פָּצַר
pa.tsar
to press
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# פָּצַר (patsar): The Hebrew Word for Pressing The Hebrew verb פָּצַר (patsar) carries the fundamental meaning "to press," appearing seven times throughout the biblical text. This relatively rare verb describes a physical action of applying forceful pressure, though its specific contexts in Scripture would determine whether this pressure is literal, figurative, or intensional in nature. The limited frequency of occurrence suggests it served a particular communicative purpose in biblical Hebrew rather than functioning as an everyday term. Given only the definition and occurrence count, patsar represents a specialized vocabulary choice for situations requiring the concept of pressing or pressuring. Its appearance in exactly seven biblical passages indicates the word filled a distinct semantic niche—precise enough to be distinguished from more common verbs, yet not so frequent as to be foundational to Hebrew expression. Without access to the specific passages where patsar appears, we can note that biblical authors selected this particular term deliberately, suggesting contexts where the notion of pressing held significance for their theological or narrative purposes.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences across the text
He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
Genesis 19:9They said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now we will deal worse with you than with them!” They pressed hard on the man Lot, and came near to break the door.
Genesis 33:11Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.
Judges 19:7The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he stayed there again.
1 Samuel 15:23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.”
2 Kings 2:17When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.” Therefore they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but didn’t find him.
2 Kings 5:16But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he refused.