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 Joshua — 77 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.
Joshua
- Joshua 1:5 לְ/פָנֶ֔י/ךָ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2ms There shall not any man be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you, nor forsake you.
- Joshua 1:14 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall abide in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but you shall pass over before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them;
- Joshua 2:9 מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶֽם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp and she said to the men, I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you is fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.
- Joshua 2:10 מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶ֔ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
- Joshua 2:11 מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶ֑ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp As soon as we had heard it, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.
- Joshua 2:24 מִ/פָּנֵֽי/נוּ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cp They said to Joshua, Truly Yahweh has delivered into our hands all the land; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land do melt away before us.
- Joshua 3:6 לִ/פְנֵ֣י לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs prep + n c bp cs Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
- Joshua 3:10 מִ֠/פְּנֵי/כֶם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp Joshua said, Hereby you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite.
- Joshua 3:11 לִ/פְנֵי/כֶ֖ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over before you into the Jordan.
- Joshua 3:14 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs It happened, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over the Jordan, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people;
- Joshua 4:5 לִ/פְנֵ֨י prep + n c bp cs and Joshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of Yahweh your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up every man of you a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
- Joshua 4:7 מִ/פְּנֵי֙ prep + n c bp cs then you shall tell them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh; when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.
- Joshua 4:11 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs It happened, when all the people had completely passed over, that the ark of Yahweh passed over, with the priests, in the presence of the people.
- Joshua 4:12 לִ/פְנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them:
- Joshua 4:13 לִ/פְנֵ֤י prep + n c bp cs about forty thousand ready armed for war passed over before Yahweh to battle, to the plains of Jericho.
- Joshua 4:23 מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶ֖ם מִ/פָּנֵ֖י/נוּ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cp For Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until you were passed over, as Yahweh your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were passed over;
- Joshua 5:1 מִ/פְּנֵ֥י מִ/פְּנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs prep + n c bp cs It happened, when all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how that Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
- Joshua 5:14 פָּנָ֥י/ו n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms He said, No; but [as] prince of the host of Yahweh am I now come. Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said to him, What says my lord to his servant?
- Joshua 6:1 מִ/פְּנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
- Joshua 6:4 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark: and the seventh day you shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
- Joshua 6:6 לִ/פְנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh.
- Joshua 6:7 לִ/פְנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs They said to the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let the armed men pass on before the ark of Yahweh.
- Joshua 6:8 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs It was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before Yahweh passed on, and blew the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh followed them.
- Joshua 6:9 לִ/פְנֵי֙ prep + n c bp cs The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rearward went after the ark, [the priests] blowing the trumpets as they went.
- Joshua 6:13 לִ/פְנֵי֙ לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֔ם prep + n c bp cs prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh went on continually, and blew the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; and the rearward came after the ark of Yahweh, [the priests] blowing the trumpets as they went.
- Joshua 6:26 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs Joshua charged them with an oath at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before Yahweh, that rises up and builds this city Jericho: with the loss of his firstborn shall he lay the foundation of it, and with the loss of his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
- Joshua 7:4 לִ/פְנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs So there went up there of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
- Joshua 7:5 לִ/פְנֵ֤י prep + n c bp cs The men of Ai struck of them about thirty-six men; and they chased them [from] before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent; and the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
- Joshua 7:6 פָּנָ֨י/ו לִ/פְנֵ֨י n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms prep + n c bp cs Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of Yahweh until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
- Joshua 7:8 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel has turned their backs before their enemies!
- Joshua 7:10 פָּנֶֽי/ךָ n c bp cs + sfx pers 2ms Yahweh said to Joshua, Get you up; why are you thus fallen on your face?
- Joshua 7:12 לִ/פְנֵ֣י לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs prep + n c bp cs Therefore the children of Israel can't stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they are become accursed: I will not be with you any more, except you destroy the devoted thing from among you.
- Joshua 7:13 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, There is a devoted thing in the midst of you, Israel; you can not stand before your enemies, until you take away the devoted thing from among you.
- Joshua 7:23 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs They took them from the midst of the tent, and brought them to Joshua, and to all the children of Israel; and they laid them down before Yahweh.
- Joshua 8:5 לִ/פְנֵי/הֶֽם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp and I, and all the people who are with me, will approach to the city. It shall happen, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them;
- Joshua 8:6 לְ/פָנֵ֔י/נוּ לִ/פְנֵי/הֶֽם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cp prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp and they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: so we will flee before them;
- Joshua 8:10 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs Joshua arose up early in the morning, and mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
- Joshua 8:14 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs It happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he didn't know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
- Joshua 8:15 לִ/פְנֵי/הֶ֑ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
- Joshua 8:32 לִ/פְנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote, in the presence of the children of Israel.
- Joshua 9:24 מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶ֑ם מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶ֔ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp They answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told your servants, how that Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
- Joshua 10:8 בְּ/פָנֶֽי/ךָ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2ms Yahweh said to Joshua, Don't fear them: for I have delivered them into your hands; there shall not a man of them stand before you.
- Joshua 10:10 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs Yahweh confused them before Israel, and he killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah, and to Makkedah.
