כן היינו מפניך so were we through thy presence (more than לפניך,—implying that their state was due to י׳); קום מפני to rise up at the presence of Gn 31:35; Lv 19:32. (N.B. In a, b, freq. rendered before in AV RV, and so confused with לפני; but the מִן retains always its full force in the Heb.) e.g. Psalms 9:4
- c. of the cause, whether nearer or more remote: (a) Gn 6:13 מָֽלְאָה הָאָרֶץ חָמָס מִפְּנֵיהֶם because of them (i.e. occasioned by them), 27:46 I loathe my life because of the daughters of Heth, 36:7 the land could not support them because of their cattle, 41:31; 47:13; Ex 3:7 their cry by reason of their task-masters, 8:20 תִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ מִפְּנֵי הֶעָרֹב, 9:11; Jos 2:11; 23:3; Ju 2:18; 6:6; 1 K 5:17; 8:11; + often; Is 10:27 (RVm), Je 15:17 ψ 38:4, 6, etc.; Je 4:4 + מִפְּנֵי רֹעַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶם by reason of the evil of your doings, 7:12; 9:6; 13:17; 14:16; 23:9 + often (b) stating the reason for which a thing is not done (Lat. prae), 1 K 8:11 Jb 37:19. †(c) with אֲשֶׁר as a conj., twice, because that, Ex 19:18; Je 44:23.—Nu 33:8 v. פִּי הַחִירֹת. e.g. Genesis 6:13
- 7. עַל־פְּנֵי (cf. Ph. עַל פְּנֵ, עלת פְּנֵ, Lzb352) has different meanings according to the different senses of the noun and the prep.:—
- a. From the sense of face or front: (a) in front of (more definite and distinct than לפני): ψ 18:43 as dust before the wind (cf. לפני 35:5; 83:14 +), Gn 32:22 the present passed on על־פניו in front of him, Ex 33:19 אעביר כל־טוּבי על־פניך, 2 S 15:18, 23 (read על־פניו: v. Dr), Jb 4:15; = in the sight of, Lv 10:3 ועל־פני כל העם אֶכָּבֵד, Je 6:7 עַל־פָּנַי תָּמִיד חֳלִי וּמַכָּה, 13:26 (cf. Na 3:5), ψ 9:20 יִשָּֽׁפְטוּ גוים על־פניך before thee: defiantly, Jb 1:11 אם־לא על־ פניך יְרָֽרְכֶךָּ will renounce thee to thy face, 6:28 ועל־פניכם אם אֲכַזֵּב, 21:31; to die in the presence of any one (= in his lifetime) †Gn 11:28; Nu 3:4. (b) before, to the exclusion of another, i.e. in preference to, Dt 21:16, and perhaps (Ew§ 217 l) Ex 20:3 (Dt 5:7) לא יהיה לך אלהים אחרים על־פני (Thes al. as c). (c) in addition to, Jb 16:14 פֶּרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פֶרֵץ יִפְרְצֵנִי. (d) of localities, in front of, mostly (but not always: v. GFM Ju., p. 351) = east of, 1 K 6:3 the porch in front of, etc., v 3 7:6; 8:8; 2 Ch 3:17; Ez 42:3; Gn 16:12 על־פני כל־אחיו ישׁכן (cf. 25:18b), perhaps (Di al.) with collateral idea of defiance; עַל־פ׳ מַמְרֵא 23:19 (50:13), Ex 16:14; often in אשׁר על־פני … Gn 25:9 (49:30), מצרים v 18a (Jos 13:3 1 S 15:7), Nu 21:11; 33:7a, ירחו Dt 32:49 (34:1), Jos 13:3, 25; 15:8 (18:16), 17:7; 18:14; 19:11; Ju 16:3; 1 S 24:3 (prob.), 26:1, 3; 2 S 2:24; 1 K 11:7 (the Mt. of Olives, E. of Jerus.; so 2 K 23:13; Zc 14:4), 17:3, 5.—Gn 1:20 let fowl fly על־פני רקיע השׁמים in front of the firmament of heaven, viz. as looked up to from below, i.e. between the firmament and the earth. (e) with vbs. implying direction, over towards, Gn 18:16 וישׁקף על־פני סדם, 19:28; Nu 21:20 (23:28) נשׁקפה על־פני הישׁימן overlooking; to sprinkle against the front of Lv 16:14; in a hostile sense (rare), Na 2:2 עָלָה מֵפִיץ עַל־פָּנַיִךְ, ψ 21:13; Ez 32:10. e.g. Psalms 18:43
