Hebrew word · H6476

פָּצַח

pitzchu

to break out

To break open or burst out, and in a rarer form to break bones in pieces (Mic 3:3). With 'ringing cry' it forms a phrase almost unique to Isaiah, meaning to burst out into jubilation.

Appears 8 times in 8 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. · Updated October 24, 2026

What it means

1) to cause to break or burst forth, break forth with, break out

1a) (Qal) to break out, break forthwith

1b) (Piel) to break up

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 Isaiah 49:13

Range of meaning: To break open or burst out, and in a rarer form to break bones in pieces (Mic 3:3). With 'ringing cry' it forms a phrase almost unique to Isaiah, meaning to burst out into jubilation.
Against the English: "Break forth" (KJV, ESV, BSB, NASB) and "burst into" (NIV, NLT) both keep the picture of sudden release.
Used elsewhere in the period: Isa 14:7 (the whole earth bursts into song when the tyrant falls); 44:23; 52:9 ("burst out, ring out together, you ruins of Jerusalem"); 54:1 (to the barren woman); 55:12 (mountains and hills burst into song). Outside Isaiah it appears in Ps 98:4.

From the study of Isaiah 52:9

Range of meaning: Pāṣaḥ: 'to break out, burst forth,' used in the Qal stem for sound bursting out (only in Isaiah and Psalm 98:4). In the Piel stem it means literally 'break' bones (Micah 3:3). Rānan: 'to give a ringing cry,' usually a shout of joy or triumph in worship, but sometimes a cry of distress (Lamentations 2:19, 'arise, cry out in the night').
Against the English: KJV, WEB and BSB add 'into/in joy' after 'break forth.' This is a fair inference but not in the Hebrew of this verse; in other places Isaiah adds the noun rinnāh ('ringing cry') after the verb (44:23; 49:13; 54:1; 55:12). YLT leaves it out. NIV and NLT merge the two verbs into one 'song of joy,' which is smoother but loses the two quick commands.
Used elsewhere in the period: Isaiah repeatedly pairs these words in calls for creation or Zion to burst into song (14:7; 44:23; 49:13; 54:1; 55:12). Psalm 98:4 has nearly the same command ('burst out, ring out, sing praise'), and Psalm 98:1–3 shares the language of the next verse (God's 'holy arm'; 'all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God'). This ties Isaiah 52:7–10 to the psalms that celebrate 'the LORD reigns.'

From the study of Isaiah 44:23

Range of meaning: Patsach means to break open or burst; in Micah 3:3 it is used of breaking bones. With rinnah, 'ringing cry', it means to burst out into joyful shouting, like something that can no longer be held in.
Against the English: 'Break forth into singing' (KJV) keeps the bursting image; 'break forth in song' (BSB) is close. 'Song' can suggest an organised hymn, but the Hebrew sound is a spontaneous ringing shout.
Used elsewhere in the period: Almost all its uses are in Isaiah: 14:7 (the whole earth bursts into song when the king of Babylon falls); 44:23; 49:13; 52:9 (Jerusalem's ruins); 54:1 (the barren woman); 55:12 (the mountains, while the trees clap their hands). Also Psalm 98:4.

Where it appears

Psalms · 1

Psalm 98:4 פִּצְח֖וּ break forth

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises!

Here: 'Burst out!' The picture is of something breaking open and spilling over, as pent-up sound erupts. This is a favourite verb in Isaiah 40–55, where people and nature 'burst into song' at God's rescue of his people. It ties this psalm to that message of homecoming.

Isaiah · 6

Isaiah 14:7 פָּצְח֖וּ people have broken forth

All the earth is at peace and at rest; they break out in song.
Isaiah 44:23 פִּצְח֤וּ break forth

Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O depths of the earth. Break forth in song, O mountains, you forests and all your trees. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and revealed His glory in Israel.

Here: 'Burst open!' The picture is of something that cracks and spills over. Joined to 'ringing cry', it is a favourite phrase of these chapters (Isaiah 14:7; 49:13; 52:9; 54:1; 55:12).
Isaiah 49:13 וּפִצְח֥וּ and break forth

Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones.

Here: "And burst out!" The picture is of something splitting open, as joy that cannot be held in breaks loose. Isaiah uses 'burst out with a ringing cry' as a stock phrase (14:7; 44:23; 52:9; 54:1; 55:12).
Isaiah 52:9 פִּצְח֤וּ break forth

Break forth in joy, sing together, O ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem.

Here: A plural command: 'burst out!' The picture is sound breaking out like something that has been held in under pressure. Hebrew does not say 'into joy' here; English versions add that, though the next word makes clear the sound is joyful.
Isaiah 54:1 פִּצְחִ֨י break forth

“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.

Here: Second command: 'burst out'. The picture is of something long held in breaking open, sound pouring out. In Isaiah it always comes with 'ringing cry' (44:23; 49:13; 52:9; 55:12).
Isaiah 55:12 יִפְצְח֤וּ they will break forth

You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Here: 'They will burst out.' The picture is of something breaking open, like a shout that cannot be held in. Isaiah 40–55 uses this verb with 'shout' as a standing phrase (44:23; 49:13; 52:9; 54:1).

Micah · 1

Micah 3:3 פִּצֵּ֑חוּ they have broken in pieces

You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.”

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