Lexical Summary
paga: To meet, encounter, entreat, intercede, strike, reach
Original Word:פָגַע
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:paga`
Pronunciation:pah-GAH
Phonetic Spelling:(paw-gah')
KJV: come (betwixt), cause to entreat, fall (upon), make intercession, intercessor, intreat, lay, light (upon), meet (together), pray, reach, run
NASB:fall, reached, fell, meet, meets, attack, entreat
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to impinge, by accident or violence, or (figuratively) by importunity
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
come between, cause to entreat, fall upon, make intercession, intercessor, entreat
A primitive root; to impinge, by accident or violence, or (figuratively) by importunity -- come (betwixt), cause to entreat, fall (upon), make intercession, intercessor, intreat, lay, light (upon), meet (together), pray, reach, run.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto meet, encounter, reach
NASB Translationapproach (1), attack (2), attacked (1), came (1), cut him down (1), entreat (2), fall (7), fell (4), happen (1), intercede (2), interceded (1), kill (1), make supplication (1), meet (3), meets (3), met (2), pleaded (1), reached (6), spare (1), strike the mark (1), touched (1), touched and reached (1), urge (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Late Hebrew
id.; Aramaic ,
; possibly akin to Arabic
,
happen to, light upon;
is
pain, afflict); —
Perfect3masculine singular1 Kings 2:32 +, suffix consecutiveAmos 5:19, etc.;Imperfect3masculine singularGenesis 28:11+; 1pluralJob 21:15, etc.;Imperative masculine singularJudges 8:21+; masculine pluralGenesis 23:8;Infinitive construct1 Samuel 22:17, suffixNumbers 35:19,21; —
meet, light upon, with accusative of person1 Samuel 10:5;Exodus 5:20 (J), with suffix personAmos 5:19;Exodus 23:4; with personGenesis 32:2 (E),Numbers 35:19,21 (P); with locationGenesis 28:11 (E).
meet, with kindness, with accusative of personIsaiah 64:5 (subject ), soIsaiah 47:3 according to Ew De Di and others; CheHpt (reading, with Du, for ).
encounter with hostility,fall upon with personJoshua 2:16 (JE),Judges 8:21;Judges 15:12;Judges 18:25;1 Samuel 22:17,18 (twice in verse);2 Samuel 1:15;1 Kings 2:25,29,31,32,34,46;Ruth 2:22; of God, with accusative (suffix), + instrumentalExodus 5:3.
encounter with request,entreat, with personJeremiah 7:16;Job 21:15, followed by clauseJeremiah 27:18;Ruth 1:16, + person on whose behalfGenesis 23:8
strike, touch, of boundary, with locationJoshua 16:7;Joshua 19:11,22,26,27,34 (twice in verse), compareJoshua 17:10; with locationJoshua 19:11.
cause to light upon, Perfect3masculine singular with accusative of thing + personIsaiah 53:6.
cause one (accusative)to entreat1singular ( person)Jeremiah 15:11 (otherwise Gie; Co strike out see as gloss).
make entreaty, 3 pluralJeremiah 36:25 with person; more Generallyinterpose,Imperfect3masculine singularIsaiah 53:12, with person in whose behalf;ParticipleIsaiah 59:16one interposing.
make attack, onlyParticipleJob 36:32assailant, but Ol Bu Du and othersmark.
Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and Core Ideaפָגַע (pagaʿ) portrays the moment when two parties, paths, or events “meet.” The encounter may be friendly, hostile, accidental, or intentional. From that literal idea grow metaphorical uses: an unexpected collision, a military clash, the arrival at a destination, or the spiritual act of pressing one’s plea upon God so that prayer “meets” the need.
Encounters and Everyday Meetings
1. Geographic arrival – “He reached a certain place and spent the night there” (Genesis 28:11).
2. Providential meetings – “Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him” (Genesis 32:1).
3. Routine rendezvous – “You will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place” (1 Samuel 10:5).
In these texts pagaʿ marks the juncture where human plans intersect divine appointments, reminding readers that seemingly ordinary moments may carry redemptive significance.
Conflict, Crisis, and Confrontation
Pagaʿ often turns combative. Amaziah’s challenge, “Come, let us meet face to face” (2 Kings 14:8), is a call to battle.Proverbs 17:12 warns, “Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.” The same verb describes pursuers overtaking fugitives (Joshua 2:16;Ruth 1:16). Scripture thus links pagaʿ with the peril of collision when human arrogance ignores God’s counsel.
Intercession and Mediation
The word’s most profound dimension is prayer that “comes in contact with” God on behalf of another.
• “Do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or petition for them; do not intercede with Me” (Jeremiah 7:16).
• “He saw that there was no man, He was amazed that there was no one to intercede” (Isaiah 59:16).
• “He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).
Here pagaʿ conveys persistent, even confrontational, supplication—standing in the breach until God’s mercy and mankind’s need converge.
Covenantal Fulfillment in Christ
Isaiah 53:12 anchors pagaʿ in Messiah’s ministry. Jesus Christ “made intercession” by offering Himself as both Priest and Sacrifice, the ultimate meeting point of holiness and sin. The New Testament verb ἐντυγχάνω (Romans 8:34;Hebrews 7:25) carries forward the same thought: the risen Lord “always lives to intercede” for His people.
