H6363a H6363a
That which opens the womb — the firstborn, whether of humans or animals, consecrated to the LORD.
Always appearing in the construct phrase peter rechem ('opener of the womb'), this noun designates the firstborn child or animal that first breaks open its mother's womb. The concept is central to Israelite consecration law: because God struck the firstborn of Egypt, every peter rechem in Israel — human and animal alike — belongs to the LORD (Ex 13:2, 12-15). The term appears in apposition with bekhor ('firstborn') in Exodus 13:2 and Numbers 3:12, showing that 'opener of the womb' and 'firstborn' are functionally synonymous, though peter emphasizes the physical act of parturition while bekhor emphasizes birth-order status.
Senses
1. opener of — Opener of (the womb) — the literal construct expression peter rechem, emphasizing the physical act of first opening the mother's womb. Exodus 13:2 commands: 'Consecrate to me every firstborn, every opener of the womb among the Israelites.' The emphasis falls on the biological event of parturition rather than on lineage or rank. Spanish 'abridor de' and English 'opener of' preserve this concrete, physical nuance. Seven occurrences use this more literal formulation, including the key legislative texts in Exodus 13:12-13. 7×
AR["فَاتِحَ","فَاتِحِ"]·ben["প্রথমজাত","যা-খোলে","যা-খোলে-","যে-খোলে"]·DE["[פטר]","opener-von","opener-von-"]·EN["opener-of","opener-of-"]·FR["opener-de","opener-de-","ouverture"]·heb["פטר"]·HI["खोलने-वाले","जो-खोलता-है","पहलौठे"]·ID["pembuka","yang-membuka","yang-membuka-"]·IT["[פטר]","opener-di","opener-di-"]·jav["ingkang-mbikak","ingkang-mbikak-","pembukaan"]·KO["여는","여는-","여는-자","처음-태어난-것을"]·PT["abridor","abridor-","abridor-de","primogênito-de","que-abre"]·RU["разверзающего","разверзающее","разверзающее-","чрево"]·ES["abridor-de","primogénito-de","que-abre","que-abre-","que-abre-de-"]·SW["anayefungua","mfunguzi","mzaliwa-wa-kwanza","wanaofungua","wanaofungua-"]·TR["açan","açanı","açanı-","ilk-doğanı"]·urd["پہلوٹھے-کو","کھولنے-والا"]
2. firstborn of — Firstborn of — the same construct phrase rendered with emphasis on the consecrated status of the child or animal rather than the physical act. In Exodus 34:19-20 and Numbers 18:15, the term functions as a near-synonym for bekhor ('firstborn'), focusing on the offspring's identity and its claim by God. Spanish 'primogénito de,' French 'premier-né de,' and German 'Erstgeborener von' all render it as a kinship/status term. The four occurrences in this sense cluster in later legislative restatements of the firstborn law. 4×
AR["فاتِحُ","فاتِحِ","فَاتِحَةِ","وَ-فاتِحُ"]·ben["এবং-প্রথমজাত","জ্যেষ্ঠ","প্রথমজাত"]·DE["Erstgeborener-von","und-Erstgeborener-von"]·EN["and-firstborn-of","firstborn-of"]·FR["et-premier-né-de","premier-né-de"]·heb["ו-פטר","פטר"]·HI["और-पहलौठा","जो-पहले-खोलता-है","पहलौठा"]·ID["Dan-yang-membuka","yang-membuka"]·IT["e-primogenito-di","primogenito-di"]·jav["Lan-ingkang-mbikak","ingkang-mbikak","pambarep"]·KO["그리고-첫-태생","처음-태어난-것-의","첫-태생","첫-태생이"]·PT["E-abridor-de-","abridor-de-","que-abre"]·RU["И-разверзающего","разверзающее"]·ES["Y-primogénito-de","primogénito-de"]·SW["kila-kitu-kinachofungua","mzaliwa-wa-kwanza-wa-","na-mzaliwa-wa-kwanza-wa-"]·TR["Ve-açan","açan"]·urd["اور-پہلوٹھے","پہلوٹھا","کھولنے-والا"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† פֶּ֫טֶר n.[m.] that which separates, first opens;—cstr., פּ׳ רֶחֶם i.e. firstborn, of man and beast, Ez 20:26; Ex 13:12, 15; 34:19; Nu 18:15; appos. בְּכוֹר Ex 13:2 Nu 3:12; רֶחֶם om. Ex 13:12, 13; 34:19, 20.