What does פָּתַח · שָׂפָה mean in the Bible?
פָּתַח · שָׂפָה is a Hebrew phrase meaning "one who opens his lips widely".
Hebrew · H6605, H8193
פֹּתֶה שְׂפָתָיו
To open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen , begin , plough , carve · the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language ; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)
Reading a lexicon entry
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
פָּתַחH6605to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen , begin , plough , carve
שָׂפָהH8193the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language ; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)
Pronunciationsaphah
Lip as boundary extends metaphorically to language and edges, treating speech as a defining perimeter of identity.
Open lexicon entry →What does פֹּתֶה שְׂפָתָיו (poteh sefataiv) mean in the Bible?
פָּתַח · שָׂפָה is a Hebrew phrase meaning "one who opens his lips widely".
Full entry for פֹּתֶה שְׂפָתָיו (H6605, H8193) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for H6605, H8193?
H6605, H8193 is connected to 322 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew phrase. one who opens his lips widely
Source Gloss
one who opens his lips widely
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups5Aligned forms97
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense64×
ImperfectEzek 3:27 · Isa 41:18 · Job 31:32 · Job 32:20 · Mal 3:10 · Ps 39:10 · Ps 49:5 · Deut 28:12 · Exod 21:33 · Isa 53:7 · Prov 24:7 · Ps 38:14 · Deut 15:8 · Deut 15:11 · Ps 51:17 · Ps 104:2819×
Participle passive1Kgs 8:29 · 1Kgs 8:52 · 2Chr 6:20 · 2Chr 6:40 · 2Chr 7:15 · Ezek 21:33 · Jer 5:16 · Job 29:19 · Josh 8:17 · Neh 1:6 · Neh 6:5 · Num 19:15 · Ps 5:1013×
Perfect2Chr 29:3 · 2Kgs 15:16 · Isa 14:17 · Isa 50:5 · Jer 50:25 · Job 3:1 · Ps 78:23 · Ps 105:41 · Job 33:2 · Song 5:6 · Ps 37:14 · Ps 109:2 · Prov 31:2613×
Sequential imperfect2Kgs 13:17 · Prov 31:8 · Prov 31:9 · Zech 11:1 · Isa 26:2 · Jer 50:26 · Josh 10:22 · Ps 118:19 · Song 5:29×
Participle activeEzek 25:9 · Ezek 37:12 · Isa 22:22 · Jer 13:19 · Judg 3:25 · Ps 145:166×
Infinitive absoluteDeut 15:8 · Deut 15:11 · Nah 3:133×
CohortativePs 78:21×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action16×
ImperfectEzek 24:27 · Ezek 44:2 · Ezek 46:1 · Job 12:14 · Job 32:19 · Isa 35:5 · Jer 1:14 · Neh 7:39×
PerfectEzek 1:1 · Gen 7:11 · Isa 24:18 · Nah 2:7 · Nah 3:13 · Isa 5:276×
Participle passiveZech 13:11×
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action14×
PerfectJob 12:18 · Job 30:11 · Job 39:5 · Job 41:6 · Song 7:13 · Ps 30:12 · Ps 116:16 · Isa 48:88×
ImperfectExod 28:11 · Job 38:31 · Isa 28:24 · Isa 45:14×
Infinitive absoluteIsa 58:61×
Participle activeZech 3:91×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject1×
Participle passiveExod 39:61×
Hithpaelreflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others2×
Sequential imperfectIsa 52:22×
Word Origins
פֹּתֶה שְׂפָתָיו is a primitive root - no further derivation.