6595. path
Lexical Summary
path: Morsel, piece, fragment

Original Word: פַת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: path
Pronunciation: path
Phonetic Spelling: (path)
KJV: meat, morsel, piece
NASB: piece, morsel, bits, bread, fragments, piece of bread, pieces
Word Origin: [from H6626 (פָּתַת - break)]

1. a bit

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
meat, morsel, piece

From pathath; a bit -- meat, morsel, piece.

see HEBREW pathath

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from pathath
Definition
fragment, bit, morsel
NASB Translation
bits (1), bread (1), fragments (1), morsel (3), piece (6), piece of bread (1), pieces (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מַּת noun feminineProverbs 17:1 fragment, bit, morsel of bread; — absolute תֲרֵבָה ׳פ Proverbs 17:1 a dry morsel; construct מַּתלֶֿחֶם Genesis 18:5; Judges 19:5; 1 Samuel 2:36; 1 Samuel 28:22; 1 Kings 17:11; Proverbs 28:21; suffix מִּתִּי Job 31:17, מִּתְּךָ Proverbs 23:8, מִּתֵּךְ Ruth 2:14, מִּתּוֺ 2 Samuel 12:3; plural מִּתִּים Leviticus 2:6; Leviticus 6:14; in simile Psalm 147:17.

[מָּתוֺת] noun [masculine] id.; — plural construct מְּתוֺתַי לֶתֶם Ezekiel 13:19.

Topical Lexicon
Overview

פַת (pat) is the ordinary “piece” or “morsel” that meets the most basic human need—daily bread. Across narrative, legal, poetic, and prophetic texts the term becomes a theological touch-point for hospitality, compassion, justice, and covenant faithfulness. The smallest fragment of bread can illumine the character of God and the moral responsibilities of His people.

Hospitality and Covenant Fellowship

Genesis 18:5 presents the first occurrence, when Abraham says, “Let me bring a morsel of bread that you may refresh yourselves.” The humble pat is the token of welcome that precedes the covenant reaffirmation and the birth promise of Isaac. Similarly, Judges 19:5 and Ruth 2:14 show that sharing a morsel establishes fellowship and safety when travelers and the vulnerable are exposed to danger. The offering of even a single pat is therefore more than etiquette; it is an act of covenant solidarity that mirrors the gracious welcome God extends to sinners.

Cultic and Sacrificial Usage

Leviticus 2:6 and Leviticus 6:21 instruct that the grain offering be broken “in pieces” before the LORD. The priest presents the entire cake, yet it is surrendered as fragments. Pat thereby teaches that every offering—great or small—must be yielded to God in obedient portions according to His word. The broken pieces anticipate the distributive nature of divine grace, later fulfilled in Messiah’s broken body (Matthew 26:26).

Divine Provision in Crisis

The narratives of Elijah and David underscore God’s faithfulness through tiny portions. The widow of Zarephath can give only “a piece of bread” (1 Kings 17:11), yet that act becomes the channel for a miracle of sustained flour and oil. In 2 Samuel 12:3 the poor man’s ewe lamb “ate from his morsel of bread,” showing that God’s favor can surround the destitute even when resources are meager.

Social Justice and Compassion

Job defends his integrity: “I have not eaten my morsel alone, nor has the fatherless gone without it” (Job 31:17). A righteous person cannot consume personal provision while ignoring the needy. Proverbs elevates this ethic: “Better a dry morsel with quietness than a house full of feasting with strife” (Proverbs 17:1), and “Partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread” (Proverbs 28:21). The smallest pat can reveal or betray a heart of greed, violence, or partiality.

Warnings against Compromise

Proverbs 23:8 cautions that the flattering feast of a stingy man ends in nausea: “You will vomit the morsel you ate.” Ezekiel amplifies the warning when condemning false prophetesses who profane the LORD “for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread” (Ezekiel 13:19). When spiritual leaders trade truth for subsistence-level gain, the covenant community is imperiled. The morsel becomes an indictment of apostasy.

Hailstones and Divine Sovereignty

Psalm 147:17 metaphorically names hailstones “morsels” hurled by the LORD: “He casts forth His hail like morsels; who can withstand His icy blast?” Even the weather patterns are described through the vocabulary of daily bread, emphasizing that every crumb of creation remains under Yahweh’s command.

Pastoral and Missional Implications

1. Evangelism and Hospitality: Offering even a small meal can open doors for gospel witness, echoing Abraham’s tent ministry.
2. Benevolence: Churches ought never to “eat their morsel alone.” Local benevolence funds and food pantries exhibit biblical righteousness.
3. Integrity in Leadership: Refusing to manipulate truth “for a piece of bread” guards against modern forms of prophetic compromise.
4. Worship: The Lord’s Supper, though a small fragment, retells redemption’s story; the Levitical pat foreshadows Christ’s broken body distributed to believers.

Key References

Genesis 18:5
Leviticus 2:6; 6:21
Judges 19:5
Ruth 2:14
1 Kings 17:11
Job 31:17
Psalm 147:17
Proverbs 17:1; 23:8; 28:21
Ezekiel 13:19

The recurring pat testifies that in God’s economy no portion is too small to convey grace, expose sin, or accomplish providential purpose.

