Hebrew word · H6291
פַּגָּה
fageiha
early fig
An early, unripe or not-yet-ripe fig, specifically the small green fruit seen on the tree in spring. It occurs once in the Hebrew Bible and is common in later Hebrew for unripe fruit.
Appears once in the Hebrew Old Testament. ·
What it means
green fig, early fig
Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
From the study of Song of Songs 2:13
- Range of meaning
An early, unripe or not-yet-ripe fig, specifically the small green fruit seen on the tree in spring. It occurs once in the Hebrew Bible and is common in later Hebrew for unripe fruit.
- Against the English
KJV and WEB 'green figs' and YLT 'green figs' are accurate. BSB/ESV 'its figs' drop the 'unripe' element, and 'ripens its figs' makes them sound edible.
- Used elsewhere in the period
The place name Bethphage ('house of green figs') near Jerusalem (Mark 11:1) preserves the word. The New Testament assumes the same farming calendar: a fig tree in leaf at Passover could be expected to show early fruit (Mark 11:13), and a fig branch going tender and leafing out is a sign that summer is near (Matt 24:32).
Where it appears
Song of Songs · 1
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Song of Songs 2:13 פַגֶּ֔יהָ early figs its
The fig tree ripens its figs; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come away, my darling; come away with me, my beautiful one.”
Here: 'Her green figs': the small, hard, early figs that show on the branches in spring. The word occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible; it survives in the place name Bethphage, 'house of green figs'.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.