- b. From the sense of surface, Gn 1:2 על־פני תהום upon the face of the deep, Ex 16:14 על־פ׳ המדבר: often in the phrases הארץ (כל) על־פני Gn 1:29; 7:3; 11:4, and (more freq.) על־פני האדמה on the face of the ground 6:1; 7:23 etc.; על פני השׂדה Lv 17:5; Nu 19:16; 1 S 14:25 +; after vbs. of motion, 11:4 lest we be scattered over the face of all the earth, v 8, 9; Ex 32:20; Lv 14:7 (v 53 אל), Is 18:2; 19:8; Am 5:8; Ez 32:4; Jb 5:10 +. e.g. Genesis 1:2
- 8. מֵעַל־פְּנֵי:
- a. from before the face of, Gn 23:3 Abraham rose up מֵעַל פְּנֵי מֵתוֹ from before his dead, i.e. from mourning before or beside it; †(פניו) מֵעַל פני from before my (his) face, often in K Je of the rejection of Isr. or the temple, as with שִׁלַּח 1 K 9:7 (‖ 2 Ch 7:20 השׁליך), Je 15:1, השׁליך 2 K 13:23; 24:20 (Je 52:3), Je 7:15, נטשׁ Je 23:39, הסיר 2 K 17:18, 23; 23:27; 24:3; Je 32:31. e.g. Genesis 23:3
- b. from off the surface of, often in the phrase מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה, with verbs of cutting off, removing, expelling, etc., †Gn 4:14; 6:7; 7:4; 8:8; Ex 32:12; Dt 6:15; 1 S 20:15; 1 K 9:7; 13:34; Am 9:8; Je 28:16; Zp 1:2, 3. e.g. Genesis 4:14
- 1. אֶל־פְּנֵי:
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. Pr 25:23 and (Ez 21:21 = edge; on 2 S 10:9 v. infr.) f. face, also faces (as turned toward one);—pl. abs. פָּנִים Gn 32:31 +; cstr. פְּנֵי 2 S 14:32 +; sf. 1 s. פָּנַי Gn 43:3 +; 3 ms. פָּנָיו Gn 4:5 +, פָּנֵ֑ימוֹ ψ 11:7 (Köii. 1, 446); 2 mpl. פְּנֵיכֶם Gn 40:7 +, etc.;—usually c. vb. pl., Gn 4:5, 6; Ex 33:14 +; c. vb. sg. La 4:16 (through influence of intervening י׳, Ges§ 146 a), Pr 15:14 (but read פִּי, as Qr, v. פֶּה);—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from פנה (pânâh) (H6437) — to turn.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
פָּנִים
- c. pl. (b. h.; front, face; countenance, person. Pesik. Baḥod., p. 110ᵃ, a. e. (פ׳ זעופות) פ׳ זועפות, v. זָעַף. Mekh. B’shall., Vayassʿa, s. 2; Yalk. Ex. 258, v. חָשׁוּךְ. Gen. R. s. 91 (ref. to Gen. XLI, 56) אין פְּנֵי הארץ אלא עשירים ‘the face of the land’ means the wealthy; בזמן שאדם עשיר יש לו פ׳ שמחים וכ׳ when a man is rich, he has a countenance which is glad to see his friend, but when he is poor אין לו פ׳ לראות וכ׳ he has not the face to see (his friend), because he is ashamed &c. Keth. 7ᵇ והוא שבאו פ׳ חדשות provided a new face appears, i.e., a person that has not attended the wedding festivities before this. Ib. 8ᵃ אי איכא פ׳ חדשות if there is a new guest.—B. Kam. 96ᵇ פ׳ חדשות באו לכאן things have assumed a new face, i.e. the object after its transmutation is no longer the same as the one stolen; a. v. fr.