Forms and Transliterations
וּבִפְת֣וֹתֵי ובפתותי כְפִתִּ֑ים כפתים מִפִּתּ֨וֹ מפתו פִּֽתְּךָ־ פִּתִּ֔ים פִּתִּ֣י פִּתֵּ֖ךְ פַּ֣ת פַּת־ פַת־ פת פת־ פתי פתים פתך פתך־ chefitTim fat ḵə·p̄it·tîm ḵəp̄ittîm mip·pit·tōw mippitTo mippittōw pat paṯ paṯ- p̄aṯ- pit·tə·ḵā- pit·têḵ pit·tî pit·tîm pitTech pittecha pittêḵ pittəḵā- pitTi pittî pitTim pittîm ū·ḇip̄·ṯō·w·ṯê ūḇip̄ṯōwṯê uvifTotei
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 18:5
HEB: וְאֶקְחָ֨ה פַת־ לֶ֜חֶם וְסַעֲד֤וּ
NAS: and I will bring a piece of bread,
KJV: And I will fetch a morsel of bread,
INT: will bring A piece of bread you may refresh

Leviticus 2:6
HEB: פָּת֤וֹת אֹתָהּ֙ פִּתִּ֔ים וְיָצַקְתָּ֥ עָלֶ֖יהָ
NAS: you shall break it into bits and pour
KJV: Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour
INT: shall break bits and pour and

Leviticus 6:21
HEB: תֻּפִינֵי֙ מִנְחַ֣ת פִּתִּ֔ים תַּקְרִ֥יב רֵֽיחַ־
NAS: in baked pieces as a soothing
KJV: it in: [and] the baken pieces of the meat offering
INT: baked offering pieces shall present aroma

Judges 19:5
HEB: סְעָ֧ד לִבְּךָ֛ פַּת־ לֶ֖חֶם וְאַחַ֥ר
NAS: yourself with a piece of bread,
KJV: thine heart with a morsel of bread,
INT: Sustain yourself A piece of bread and afterward

Ruth 2:14
HEB: הַלֶּ֔חֶם וְטָבַ֥לְתְּ פִּתֵּ֖ךְ בַּחֹ֑מֶץ וַתֵּ֙שֶׁב֙
NAS: and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.
KJV: and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.
INT: of the bread and dip your piece the vinegar sat

1 Samuel 2:36
HEB: הַכְּהֻנּ֖וֹת לֶאֱכֹ֥ל פַּת־ לָֽחֶם׃ ס
NAS: so that I may eat a piece of bread.'
KJV: that I may eat a piece of bread.
INT: of the priest's may eat A piece of bread

1 Samuel 28:22
HEB: וְאָשִׂ֧מָה לְפָנֶ֛יךָ פַּת־ לֶ֖חֶם וֶאֱכ֑וֹל
NAS: and let me set a piece of bread
KJV: and let me set a morsel of bread
INT: set before A piece of bread eat

2 Samuel 12:3
HEB: בָּנָ֖יו יַחְדָּ֑ו מִפִּתּ֨וֹ תֹאכַ֜ל וּמִכֹּס֤וֹ
NAS: It would eat of his bread and drink
KJV: it did eat of his own meat, and drank
INT: and his children together of his bread eat of his cup

1 Kings 17:11
HEB: נָ֥א לִ֛י פַּת־ לֶ֖חֶם בְּיָדֵֽךְ׃
NAS: bring me a piece of bread
KJV: Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread
INT: bring Please A piece of bread your hand

Job 31:17
HEB: וְאֹכַ֣ל פִּתִּ֣י לְבַדִּ֑י וְלֹא־
NAS: Or have eaten my morsel alone,
KJV: Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless
INT: have eaten my morsel alone Or

Psalm 147:17
HEB: מַשְׁלִ֣יךְ קַֽרְח֣וֹ כְפִתִּ֑ים לִפְנֵ֥י קָ֝רָת֗וֹ
NAS: forth His ice as fragments; Who
KJV: his ice like morsels: who can stand
INT: casts his ice fragments before cold

Proverbs 17:1
HEB: ט֤וֹב פַּ֣ת חֲ֭רֵבָה וְשַׁלְוָה־
NAS: is a dry morsel and quietness
KJV: [is] a dry morsel, and quietness
INT: Better morsel dry and quietness

Proverbs 23:8
HEB: פִּֽתְּךָ־ אָכַ֥לְתָּ תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה
NAS: You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten,
KJV: The morsel [which] thou hast eaten
INT: the morsel have eaten up

Proverbs 28:21
HEB: ט֑וֹב וְעַל־ פַּת־ לֶ֝֗חֶם יִפְשַׁע־
NAS: Because for a piece of bread
KJV: [is] not good: for for a piece of bread
INT: good Because A piece of bread will transgress

Ezekiel 13:19
HEB: בְּשַׁעֲלֵ֣י שְׂעֹרִים֮ וּבִפְת֣וֹתֵי לֶחֶם֒ לְהָמִ֤ית
KJV: of barley and for pieces of bread,
INT: handfuls of barley pieces of bread to put

15 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6595
15 Occurrences


ḵə·p̄it·tîm — 1 Occ.
p̄aṯ- — 1 Occ.
mip·pit·tōw — 1 Occ.
paṯ- — 6 Occ.
pit·têḵ — 1 Occ.
pit·tə·ḵā- — 1 Occ.
pit·tî — 1 Occ.
pit·tîm — 2 Occ.
ū·ḇip̄·ṯō·w·ṯê — 1 Occ.

6594
Top of Page
Top of Page