Lexical Summary
pagash: To meet, encounter
Original Word:פָגַשׁ
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:pagash
Pronunciation:pah-GAHSH
Phonetic Spelling:(paw-gash')
KJV: meet (with, together)
NASB:met, meet, common bond, encounter, have a common bond, have this, have this in common
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to come in contact with, whether by accident or violence
2. (figuratively) to concur
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
meet with, together
A primitive root; to come in contact with, whether by accident or violence; figuratively, to concur -- meet (with, together).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto meet, encounter
NASB Translationcommon bond (1), encounter (1), have a common bond (1), have this (1), have this in common (1), meet (3), meets (1), met (7).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (synonym ); —
Perfect1singularGenesis 33:8; 3plural consecutiveIsaiah 34:14;Imperfect3masculine singular suffixGenesis 32:18 (Gi; Baer ; van d. H. ),Exodus 4:24,27; 3feminine singular1 Samuel 25:20 (read probably Ges§ 47k, compare van d. H), etc.;Infinitive absoluteProverbs 17:12;constructJeremiah 41:6; —meet, with accusativeGenesis 33:8;1 Samuel 25:20;Isaiah 34:14;Jeremiah 41:6, so with suffixGenesis 32:18;Exodus 4:24,27;2 Samuel 2:13;meet, encounter, of bear, with personProverbs 17:12, of (like a bear)Hosea 13:8 (with suffix person).
meet together, each other, Perfect3pluralProverbs 22:2;Proverbs 29:13, figurative ofPsalm 85:11.
intensiveImperfect3masculine pluralJob 5:14they keep encountering darkness in the daytime.
Topical Lexicon
Range of Usageפָגַשׁ portrays the act of meeting or coming into contact—sometimes friendly, sometimes violent, always significant. Whether it describes Jacob’s servants crossing Esau’s path (Genesis 32:17), the LORD confronting Moses (Exodus 4:24), or the collision of divine attributes in poetry (Psalm 85:10), the verb marks a decisive point of intersection ordained by God.
Narrative Encounters
1.Genesis 32:17; 33:8 – Jacob anticipates and then experiences Esau’s response. The seemingly ordinary “meeting” becomes the climactic moment in a long account of sin, fear, prayer, and reconciliation, showing how God turns dread into peace.
2.Exodus 4:24–27 – The LORD “met” Moses on the way and threatened death, enforcing covenantal circumcision. Immediately afterward He sends Aaron to “meet” Moses, sealing their partnership. Divine confrontation corrects the leader; human partnership advances the mission.
3.1 Samuel 25:20 – Abigail’s unexpected meeting with David averts bloodshed. Pagash highlights God’s providence in placing a wise mediator at the exact moment of potential disaster.
4.2 Samuel 2:13 – Joab and Abner’s forces meet at Gibeon. The neutral-sounding verb introduces a tragic civil war, reminding readers that every meeting can pivot toward peace or conflict depending on human choice.
5.Jeremiah 41:6 – Ishmael meets the pilgrims with tears that mask treachery. The scene warns against judging encounters by appearances alone.
Divine–Human Encounters
Exodus 4:24 – “Now at a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and sought to put him to death.”
A fearful encounter that reaffirms God’s holiness and the inviolability of His covenant.
Psalm 85:10 – “Loving devotion and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss.”
Here pagash poetically describes the convergence of God’s attributes, prefiguring the atonement where righteousness is satisfied and peace secured.
Wisdom Observations
Job 5:14 – “They encounter darkness by day and grope at noon as in the night.” – God frustrates the crafty with unexpected judgment.
Proverbs 17:12 – “Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.” – A stark warning about the destructive contagion of folly.
Proverbs 22:2 – “The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all.” – Social intersections remind every class of shared origin and accountability.
Proverbs 29:13 – “The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: the LORD gives light to the eyes of both.” – Common grace equalizes all before divine evaluation.
Prophetic and Apocalyptic Images
Isaiah 34:14 paints abandoned Edom where “desert creatures will meet with hyenas.” The meeting of unclean beasts pictures total desolation under judgment.
Hosea 13:8 intensifies the threat: “Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them…” The encounter is violent retribution for covenant betrayal.
Theological Themes
• Sovereign Appointment – No encounter is random; God oversees each meeting (Genesis 33:8;2 Samuel 2:13).
• Crisis and Decision – Meetings often force decisive moral choices (Jacob’s humility, David’s restraint, Moses’ obedience).
• Harmony of Divine Attributes –Psalm 85:10 shows that God’s love and justice converge perfectly, a truth fully expressed in Christ’s work.
• Universal Accountability – Rich and poor “meet together” under one Creator (Proverbs 22:2).
• Judgment or Mercy – Pagash can herald either gracious intervention (1 Samuel 25:20) or severe punishment (Hosea 13:8).
Ministry Significance
• Every encounter is a ministry opportunity; like Abigail, believers can step into tense moments to promote righteousness.
• Leaders must stay covenant-faithful lest the LORD “meet” them in discipline, as with Moses.
• The verb urges peacemaking; Jacob’s account affirms prayer, restitution, and humility as tools of reconciliation.
• Evangelism crosses social divides, for God causes rich and poor to “meet together.”
• Discernment is vital; some meetings mask deadly intent (Jeremiah 41:6), while others test faith and obedience.
Summary
פָגַשׁ traces life-changing intersections orchestrated by God—between brothers, armies, classes, animals, and even divine attributes. Each occurrence invites readers to recognize providence, respond in faith, and seize the redemptive possibilities embedded in every meeting.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶפְגְּשֵׁם֙ אפגשם וַֽיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֛הוּ וַֽיִּפְגְּשׁ֛וּם וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֣הוּ וַתִּפְגֹּ֖שׁ וּפָגְשׁ֤וּ ויפגשהו ויפגשום ופגשו ותפגש יְפַגְּשׁוּ־ יִֽפְגָּשְׁךָ֞ יפגשו־ יפגשך כִּפְגֹ֣שׁ כפגש נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ נפגשו פָּג֬וֹשׁ פָּגָ֑שְׁתִּי פגוש פגשתי ’ep̄·gə·šêm ’ep̄gəšêm efgeShem kifGosh kip̄·ḡōš kip̄ḡōš nifGashu nip̄·gā·šū nip̄gāšū pā·ḡā·šə·tî pā·ḡō·wōš pāḡāšətî paGasheti paGoosh pāḡōwōš ū·p̄ā·ḡə·šū ufageShu ūp̄āḡəšū vaiyifgeShehu vaiyifgeShum vattifGosh wat·tip̄·gōš wattip̄gōš way·yip̄·gə·šê·hū way·yip̄·gə·šūm wayyip̄gəšêhū wayyip̄gəšūm yə·p̄ag·gə·šū- yefaggeshu yəp̄aggəšū- yifgasheCha yip̄·gā·šə·ḵā yip̄gāšəḵā
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