- Joshua 10:11 מִ/פְּנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs It happened, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, that Yahweh cast down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died: they were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel killed with the sword.
- Joshua 10:12 לִ/פְנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs Then spoke Joshua to Yahweh in the day when Yahweh delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel; and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand you still on Gibeon; You, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon.
- Joshua 10:14 לְ/פָנָ֣י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms There was no day like that before it or after it, that Yahweh listened to the voice of a man: for Yahweh fought for Israel.
- Joshua 11:6 מִ/פְּנֵי/הֶם֒ לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp prep + n c bp cs Yahweh said to Joshua, Don't be afraid because of them; for tomorrow at this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: you shall hamstring their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
- Joshua 11:10 לְ/פָנִ֔ים prep + n c bp Joshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck the king of it with the sword: for Hazor before was the head of all those kingdoms.
- Joshua 13:3 פְּנֵ֣י n c bp cs from the Shihor, which is before Egypt, even to the border of Ekron northward, [which] is reckoned to the Canaanites; the five lords of the Philistines; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avvim,
- Joshua 13:6 מִ/פְּנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs all the inhabitants of the hill-country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, even all the Sidonians; them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only allot you it to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.
- Joshua 13:25 פְּנֵ֥י n c bp cs Their border was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aroer that is before Rabbah;
- Joshua 14:15 לְ/פָנִים֙ prep + n c bp Now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba; [which Arba was] the greatest man among the Anakim. The land had rest from war.
- Joshua 15:8 פְּנֵ֤י n c bp cs and the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite southward (the same is Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the uttermost part of the valley of Rephaim northward;
- Joshua 15:15 לְ/פָנִ֖ים prep + n c bp He went up there against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.
- Joshua 17:4 לִ/פְנֵי֩ וְ/לִ/פְנֵ֣י וְ/לִ/פְנֵ֤י prep + n c bp cs conj + prep + n c bp cs conj + prep + n c bp cs They came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, Yahweh commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers: therefore according to the commandment of Yahweh he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father.
- Joshua 17:7 פְּנֵ֣י n c bp cs The border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem; and the border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.
- Joshua 18:1 לִ/פְנֵי/הֶֽם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there: and the land was subdued before them.
- Joshua 18:6 לִ/פְנֵ֖י prep + n c bp cs You shall describe the land into seven portions, and bring [the description] here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh our God.
- Joshua 18:8 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs The men arose, and went: and Joshua charged those who went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me; and I will cast lots for you here before Yahweh in Shiloh.
- Joshua 18:10 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before Yahweh: and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
- Joshua 18:14 פְּנֵ֥י n c bp cs The border extended [there], and turned about on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beth Horon southward; and the goings out of it were at Kiriath Baal (the same is Kiriath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
- Joshua 18:16 פְּנֵי֙ n c bp cs and the border went down to the uttermost part of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim northward; and it went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite southward, and went down to En Rogel;
- Joshua 19:11 פְּנֵ֥י n c bp cs and their border went up westward, even to Maralah, and reached to Dabbesheth; and it reached to the brook that is before Jokneam;
- Joshua 19:51 לִ/פְנֵ֣י prep + n c bp cs These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers' [houses] of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance by lot in Shiloh before Yahweh, at the door of the tent of meeting. So they made an end of dividing the land.
- Joshua 20:6 לִ/פְנֵ֤י prep + n c bp cs He shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the manslayer return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city from whence he fled.
- Joshua 20:9 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unwittingly might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
- Joshua 21:44 בִּ/פְנֵי/הֶם֙ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp Yahweh gave them rest round about, according to all that he swore to their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; Yahweh delivered all their enemies into their hand.
- Joshua 22:27 לְ/פָנָ֔י/ו prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3ms but it shall be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may do the service of Yahweh before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not tell our children in time to come, You have no portion in Yahweh.
- Joshua 22:29 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs Far be it from us that we should rebel against Yahweh, and turn away this day from following Yahweh, to build an altar for burnt-offering, for meal-offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Yahweh our God that is before his tent.
- Joshua 23:3 מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶ֑ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp and you have seen all that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations because of you; for Yahweh your God, he it is that has fought for you.
- Joshua 23:5 מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶ֔ם מִ/לִּ/פְנֵי/כֶ֑ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp prep + prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp Yahweh your God, he will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and you shall possess their land, as Yahweh your God spoke to you.
- Joshua 23:9 מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶ֔ם בִּ/פְנֵי/כֶ֔ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp For Yahweh has driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.
- Joshua 23:13 מִ/לִּ/פְנֵי/כֶ֑ם prep + prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp know for a certainty that Yahweh your God will no more drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, and a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you.
- Joshua 24:1 לִ/פְנֵ֥י prep + n c bp cs Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
- Joshua 24:8 מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶֽם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that lived beyond the Jordan: and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, and you possessed their land; and I destroyed them from before you.
- Joshua 24:12 לִ/פְנֵי/כֶם֙ מִ/פְּנֵי/כֶ֔ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow.
- Joshua 24:18 מִ/פָּנֵ֑י/נוּ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cp and Yahweh drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land: therefore we also will serve Yahweh; for he is our God.
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.
