Hebrew · H6605, H8193 · unreviewed

פֹּתֶה שְׂפָתָיו

To open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen , begin , plough , carve · the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language ; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

פָּתַח H6605 to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen , begin , plough , carve
שָׂפָה H8193 the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language ; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)
Pronunciation saphah
Lip as boundary extends metaphorically to language and edges, treating speech as a defining perimeter of identity.
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What does פֹּתֶה שְׂפָתָיו (poteh sefataiv) mean in the Bible?

פָּתַח · שָׂפָה is a Hebrew word meaning "one who opens his lips widely".

Full entry for פֹּתֶה שְׂפָתָיו (H6605, H8193) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

one who opens his lips widely
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 64×
Imperfect Ezek 3:27 · Isa 41:18 · Job 31:32 · Job 32:20 · Mal 3:10 · Ps 39:10 · Ps 49:5 · Deut 28:12 · Exod 21:33 · Isa 53:7 · Prov 24:7 · Ps 38:14 · Deut 15:8 · Deut 15:11 · Ps 51:17 · Ps 104:28 19×
Participle passive 1Kgs 8:29 · 1Kgs 8:52 · 2Chr 6:20 · 2Chr 6:40 · 2Chr 7:15 · Ezek 21:33 · Jer 5:16 · Job 29:19 · Josh 8:17 · Neh 1:6 · Neh 6:5 · Num 19:15 · Ps 5:10 13×
Perfect 2Chr 29:3 · 2Kgs 15:16 · Isa 14:17 · Isa 50:5 · Jer 50:25 · Job 3:1 · Ps 78:23 · Ps 105:41 · Job 33:2 · Song 5:6 · Ps 37:14 · Ps 109:2 · Prov 31:26 13×
Sequential imperfect 2Kgs 13:17 · Prov 31:8 · Prov 31:9 · Zech 11:1 · Isa 26:2 · Jer 50:26 · Josh 10:22 · Ps 118:19 · Song 5:2
Participle active Ezek 25:9 · Ezek 37:12 · Isa 22:22 · Jer 13:19 · Judg 3:25 · Ps 145:16
Infinitive absolute Deut 15:8 · Deut 15:11 · Nah 3:13
Cohortative Ps 78:2
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 16×
Imperfect Ezek 24:27 · Ezek 44:2 · Ezek 46:1 · Job 12:14 · Job 32:19 · Isa 35:5 · Jer 1:14 · Neh 7:3
Perfect Ezek 1:1 · Gen 7:11 · Isa 24:18 · Nah 2:7 · Nah 3:13 · Isa 5:27
Participle passive Zech 13:1
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 14×
Perfect Job 12:18 · Job 30:11 · Job 39:5 · Job 41:6 · Song 7:13 · Ps 30:12 · Ps 116:16 · Isa 48:8
Imperfect Exod 28:11 · Job 38:31 · Isa 28:24 · Isa 45:1
Infinitive absolute Isa 58:6
Participle active Zech 3:9
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject
Participle passive Exod 39:6
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others
Sequential imperfect Isa 52:2
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 97 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Imperfect 32 Perfect 27 Participle passive 15 Imperative 11 Participle 7 Infinitive absolute 4 Cohortative 1
Stem
Qal 64 Niphal 16 Piel 14 Hithpael 2 Pual 1
Mood
Indicative 27 Indicative/jussive 24 Imperative 11 Indicative/cohortative 8
OT Occurrences
Gen 7:11 Niphal · Perfect · Indicative Exod 21:33 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Exod 28:11 Piel · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Exod 39:6 Pual · Participle passive Num 19:15 Qal · Participle passive Deut 15:8 Qal · Infinitive absolute Deut 15:8 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 15:11 Qal · Infinitive absolute Deut 15:11 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 28:12 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Josh 8:17 Qal · Participle passive Josh 10:22 Qal · Imperative · Imperative Judg 3:25 Qal · Participle 1 Kgs 8:29 Qal · Participle passive 1 Kgs 8:52 Qal · Participle passive 2 Kgs 13:17 Qal · Imperative · Imperative 2 Kgs 15:16 Qal · Perfect · Indicative 2 Chr 6:20 Qal · Participle passive 2 Chr 6:40 Qal · Participle passive 2 Chr 7:15 Qal · Participle passive 2 Chr 29:3 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Neh 1:6 Qal · Participle passive Neh 6:5 Qal · Participle passive Neh 7:3 Niphal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Job 3:1 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Job 12:14 Niphal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Job 12:18 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Job 29:19 Qal · Participle passive Job 30:11 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Job 31:32 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/cohortative Job 32:19 Niphal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Job 32:20 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/cohortative Job 33:2 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Job 38:31 Piel · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Job 39:5 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Job 41:6 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Ps 5:10 Qal · Participle passive Ps 30:12 Piel · Perfect · Indicative Ps 37:14 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Ps 38:14 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive +57 more occurrences

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Sources