—נשא פ׳; גלה פ׳ &c., v. נָשָׂא, גָּלָה &c.—Cant. R. to VII, 9 מהדרין פ׳, v. פָּנָה.—לחם הפ׳, v. לֶחֶם.—Euphem. פ׳ של מטה, or פ׳ pudenda. Sabb. 41ᵃ. Ber. 24ᵃ יכולה לכסות פָּנֶיהָ וכ׳ she can cover her nakedness &c. Nidd. 14ᵇ; a. fr.—Trnsf. aspect, manner, way of interpretation. Cant. R. to II, 4 התורה שנדרשת מ"ט פ׳ טהור ומ"ט פ׳ טמא the Torah on the laws of which arguments are held, forty-nine in favor of ‘clean’ (permitted), and forty nine in favor of ‘unclean’ (forbidden); Num. R. s. 2 תורה שהיא נדרשת מ"ט פ׳ the Torah which is interpreted in forty-nine ways; a. fr.—לְפָ׳ a) for appearance sake, formally. Meg. 12ᵃ הם לא עשו אלא לפ׳ … אלא לפ׳ they (in bowing to the idol) acted merely for show (yielding to force), so the Lord dealt with them merely formally (not in full earnest, ref. to Lam. III, 33).—b) in front; (of time) before this, in the past. Ḥag. II, 1 מה לפ׳ ומה לאחור what was before (creation), and what will be in the future (when the world will be no more; Gen. R. s. 1 מה בי"ת זה סתום … ופתוח מִלְּפָנָיו וכ׳ as the letter ב (of בראשית, Gen. I, 1) is closed on all sides and open in front, so art thou not permitted to ask what is above and what is below, what was before and what will be hereafter; [oth. opin. מה לפ׳ ומה לאחור what is in the extreme east beyond the sphere, and what in the west; v., however, Rashi Hag. l. c. (Ḥag. 11ᵇ), a. Ḥag. 16ᵃ].—Ber. 5ᵇ לפני מטתי in front of my bed, expl. סמוך למיטתי immediately after rising. Ib. 7ᵃ, a. fr. יהי רצון מִלְּפָנֶיךָ (abbrev. יהר"מ may it be thy will. Ib. יהי רצון מִלְּפָנַי may it be my will. Ib. שלשה דברים בקש משה מִלִּפְנֵי וכ׳ for three things Moses prayed I before the Lord. Ib. I, 4 שתים לְפָנֶיהָ two benedictions preceding it (the reading of the Sh’mʿa); a. v. fr.—Sifra Vayikra, Ḥobah, Par. 13, ch. XXIII אמש ושֶׁלְּפָנָיו ושֶׁלִּפְנֵי פנָיו yesterday and the day before yesterday, and the day before that.—לִפְנֵי עִוֵּר (also לפני only, v. עִוֵּר I) the law prohibiting an act which may lead a person to sin (Lev. XIX, 14). Ab. Zar. 14ᵃ וליחוש … אל׳ מפקדינן אל׳ דל׳ לא וכ׳ (Ms. M. אל׳ עור) but should we not apprehend, that he might sell (the incense) to others, who will burn it for idols? Said A., we are commanded to guard against an act directly leading to sin, but not against one that may indirectly cause sin; ib. 21ᵃ.—מִפְּנֵי for the sake of, on account of; מפני ש־ because. Sabb. II, 5 מ׳ שהוא מתיירא מ׳ גוים וכ׳ because he is afraid of invaders, of robbers, or of an evil wind. Ber. I, 3 וסכנתי בעצמי מ׳ וכ׳, v. סָכַן II. Ib. 3ᵃ מ׳ מה נכנסת וכ׳ why didst thou enter these ruins? Ib. מ׳ שלשה דברים for three reasons; מ׳ חשד because you give cause to suspicion; מ׳ המפולת because debris may fall on you; מ׳ המזיקין on account of demons; a. v. fr.—בִּפְנֵי in the presence of. Ib.ᵇ ב׳ המת in the presence of a dead person. Ib. 31ᵇ המורה הלכה ב׳ רבו he who gives a decision in his teacher’s presence; a. v. fr.—Kidd. 64ᵇ הנודר עד פְּנֵי פסח וכ׳; Ned. VIII, 2 הנודר עד לִפְנֵי הפסח וכ׳ if one says in his vow, ‘until p’né (lifné) Passover’, R. M. says, he is bound until Passover begins; R. J. says, until it is passed; Kidd. 65ᵃ, v. פְּנֵי I. e.g. Genesis 41:56
