What does פֶּטֶר (peṭer) mean in the Bible?
פֶּטֶר (peṭer): Firstborn animal that breaks open the womb, marking sacred separation and covenant obligation to God.
Hebrew · H6363
פֶּטֶר
פֶּטֶר (peṭer): Firstborn animal that breaks open the womb, marking sacred separation and covenant obligation to God.
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פֶּטֶרH6363
Pronunciationpeṭer
What does פֶּטֶר (peṭer) mean in the Bible?
Full entry for פֶּטֶר (H6363) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6363?
The BSB source-word alignment has 12 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include The firstborn (6), firstborn (2), firstborn {in the fire} (1), The first offspring (1), the firstborn male (1).
Where does פֶּטֶר (peṭer) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 13:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (8), Numbers (3), Ezekiel (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItThe firstborn6×Exodus 13:2, Exodus 13:12, Exodus 13:15, Exodus 34:19
firstborn2×Exodus 13:13, Numbers 3:12
firstborn {in the fire}1×Ezekiel 20:26
The first offspring1×Exodus 34:19
the firstborn male1×Exodus 13:12
who come first1×Numbers 8:16
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 13:2פֶּ֤טֶרtoThe firstbornNoun - masculine singular constructExodus 13:12פֶּֽטֶר־tothe firstborn maleNoun - masculine singular constructExodus 13:12פֶּ֣טֶר׀tothe firstbornNoun - masculine singular constructExodus 13:13פֶּ֤טֶרtofirstbornNoun - masculine singular constructExodus 13:15פֶּ֤טֶרtothe firstbornNoun - masculine singular constructExodus 34:19פֶּ֥טֶרtoThe first offspringNoun - masculine singular constructExodus 34:19פֶּ֖טֶרtothe firstbornNoun - masculine singular constructExodus 34:20וּפֶ֤טֶרtothe firstbornConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructNumbers 3:12פֶּ֥טֶרtofirstbornNoun - masculine singular constructNumbers 8:16פִּטְרַ֨תtowho come firstNoun - feminine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 13:2
Aligned rows12
Books represented3
Exodus8Numbers3Ezekiel1
Source forms
פֶּ֤טֶר3xpe·ṭerExodus 13:2, Exodus 13:13, Exodus 13:15
פֶּ֥טֶר2xpe·ṭerExodus 34:19, Numbers 3:12
פֶּ֣טֶר2xpe·ṭerNumbers 18:15, Ezekiel 20:26
וּפֶ֤טֶר1xū·p̄e·ṭerExodus 34:20
פֶּ֖טֶר1xpe·ṭerExodus 34:19
פֶּֽטֶר־1xpe·ṭer-Exodus 13:12
פֶּ֣טֶר׀1xpe·ṭerExodus 13:12
פִּטְרַ֨ת1xpiṭ·raṯNumbers 8:16
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular construct10xExodus 13:2, Exodus 13:12, Exodus 13:13, Exodus 13:15
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct1xExodus 34:20
Noun - feminine singular construct1xNumbers 8:16
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Firstborn animal that breaks open the womb, marking sacred separation and covenant obligation to God.
Source Gloss
a fissure , i.e. (concretely) firstling (as opening the matrix)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Firstborn animal that breaks open the womb, marking sacred separation and covenant obligation to God.
a fissure, i.e. (concretely) firstling (as opening the matrix) BDB: that which separates Usage: firstling, openeth, such as open.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
פֶּטֶר is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.