H6621 H6621
Suddenly, in an instant; denotes unexpected, abrupt occurrence
An adverb expressing sudden, unexpected action — something that happens without warning or preparation. Often paired with the near-synonym pitʾom for emphatic force ('very suddenly,' Num 6:9). It appears in legal contexts for accidental harm (Num 35:22), in prophetic oracles for swift divine judgment (Isa 29:5; 30:13; Hab 2:7), and in wisdom literature for the abrupt ruin of the fool (Prov 6:15; 29:1). Spanish 'de repente' and 'subitamente' confirm the consistent meaning across all occurrences.
Senses
1. suddenly, in an instant — Suddenly, in an instant — marking an action or event as abrupt and unforeseen. In Numbers 35:22 it qualifies an accidental thrust ('in suddenness,' i.e., without premeditation). Paired with pitʾom in Numbers 6:9 and Isaiah 29:5 for emphatic force ('very suddenly'). In Proverbs 6:15 and 29:1 it describes the swift, irreversible breaking of the fool. Multilingual glosses are unanimous: Spanish 'de repente / subitamente,' English 'in a moment / in an instant,' all pointing to one clear temporal adverb. 7×
AR["بَغْتَةً", "بِ-غَتْأَةٍ", "بِفَجْأَةٍ", "فَجأَةً", "فَجْأَةً"]·ben["ক্ষণে-", "ব-হঠাৎ", "হঠাৎ"]·DE["[לפתע]", "[פתע]", "in-suddenness", "mit-suddenness"]·EN["in-a-moment", "in-an-instant", "in-suddenness", "suddenly", "with-suddenness"]·FR["[לפתע]", "avec-suddenness", "dans-suddenness", "soudainement", "פתע"]·heb["ב-פתע", "ל-פתע", "פתע"]·HI["अचानक", "एकाएक", "झट-से", "में-अचानक", "से-अचानक"]·ID["dengan-sekejap", "dengan-tiba-tiba", "secara-mendadak", "tiba-tiba"]·IT["[לפתע]", "[פתע]", "con-suddenness", "in-suddenness", "in-un-moment", "suddenly"]·jav["dumadakan", "ing-sakedhap", "ing-sekedhap", "mawi-dumadakan"]·KO["갑자기", "순간", "에-갑자기", "에-순식간에"]·PT["de-repente", "em-repente", "subitamente"]·RU["в-внезапности", "внезапно", "мгновенно"]·ES["de-repente", "en-repentino", "en-un-instante", "súbitamente"]·SW["Bpta", "ghafla", "kwa-ghafla", "mara-moja"]·TR["-da-aniden", "aniden", "aniden-", "birden"]·urd["اچانک", "جلدی", "سے-اچانک", "فوراً"]
Related Senses
H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H1242 1. morning (214×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)G3568 1. now (147×)G2193 1. until (143×)G3825 1. (141×)G3752 1. (123×)H6153 1. evening, time of day (123×)H0227a 1. then (122×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† פֶּ֫תַע subst. suddenness (√ unknown: cf. Assyrian ina pitti, ina pittimma, in suddenness, instantly, DlHWB 553):—Nu 35:22 וְאִם־בְּפֶתַע … הֲדָפוֹ if he have thrust him in suddenness, before he is aware what he has done (i.e. accidentally); + פִּתְאֹם Nu 6:9, וכי ימות מת עליו בפתע פתאם i.e. very suddenly; לְפֶתַע according to (לְ, p. 516b) suddenness, Is 29:5 והיה לפתע פתאם = at an instant,…