פג

Forms

פַּג (paḡ) noun, masculine^[3][4] Found only in the plural with suffix פַּגֶּיהָ “its unripe figs”;^[5] Holladay suggests a singular פַּגָּה.^[2][5]

Etymology

Its etymology is uncertain.^[2] Gesenius–Buhl derives it from a root פגג (pgg), and the noun has cognates in Classical Syriac ܦܲܓ݁ܵܐ (paggā, “unripe fig”), in Jewish Aramaic, and in Arabic فِجّ (fijj, “unripe”).^[4][2][6][7] HALOT also asks whether it belongs with a Ge'ez verb meaning “to stink”,^[2] and Klein takes Latin fīcus (“fig tree”) to be probably a Hebrew loan.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is used once in the Bible, in the spring song of the Song of Songs: hattəʾēnâ ḥānəṭâ p̄aggêhā, “the fig tree has ripened its green figs” (Song of Songs 2:13).^[3] Gesenius–Buhl explains them as the early figs, set on the tree in winter and growing in spring, and SDBH as the early variety, valued for its flavour.^[4][8]

Semantic evolution

The Septuagint translates it with Ancient Greek ὄλυνθος (ólunthos), the winter fig.^[3][9] The Mishnah uses the plural paggîm for unripe fruit of other trees too, in the rules of the sabbatical year.^[10][2] Kimhi explains the word as figs not fully ripe and quotes the Rabbinic rule about a paggâ hidden in straw to ripen.^[11] Modern Hebrew פג (pag) also means a premature baby.^[7][12]

Timeline

• Biblical poetry – p̄aggêhā in Song of Songs 2:13.^[3]
• 3rd–2nd century BC – the Septuagint translates it with Ancient Greek ὄλυνθος (ólunthos).^[13][3]
• Rabbinic Hebrew – paggîm, unripe fruit, in the Mishnah.^[10]
• Modern Hebrew – pag “premature baby”.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. an unripe or early fig, the green fig on the tree in spring.^[2][4][8]

Descendants

• Modern Hebrew פג (pag)^[7]

Usage notes

HALOT and Gesenius–Buhl take the place name Bethphage, Ancient Greek Βηθφαγή (Bēthphagḗ) in Mark 11:1, as bêṯ paggêʾ, “house of unripe figs”, from the Aramaic form of this noun.^[2][4]

References

1. ^ Eep Talstra Centre for Bible and Computer (2021), BHSA: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Amstelodamensis, Text-Fabric dataset, version 2021, github.com/ETCBC/bhsa
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Koehler, Ludwig; Baumgartner, Walter; Stamm, Johann Jakob (1994–2000), The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, transl. and ed. M. E. J. Richardson, 5 vols, Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. פַּג
3. ^ a b c d e Clear Bible (2023–), MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets (Westminster Leningrad Codex, with Greek alignment), github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-hebrew, CC BY 4.0
4. ^ a b c d e Gesenius, Wilhelm; Buhl, Frants (1915), Hebräisches und aramäisches Handwörterbuch über das Alte Testament, 17th ed., Leipzig: F. C. W. Vogel, p. s.v. פַּג
5. ^ a b Holladay, William L. (1971), A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. פַּג
6. ^ Sokoloff, Michael (2009), A Syriac Lexicon, Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns; Piscataway: Gorgias Press, p. 1153
7. ^ a b c d e Klein, Ernest (1987), A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English, Jerusalem: Carta; Haifa: University of Haifa, p. s.v. פַּג
8. ^ a b de Blois, Reinier, ed. (2000–), Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew, United Bible Societies, sdbh.org, p. s.v. פַּג
9. ^ Gesenius, Wilhelm (1846), Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures, transl. Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, London: Samuel Bagster, p. s.v. פַּג
10. ^ a b Ben-Yehuda, Eliezer (1908–1959), Millon ha-lashon ha-ʿivrit ha-yeshanah ve-ha-ḥadashah / Thesaurus totius hebraitatis, 16 vols, Jerusalem; typed edition, Project Ben-Yehuda (benyehuda.org), p. s.v. פַּג
11. ^ Kimhi, David (13th c.), Sefer ha-Shorashim, ed. J. H. R. Biesenthal and F. Lebrecht (1847), Berlin: G. Bethge, p. s.v. פג
12. ^ Even-Shoshan, Avraham, Ha-Millon he-ḥadash, revised and adapted for the 21st century, Tel Aviv: Kinneret Zmora-Bitan, p. s.v. פַּג
13. ^ Sáenz-Badillos, Angel (1993), A History of the Hebrew Language, transl. John Elwolde, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 93