Poetic Theology
Psalm 85:10 celebrates the harmonious side of pagaʿ: “Loving devotion and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.” When divine attributes converge, redemption flows outward. Conversely,Lamentations 1:20 laments the grim meeting of sword and survivor during Jerusalem’s fall.
Historical Snapshots of Intercessors
• Moses repeatedly pleads for Israel (the verb itself appears inExodus 8:28; 9:28).
• Samuel’s thunderstorm prayer saves the nation (1 Samuel 12:16–25).
• Hezekiah’s intercessory letter is spread before the LORD (2 Kings 19:14–19).
In each case pagaʿ embodies a mediator who steps between God’s wrath and the people’s peril, previewing Christ’s high-priestly work.
Ministry Implications
1. Intercessory prayer is not polite distance but bold engagement. To “meet” God for others is to wrestle until blessing arrives (Genesis 32:26).
2. Spiritual encounters can be turning points; leaders should anticipate divine appointments in ordinary travel, conversation, or crisis.
3. The church’s evangelistic mission mimics pagaʿ: bridging the gap between a holy God and lost humanity through witness and prayer.
Key References for Personal Study
Genesis 28:11;Genesis 32:1;Exodus 8:28;Numbers 35:19;Joshua 2:16;1 Samuel 10:5;1 Samuel 25:20;2 Kings 14:8;Psalm 85:10;Proverbs 17:12;Isaiah 53:6–12;Isaiah 59:16;Isaiah 64:5;Jeremiah 7:16;Jeremiah 27:18;Lamentations 1:20.
Together these passages reveal pagaʿ as the vocabulary of encounter—whether angels on a road, armies in a valley, or prayers before a throne—declaring that the living God still meets His people and invites them to meet Him on behalf of the world.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶפְגַּ֖ע אפגע בְּפִגְעוֹ־ בְמַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ במפגיע׃ בפגעו־ הִפְגִּ֣יעַ הִפְגִּ֣עוּ הִפְגַּ֣עְתִּֽי הפגיע הפגעו הפגעתי וַֽיִּפְגְּעוּ֙ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ־ וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע וַיִּפְגַּע־ וּפְגַ֖ע וּפְגַע־ וּפְגָע֖וֹ וּפִגְעוּ־ וּפָגַ֣ע וּפָגַ֤ע וּפָגַ֨ע וּפָגַע֙ וּפָגַע֩ וּפָגַעְתָּ֞ ויפגע ויפגע־ ויפגעו ויפגעו־ ופגע ופגע־ ופגעו ופגעו־ ופגעת יִפְגְּע֣וּ יִפְגְּע֣וּן יִפְגְּע֥וּ יִפְגְּעוּ־ יִפְגָּעֵ֔נוּ יַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ יפגיע׃ יפגעו יפגעו־ יפגעון יפגענו לִפְגֹ֖עַ לפגע מַפְגִּ֑יעַ מפגיע נִפְגַּע־ נפגע־ פְּגַע־ פָּגַ֣ע פָּגַ֤עְתָּ פגע פגע־ פגעת תִּפְגְּע֥וּן תִּפְגְּעִי־ תִּפְגַּע־ תִפְגַּ֞ע תפגע תפגע־ תפגעון תפגעי־ ’ep̄·ga‘ ’ep̄ga‘ ḇə·map̄·gî·a‘ bə·p̄iḡ·‘ōw- befigov ḇəmap̄gîa‘ bəp̄iḡ‘ōw- efGa hifGati hifGia hifGiu hip̄·ga‘·tî hip̄·gi·‘ū hip̄·gî·a‘ hip̄ga‘tî hip̄gi‘ū hip̄gîa‘ lifGoa lip̄·ḡō·a‘ lip̄ḡōa‘ mafGia map̄·gî·a‘ map̄gîa‘ nifga nip̄·ga‘- nip̄ga‘- pā·ḡa‘ pā·ḡa‘·tā paGa pāḡa‘ pāḡa‘tā paGata pə·ḡa‘- pega pəḡa‘- tifGa tifgei tifgeUn ṯip̄·ga‘ tip̄·ga‘- tip̄·gə·‘î- tip̄·gə·‘ūn ṯip̄ga‘ tip̄ga‘- tip̄gə‘î- tip̄gə‘ūn ū·p̄ā·ḡa‘ ū·p̄ā·ḡa‘·tā ū·p̄ə·ḡa‘ ū·p̄ə·ḡa‘- ū·p̄ə·ḡā·‘ōw ū·p̄iḡ·‘ū- ufaGa ufagaTa ufega ufegaO ufigu ūp̄āḡa‘ ūp̄āḡa‘tā ūp̄əḡa‘ ūp̄əḡa‘- ūp̄əḡā‘ōw ūp̄iḡ‘ū- vaiyifGa vaiyifgeu vemafGia way·yip̄·ga‘ way·yip̄·ga‘- way·yip̄·gə·‘ū way·yip̄·gə·‘ū- wayyip̄ga‘ wayyip̄ga‘- wayyip̄gə‘ū wayyip̄gə‘ū- yafGia yap̄·gî·a‘ yap̄gîa‘ yifgaEnu yifgeU yifgeUn yip̄·gā·‘ê·nū yip̄·gə·‘ū yip̄·gə·‘ū- yip̄·gə·‘ūn yip̄gā‘ênū yip̄gə‘ū yip̄gə‘ū- yip̄gə‘ūn
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