פַּ֫עַם
pa.am
beat
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Analysis of Hebrew *Pa'am* (פַּעַם) The Hebrew word *pa'am*, occurring 118 times in the biblical text, carries the fundamental meaning of "beat" or striking. This root concept extends naturally into related physical actions, suggesting the word encompasses both the literal impact of striking and the rhythmic or repetitive nature of such actions. The high frequency of occurrence indicates this was a common and semantically important term in biblical Hebrew. Given its core association with beating or striking, *pa'am* likely served multiple communicative purposes in ancient Hebrew texts—from describing physical blows and impacts to potentially conveying more abstract or figurative senses derived from the concrete image of striking. The repetitive nature implicit in beating suggests the word may also have been used to describe recurring actions or patterns. With 118 biblical occurrences, the term appears throughout various scriptural contexts, indicating it was essential vocabulary for Hebrew speakers and writers. Without access to the specific biblical passages where *pa'am* appears, the full semantic range—including any metaphorical or specialized uses—cannot be determined from the lexical data alone. However, the definition "beat," combined with the word's prevalence, indicates this was a foundational term for describing impact, repetition, and related concepts in biblical Hebrew expression.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
118 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice.
Nehemiah 4:12When the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us ten times from all places, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
Nehemiah 6:4They sent to me four times like this; and I answered them the same way.
Nehemiah 6:5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
Job 19:3You have reproached me ten times. You aren’t ashamed that you attack me.
Job 33:29“Behold, God does all these things, twice, yes three times, with a man,
Psalms 17:5My steps have held fast to your paths. My feet have not slipped.
Psalms 57:6They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into the middle of it themselves.
Psalms 58:10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
Psalms 74:3Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins, all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.
Psalms 85:13Righteousness goes before him, And prepares the way for his steps.
Psalms 106:43He rescued them many times, but they were rebellious in their counsel, and were brought low in their iniquity.
Psalms 119:133Establish my footsteps in your word. Don’t let any iniquity have dominion over me.
Psalms 140:4Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.
Song of Solomon 7:1How beautiful are your feet in sandals, prince’s daughter! Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a skillful workman.
Proverbs 7:12Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
Proverbs 7:12Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
Proverbs 29:5A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
Ecclesiastes 6:6Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place?
Ecclesiastes 7:22for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
Isaiah 26:6The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.”
Isaiah 37:25I have dug and drunk water, and with the sole of my feet I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt.”
Isaiah 41:7So the carpenter encourages the goldsmith. He who smoothes with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good;” and he fastens it with nails, that it might not totter.
Isaiah 66:8Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she gave birth to her children.
Jeremiah 10:18For Yahweh says, “Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.”
Jeremiah 16:21“Therefore behold, I will cause them to know, this once I will cause them to know my hand and my might. Then they will know that my name is Yahweh.”
Ezekiel 41:6The side rooms were in three stories, one over another, and thirty in order. They entered into the wall which belonged to the house for the side rooms all around, that they might be supported, and not penetrate the wall of the house.
Nahum 1:9What do you plot against Yahweh? He will make a full end. Affliction won’t rise up the second time.
Genesis 2:23The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.”
Genesis 18:32He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”
Genesis 27:36He said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing.” He said, “Haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?”
Genesis 29:34She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
Genesis 29:35She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
Genesis 30:20Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons.” She named him Zebulun.
Genesis 33:3He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
Exodus 9:27Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
Genesis 41:32The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
Genesis 43:10for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
Genesis 46:30Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”
Exodus 8:32Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.
Exodus 9:14For this time I will send all my plagues against your heart, against your officials, and against your people; that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.
Exodus 10:17Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this death.”
Exodus 23:17Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh.
Exodus 25:12You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four feet. Two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.
Exodus 34:23Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Exodus 34:24For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before Yahweh, your God, three times in the year.
Exodus 37:3He cast four rings of gold for it, in its four feet—two rings on its one side, and two rings on its other side.
Leviticus 4:6The priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before Yahweh, before the veil of the sanctuary.
Leviticus 4:17The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before Yahweh, before the veil.
Leviticus 8:11He sprinkled it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the basin and its base, to sanctify them.