פְּנִים
- v. I Kings VI, 29; preced., cmp. ἐνώπια) [that which is in front of you when you enter,] inside, interior; לִפְנַי (וְ)לִפְ׳ the innermost. Tosef. Yom. II, 5 היו מסיקין מבחוץ והיה נאפה ונרדה מבפ׳ they heated the oven towards the outside (placed the fuel in front), and it (the show-bread) was baked and shoveled out from the interior; Yoma 38ᵃ, v. נָסַק. B. Mets. 16ᵃ זו אינה צריכה לפ׳ this (question) need not be brought inside (the college); צריכה לפ׳ ולפני לפ׳ it must be brought inside and even to the innermost. Y. Kil. IX, 32ᵇ bot. יכנס … לפ׳ let R. Ḥ. the elder go into the interior (to the front benches); לפ׳ ממני in front of me?; ר׳ … לפ׳ ור׳ ישמעאל … לפני לפ׳ R. Ḥ. … to the interior, R. I. … to the innermost (the very first); Y. Keth. XII, 35ᵃ bot. לפני ולפ׳. Y. Yeb. VI, 7ᶜ אחותו לעולם היא (מִ)בִּפְ׳ וכ׳ a priest’s sister is always inside (a member of the priestly family), until she steps outside (by marriage). Sabb. I, 1; a. v. fr.—לפ׳ משורת הדין, v. דִּין II.—Esp. the Temple precincts, the Temple and the priests’ court; לפני ולפ׳ the innermost, Holy of Holies. Ab. Zar. 50ᵃ בעינא כעין פ׳ (for a gift to an idol to be permanently forbidden for use, even after cancellation,) it is required that it be like the offerings in the interior Temple (sacrifices, incense &c., to the exclusion of votive gifts like candles, jewels &c.). Men. 9ᵃ לא בעיא בפ׳ must not necessarily be done within the Temple precincts, opp. to חוץ לחומת העזרה. Ib. נהי … פ׳ מיהת בעיא although it may be done by a non-priest, it must at least be done within &c. Y. Yoma V, 42ᵇ bot. כלפי לפ׳ towards the interior; a. fr.—Ib.; Y. Kil. VIII, 31ᶜ bot. מהו מבפ׳ (מהו) מבחוץ does it belong inside (to the Holy of Holies) or outside (to the Holy)?, v. טְרַקְסִין. e.g. 1 Kings 6:29
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 386 distinct written forms H6440 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 326 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H6440, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
Derived from this word
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 8 — not the complete family. 2 of the same-root words are proper names (people or places). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 1,786 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 1,891 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 1:2
- Exodus 1:12
- Leviticus 1:3
- Numbers 3:4
- Deuteronomy 1:8
- Joshua 1:5
- Judges 1:10
- Ruth 2:10
- 1 Samuel 1:12
- 2 Samuel 2:14
- 1 Kings 1:2
- 2 Kings 1:15
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.