Hebrew word · H6339

פָּזַז

vaiyafozu

be agile

To be nimble or agile, to spring or leap. The root occurs only twice: here, and in Genesis 49:24, where the arms of Joseph's hands are 'made agile/supple'. BDB compares an Arabic root meaning to start up or leap. It is a separate root from paz ('refined gold', H6337), which only looks similar.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to bound, be agile, be supple

1a) (Qal) to be nimble

1b) (Piel) to leap, show agility

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 2 Samuel 6:16

Range of meaning

To be nimble or agile, to spring or leap. The root occurs only twice: here, and in Genesis 49:24, where the arms of Joseph's hands are 'made agile/supple'. BDB compares an Arabic root meaning to start up or leap. It is a separate root from paz ('refined gold', H6337), which only looks similar.

Against the English

Nearly every English version has 'leaping', which is accurate. YLT's 'moving' is too weak. The Hebrew participle shows continuous action, 'kept springing', which English mostly flattens into a single description.

Used elsewhere in the period

Gen 49:24 (Qal). The parallel in 1 Chr 15:29 replaces it with meraqqed, 'skipping', a common verb for leaping like a calf or ram (Ps 29:6; 114:4). That suggests the Chronicler took it for vigorous jumping.

From the study of Genesis 49:24

Range of meaning

Lexicons usually list two roots. (1) 'To be agile, nimble, supple': Qal here, and Piel in 2 Sam 6:16, where David is 'leaping' before the LORD. (2) 'To be refined', of gold: the Hophal participle mûpāz in 1 Kgs 10:18, 'refined gold', related to pāz, 'pure gold'.

Against the English

KJV and WEB 'were made strong'. BSB 'were tempered' leans toward the refining or hardening sense. ESV and NASB ('agile') and NIV ('limber') follow the 'nimble' root. NLT 'were strengthened' follows the KJV line.

How it drifted

KJV followed older Jewish and Christian interpretation that took the verb as 'strengthened'. The comparison with 2 Sam 6:16 points instead to quickness and flexibility.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Sam 6:16 ('leaping and whirling', with the root kārar beside pāzaz). 1 Kgs 10:18 for the 'refined' sense. HALOT separates the two roots. The Septuagint ('were loosened') and the Vulgate (dissoluta, 'loosed') read the verb quite differently and apply it to the enemies' arms.

Similar words

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 49:24 וַיָּפֹ֖זּוּ and they were agile

    Yet he steadied his bow, and his strong arms were tempered by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, in the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

    Here: 'And they were nimble/supple'. The same root describes David leaping and dancing in 2 Samuel 6:16. The picture is quick, flexible arms that handle the bow well, which is a different thing from brute muscle.

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 6:16 מְפַזֵּ֤ז leaping

    As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.

    Here: A participle for ongoing action: he keeps springing and bounding. The root is very rare and suggests quick, agile movement.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.