6594. pishtah
Lexical Summary
pishtah: Flax

Original Word: פִשְׁתָּה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: pishtah
Pronunciation: pish-taw'
Phonetic Spelling: (pish-taw')
KJV: flax, tow
NASB: flax, wick
Word Origin: [feminine of H6593 (פִּשׁתֶּה - linen)]

1. flax
2. (by implication) a wick

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
flax, tow

Feminine of pishteh; flax; by implication, a wick -- flax, tow.

see HEBREW pishteh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as pesheth
Definition
flax
NASB Translation
flax (2), wick (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מִּשְׁתָּה noun feminine flax; — ׳פ:

1 growing Exodus 9:31 (twice in verse)(J).

2 = wick Isaiah 42:3; Isaiah 43:17 (in simile).

מַּת see פתת.

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Scope

פִשְׁתָּה (pishtah) denotes flax in its various forms—plant, stalk, fiber, and by extension the wick fashioned from twisted flax threads. The term therefore touches agriculture, textile production, domestic lighting, and rich biblical imagery.

Agricultural and Economic Background

Flax was a staple crop in the ancient Near East. Sown in late winter and harvested in the spring, it thrived in the alluvial soils of the Nile and the Jordan valleys. After ripening it was pulled up by the root, dried, retted in water, beaten, and combed to separate fibers. The resulting linen was prized for garments (Genesis 41:42), priestly vestments (Exodus 28:39-42), and fine fabrics traded throughout the Mediterranean world (Proverbs 31:24). Because flax ripened earlier than wheat, its destruction by hail (Exodus 9:31) carried immediate economic loss, underscoring the severity of the plague on Egypt.

Manufacture of Linen and Lamp Wicks

Flax fibers spun into yarn produced lightweight, cool, and durable cloth. When twisted loosely, the same fibers formed lamp wicks. A small clay lamp filled with olive oil could illuminate a home when its flax wick was trimmed and lit. The smoldering or dying wick became a ready metaphor for fragility and impending darkness.

Occurrences in Scripture

Exodus 9:31 records the literal crop: “Now the flax and the barley were destroyed, since the barley was ripe and the flax was in bloom.”
Isaiah 42:3 presents the compassionate Servant: “A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.”
Isaiah 43:17 employs the same image for judgment upon foes: God causes them to “lie down together…they are extinguished, quenched like a wick.”

Theological Symbolism

1. Vulnerability: A newly budding flax plant or a flickering wick can be ruined by a single hail-stone or a careless breath, portraying the tenuous nature of human strength apart from God.
2. Gentleness of the Servant: Isaiah 42:3 shows Messiah’s tenderness toward the weak. The endangered flame of faith will not be snuffed out by Him; rather, He nurses it to full brightness. The New Testament explicitly applies this to Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:20).
3. Finality of Divine Judgment: Conversely, Isaiah 43:17 depicts the Lord’s enemies as a wick instantly quenched. The same material that can barely sustain a light is easily doused when God decrees.

Typological and Messianic Implications

Flax imagery anticipates Christ’s ministry. Where legalistic religion may bruise or extinguish, the Servant restores. The weak spark in a contrite sinner is preserved, reflecting the Gospel promise that “a dimly burning wick He will not quench” until justice triumphs.

Lessons for Ministry and Discipleship

• Pastoral care must emulate the Servant’s patience with faltering believers, nurturing rather than crushing.
• Intercessory prayer can be viewed as trimming the wick—removing charred portions so the light of faith burns cleanly.
• Dependence on the Spirit is vital; self-reliance is as fragile as flax in a hailstorm.

Judgment and Assurance

Isaiah 43:17 reassures God’s people that threats arrayed against them are ultimately as perishable as a wick in water. This dual reality—gentleness toward the penitent and decisive judgment upon the unrepentant—underscores the consistency of divine character throughout Scripture.

Practical Applications for the Church

• Worship settings that employ candles or lamps can teach about the sustenance and extinguishing of spiritual light.
• Linen coverings on the Communion table trace back to flax, reminding congregations of purity, service, and sacrifice.
• Global missions benefit from the flax motif: fragile communities need servants who foster growth rather than impose crushing demands.

Summary

פִשְׁתָּה threads through Scripture as both commodity and symbol. From Egypt’s ruined crop to Isaiah’s prophetic portraits, flax illustrates human frailty, the Lord’s compassionate righteousness, and the finality of His judgments. Its lessons continue to guide believers toward gentle ministry and steadfast trust in the God who preserves faint flames and quenches all opposition in His time.

Forms and Transliterations
וְהַפִּשְׁתָּ֖ה וְהַפִּשְׁתָּ֥ה וּפִשְׁתָּ֥ה והפשתה ופשתה כַּפִּשְׁתָּ֥ה כפשתה kap·piš·tāh kappishTah kappištāh ū·p̄iš·tāh ufishTah ūp̄ištāh vehappishTah wə·hap·piš·tāh wəhappištāh
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Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 9:31
HEB: וְהַפִּשְׁתָּ֥ה וְהַשְּׂעֹרָ֖ה נֻכָּ֑תָה
NAS: (Now the flax and the barley
KJV: And the flax and the barley
INT: the flax and the barley were ruined

Exodus 9:31
HEB: הַשְּׂעֹרָה֙ אָבִ֔יב וְהַפִּשְׁתָּ֖ה גִּבְעֹֽל׃
NAS: was in the ear and the flax was in bud.
KJV: [was] in the ear, and the flax [was] bolled.
INT: the barley the ear and the flax bud

Isaiah 42:3
HEB: לֹ֣א יִשְׁבּ֔וֹר וּפִשְׁתָּ֥ה כֵהָ֖ה לֹ֣א
NAS: And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
KJV: and the smoking flax shall he not quench:
INT: He will not break wick dimly He will not

Isaiah 43:17
HEB: יָק֔וּמוּ דָּעֲכ֖וּ כַּפִּשְׁתָּ֥ה כָבֽוּ׃
NAS: again; They have been quenched [and] extinguished like a wick):
KJV: they are quenched as tow.
INT: rise are extinct tow have been quenched

4 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6594
4 Occurrences


kap·piš·tāh — 1 Occ.
ū·p̄iš·tāh — 1 Occ.
wə·hap·piš·tāh — 2 Occ.

6593
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