Word Study – Paga‘ (laid / made to meet)

Introduction
I came across the following when trying to best understand the use of paga’ in Isaiah 53 (and elsewhere in the Old Testament).

“A fascinating use of “paga” is found in Isaiah 53:6 “the Lord laid (paga) on him the iniquity of us all.”  The word is meaning our sins “fell” on Jesus, (so we could become what He intended).  If one reads through all the verses using “paga” a good number of them are about “falling on” someone and the person dying, so there is great intensity in this word. (http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/emagazine/022.doc — not to be deemed as an endorsement of the entire document or site)”

I recommend reading the verses below in context (in the Bible). Paga‘ is used in several different ways in the Old Testament; when it is used concerning people (as opposed to borders, etc.), it often (though not always) denotes real impact or significance — whether the impact of striking/falling on someone to kill them, or to entreat/intercede on someone’s behalf. I can by no means be dogmatic about it, nevertheless this word does not appear to be used in any kind of legal sense (either regularly or commonly or anywhere at all in the verses at issue). Paga‘ is indeed used in reference to entreating or interceding, but I can find nothing that supports the idea that the word is used in a legal sense (as in an attorney interceding for his client, or a surety for the debtor). This isn’t to say that the word, and the reasoning/message behind its usage, isn’t legal (or doesn’t have legal ramifications). Nonetheless, the term itself is not a legal term, nor is it really used as such.

As I have stated before, I am using the common secular definition of the term legal (or legally); which is is generally defined as that which is, or that which describes, something: (a) of/relating/by law, (b) having a formal status derived from law often without a basis in actual fact; (c) recognized or made effective by a court of law; (d) Recognized or enforced by law rather than by equity; and (e) created by the constructions of the law <a legal fiction> — these are the literal definitions of “legal” and “legally” as defined by several dictionary sources, they are not my words. Thus, when people object to the terms “merely legal” and “legal fiction” they are missing a vital aspect of what “legally” really and truly means. Said again, legally essentially means a legal construct, without basis in actual reality, something declared to be so by law. Thus, their is no indication that Paga‘ is being used as a legal term.

Laid (Made to meet) 06293 paga‘ (paw-gah’): a primitive root; v; {See TWOT on 1731}; AV-fall 12, meet 11, reach 7, intercession 4, intreat 2, entreat 1, misc 9; 46; 1) to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession; 1a) (Qal); 1a1) to meet, light upon, join; 1a2) to meet (of kindness); 1a3) to encounter, fall upon (of hostility); 1a4) to encounter, entreat (of request); 1a5) to strike, touch (of boundary); 1b) (Hiphil); 1b1) to cause to light upon; 1b2) to cause to entreat; 1b3) to make entreaty, interpose; 1b4) to make attack; 1b5) to reach the mark.

Strong’s and others define it also as “to impinge (by accident or violence), come between, reach run.” According to Merriam Webster, impinge is defined as: 1) to strike or dash especially with a sharp collision <I heard the rain impinge upon the earth — James Joyce>; 2) to have an effect : make an impression <waiting for the germ of a new idea to impinge upon my mind — Phyllis Bentley>; and 3)encroach, infringe <impinge on other people’s rights>  —  The Gesenius’s Lexicon states that it essentially means to strike upon, push upon, to rush on (especially with the purpose to slay), to light upon, to reach. 

TVM: Hiphil 08818, Perfect 08816, Count: 2675

08818 Hiphil: a) Hiphil usually expresses the “causative” action of Qal-see H8851 (and chart below); b) Hiphil is often used to form verbs from nouns and adjectives (like to listen (lend an ear) from ear; and to remove oneself, put far away from far); c) Some “simple” verbs are found in Hiphil: to cast, to destroy, to get up early, to explain, to tell – The form accounts for 13.3% of the verbs parsed.

08816 Perfect: The Perfect expresses a completed action – 1) In reference to time, such an action may be: 1a) one just completed from the standpoint of the present; “I have come” to tell you the news; 1b) one completed in the more or less distant past; in the beginning God “created” – “I was (once) young” and “I have (now) grown old” but “I have not seen” a righteous man forsaken; 1c) one already completed from the point of view of another past act; God saw everything that “he had made;” 1d) one completed from the point of view of another action yet future – I will draw for thy camels also until “they have done” drinking; 2) The perfect is often used where the present is employed in English; 2a) in the case of general truths or actions of frequent occurrence—truths or actions which have been often experienced or observed the grass “withereth” the sparrow “findeth” a house; 2b) an action or attitude of the past may be continued into the present – “I stretch out” my hands to thee; thou never forsakest” those who seek thee. 2c) the perfect of intransitive verbs is used where English uses the present; The perfect in Hebrew in such a case emphasises a condition which has come into “complete existence” and realisation; “I know” thou wilt be king; “I hate” all workers of iniquity; 2d) Sometimes in Hebrew, future events are conceived so vividly and so realistically that they are regarded as having virtually taken place and are described by the perfect; 2d1) in promises, threats and language of contracts the field “give I” thee and if not, “I will take it;” 2d2) prophetic language my people “is gone into captivity;” (i.e. shall assuredly go).

Passages containing paga‘ in the Old Testament

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid <06293> (8689) on him the iniquity of us all.

Jeremiah 15:11 The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat <06293> (8689) thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.

Jeremiah 36:25 Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession <06293> (8689) to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.

Intercession is defined as: the act of interceding; interceding is defined as to intervene between parties with a view to reconciling differences; to intervene is defined as 1 : to occur, fall, or come between points of time or events <only six months intervened between their marriage and divorce>; 2 : to enter or appear as an irrelevant or extraneous feature or circumstance <it’s business as usual until a crisis intervenes>; 3 a : to come in or between by way of hindrance or modification <intervene to stop a fight> b : to interfere with the outcome or course especially of a condition or process (as to prevent harm or improve functioning); 4 :
to occur or lie between two things — Note however that most translators/interpreters state that intercession, as it is generally understood today, is not in view in Isaiah 53:6.