H6341a H6341a
bird-trap, snare — a catching device used literally and figuratively for plots, calamity, and judgment
Pach is a concrete noun denoting a bird-trap or snare — the spring-loaded device that clamps shut when triggered — appearing 25 times with the literal meaning largely eclipsed by its figurative force. Only three passages describe an actual hunting device: Amos 3:5 ('does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no snare for it?'), Proverbs 7:23 (the youth going to the adulteress 'as a bird rushes into a snare'), and Ecclesiastes 9:12 ('like birds caught in a snare'). Everywhere else, pach serves as a powerful metaphor for hidden danger: the psalmist's enemies 'have hidden a trap for me' (Ps 140:5; 142:3), Hosea warns that the prophet is a 'fowler's snare' on all his ways (Hos 9:8), and the repeated Isaiah-Jeremiah refrain 'terror and pit and snare' (pachad waphachat waphach, Isa 24:17-18 = Jer 48:43-44) exploits alliterative wordplay. Joshua warns that remaining Canaanite nations will become 'a snare and a trap' to Israel (Josh 23:13). The imagery always evokes sudden, inescapable entrapment. Spanish 'trampa/lazo,' French 'piege,' and German 'Falle' all map to the trapping concept.
Senses
1. snare, trap — A spring-trap or snare for catching birds, used literally in wisdom literature (Amos 3:5; Prov 7:23; Eccl 9:12) and overwhelmingly as a figure for hidden dangers, plots, and inescapable judgment. The psalmist's enemies lay a pach in secret (Ps 140:5; 142:3; 119:110), Joshua warns that the nations will become a snare (Josh 23:13), and the famous alliterative triad pachad-pachat-pach ('dread, pit, and snare') in Isa 24:17 = Jer 48:43 underscores the inescapability of divine judgment. Often paralleled with moqesh ('lure') and reshet ('net'). French 'piege' and Spanish 'trampa' capture both literal and figurative registers. 25×
AR["بِالْفَخِّ", "فَخًّا", "فَخٌّ", "فَخٍّ", "فَخّاً", "فِخاخٌ", "فِخَاخًا", "فِخَاخٌ", "مِن-فَخّ", "مِنْ-فَخَّ", "وَ-فِخَاخًا", "وَفَخٌّ"]·ben["এবং-ফাঁদ", "ও-ফাঁদ", "ফাঁদ", "ফাঁদ-", "ফাঁদ-থেকে", "ফাঁদে", "ফাঁদে-", "ফাঁদের-জন্য", "সেই-ফাঁদ-থেকে"]·DE["Falle", "[בפח]", "[ופח]", "[ופחים]", "[פחים]", "coals", "ein-Falle", "von-der-Falle-von"]·EN["a-snare", "a-snare-of", "a-trap", "and-snare", "and-snares", "coals", "from-the-snare-of", "in-the-snare", "snare", "snares", "trap"]·FR["dans-le-piège", "de-piège", "et-piège", "piège", "à-piège", "פח", "פחים"]·heb["ב-ה-פח", "ב-פח", "ו-פח", "ו-פחים", "ל-פח", "מ-פח", "מלכודות", "פַּח", "פח", "פחים"]·HI["और-फंदा", "और-फंदे", "और-फन्दा", "जाल", "फंदा", "फंदे", "फन्दा", "फन्दे-के", "फन्दे-में", "फन्दे-से", "में-फंदे", "से-फंदे"]·ID["dalam-jerat", "dan-jerat", "dan-jerat-jerat", "dari-jerat", "jerat", "jerat-jerat", "menjadi-jerat", "oleh-jerat", "perangkap"]·IT["e-trappola", "laccio", "snares", "trappola", "un-snare", "un-trap"]·jav["dados-kala-jerat", "dening-jèbèt", "dipundhelikaken", "ing-jiretan", "jebakan", "jiret", "kala", "kala-jerat", "kala-jiret", "lan-jiretan", "lan-jèbèt", "saking-jiret", "saking-kala"]·KO["그리고-덧들을", "그리고-올가미가", "그리고-올무라", "덧-으로", "덧들이", "덧이", "덧이니", "덫", "덫-을", "올가미에-", "올무-로", "올무-를", "올무-에", "올무-에서", "올무들-을"]·PT["armadilha", "armadilhas", "da-armadilha", "do-laço", "do-laço-do", "e-laço", "e-laços", "há-laços", "laço", "laço-de", "laços", "no-laço"]·RU["в-капкан", "западня", "и-капкан", "и-сети", "капкан", "капкана", "капканом", "ловушка", "ловушки", "ловушкой", "от-сети", "сети", "сеть", "силок", "силок,", "угли"]·ES["de-trampa-de", "en-el-lazo", "en-la-trampa", "hay-trampas", "lazos", "para-trampa", "trampa", "trampa-de", "y-lazo", "y-lazos", "y-trampa", "y-trampas"]·SW["katika-mtego", "kutoka-kwenye-mtego", "kutoka-mtego-wa", "kwa-mtego", "mitego", "mtego", "mtego-wa", "na-mitego", "na-mtego"]·TR["-de-tuzakta", "tuzak", "tuzak-için", "tuzaklar", "tuzakta", "tuzağa", "tuzağın", "tuzağından", "ve-tuzak", "ve-tuzaklar"]·urd["-پھندے-میں", "اور-جال", "اور-پھندا", "جال-سے", "لِ-پھندے", "پھندا", "پھندے", "پھندے ہیں", "پھندے-سے", "پھندے-میں", "پھندے-کے"]
Related Senses
H2719 1. sword, weapon of war (410×)H4196 1. altar (place of sacrifice) (403×)H7393 1. chariot, chariotry (117×)H7198 1. bow (weapon) (72×)H7979 1. table (71×)H7782 1. ram's horn trumpet (69×)H4294 2. staff, rod, scepter (63×)H4043 1. shield, defensive weapon (60×)H0646 1. ephod (priestly garment) (49×)H8504 1. blue (violet-blue yarn/fabric) (49×)H2595 1. spear, lance (48×)H2671 1. arrow, projectile weapon (46×)H4818 1. chariot, war-chariot (44×)H3658 1. lyre, harp (stringed instrument) (42×)H1537 1. Gilgal (place name) (41×)H0713 1. purple (fabric/dye) (38×)H0905 3. poles, staves (37×)H7392 1. Qal participle: rider, charioteer (37×)H4501 1. cultic lampstand (menorah) (36×)H0212 1. wheel (35×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. פַּח n.m. ψ 124:7 bird-trap (cf. Wilkinson Egyptians (1878) ii, 103, 109 f. Dr Am 3:5 HoffmZAW iii (1883), 101);* cf. also BaldenspergerPEF 1905, 38 (paḥ used now פ׳ abs. Ho 5:1 +, פָּ֑ח Je 48:44 +; cstr. פַּח Ho 9:8 +; pl. פַּחִים Je 18:22 +;— 1. lit. יַעֲלֶה פ׳ Am 3:5 b (as metaph.; v a del. פ׳); Pr 7:23; Ec 9:12 (c. אָחוּז; both in sim.). 2. usually fig. (sometimes ‖ מוֹקֵשׁ, רֶשֶׁת,…