Original Word: פִנָּה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: pinnah
Pronunciation: pin-naw'
Phonetic Spelling: (pin-naw')
KJV: bulwark, chief, corner, stay, tower
NASB: corner, corners, cornerstone, chiefs, corner towers
Word Origin: [feminine of H6434 (פֵּן - Lest)]
1. an angle
2. (by implication) a pinnacle
3. (figuratively) a chieftain
Feminine of pen; an angle; by implication, a pinnacle; figuratively, a chieftain -- bulwark, chief, corner, stay, tower.
see HEBREW pen
The earliest uses of פִנָּה describe the physical corners of sacred and domestic structures. The bronze altar prescribed for the tabernacle required "a horn on each of its four corners" (Exodus 27:2; 38:2), underscoring that every extremity of Israel’s worship-center was touched by atoning blood (Ezekiel 43:20). When Job recounts the sudden collapse of his firstborn’s house, the "four corners of the house" (Job 1:19) speak to the totality of the calamity. These texts show פִנָּה marking the outermost points where strength and vulnerability meet—places needing consecration, vigilance, and, at times, judgment.
Fortifications, Gates, and Towers
In the monarchy period the term becomes prominent in descriptions of Jerusalem’s defenses. Jehoash of Israel "demolished about four hundred cubits of the wall of Jerusalem, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate" (2 Chronicles 25:23; 2 Kings 14:13). Uzziah and Jotham later rebuilt and fortified this sector, erecting "towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate" (2 Chronicles 26:9; 27:3). Nehemiah’s builders repaired from "the angle of the wall" (Nehemiah 3:24) all the way to "the sheep gate" (Nehemiah 3:32). Jeremiah 31:38 and Zechariah 14:10 project the Corner Gate into eschatological hope, assuring that the city’s extremities will once more proclaim the Lord’s faithfulness. The motif teaches that God guards His people at the most exposed points and will restore every breach of the covenant community.
Cornerstone and Leadership Imagery
פִנָּה regularly refers to a cornerstone, the critical first stone that determines the alignment of an entire structure. The Lord asks Job, "Who laid its cornerstone?" (Job 38:6), highlighting divine sovereignty over creation. Psalm 118:22 celebrates the reversal of human rejection when "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." Zechariah anchors Judah’s future leadership in the same term: "From Judah will come the cornerstone" (Zechariah 10:4). Isaiah laments Egypt’s failed rulers: "The princes of Zoan... the cornerstone of her tribes have led Egypt astray" (Isaiah 19:13). Jeremiah pronounces that Babylon will yield "no stone... for a cornerstone" (Jeremiah 51:26), symbolizing utter ruin.
Together these passages present the cornerstone as an emblem of dependable authority. Its removal or corruption spells collapse; its presence ensures integrity. The New Testament identifies Jesus Christ with this prophetic cornerstone (for example, Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7), but the Old Testament uses of פִנָּה already set the theological groundwork: ultimate stability rests on the leader God appoints.
Moral Corners in Wisdom Literature
Proverbs applies פִנָּה to personal conduct:
• "Passing through the street near her corner" (Proverbs 7:8) warns the naïve youth that impurity often hides at cultural edges.
• "At every corner she lies in wait" (Proverbs 7:12) describes persistent temptation.
• "Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife" (Proverbs 21:9; 25:24).
Corners in these texts depict places of marginal dwelling—either danger or retreat. The wise believer chooses isolation over moral compromise and guards life’s private edges with diligence.
Prophetic Promise and Eschatological Hope
Jeremiah’s and Zechariah’s visions of a rebuilt Jerusalem unite physical corners and redemptive future. The "Corner Gate" stands as a marker that the entire circumference of God’s city will be re-established. Zechariah 10:4 extends the metaphor: from the tribe of Judah will arise the cornerstone (authority), tent peg (stability), and battle bow (victory). All three images converge in the Messiah, assuring that every aspect of covenant life—civic, cultic, and military—finds coherence in Him.
Ministry Application
1. Wholeness of Worship: Like the four horns of the altar, every corner of a believer’s life must be touched by the blood of atonement (Hebrews 13:10-12).
2. Leadership Integrity: Churches and families rise or fall with their cornerstones. Faithful leaders align the entire structure to Christ (Ephesians 2:20).
3. Guarding Vulnerable Points: The Corner Gate narratives remind ministries to secure neglected "edges" of doctrine, morality, and community care (Acts 20:28-30).
4. Hope of Restoration: Even fallen walls have a future when God promises rebuilding; no ruined corner is beyond His power (Isaiah 58:12).
Summary
פִנָּה spans the Bible as the turning-point word—marking literal boundaries, symbolizing leadership, and carrying Messianic promise. Whether describing an altar’s edge, a city’s gate, or the chief cornerstone Himself, it proclaims that at every meeting of limits and possibilities, the Lord provides strength, alignment, and ultimate security.
Exodus 38:2
HEB: עַ֚ל אַרְבַּ֣ע פִּנֹּתָ֔יו מִמֶּ֖נּוּ הָי֣וּ
NAS: on its four corners, its horns
KJV: thereof on the four corners of it; the horns
INT: on four corners at being
Judges 20:2
HEB: וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֞וּ פִּנּ֣וֹת כָּל־ הָעָ֗ם
NAS: The chiefs of all the people,
KJV: And the chief of all the people,
INT: presented and the chief of all the people
1 Samuel 14:38
HEB: הֲלֹ֔ם כֹּ֖ל פִּנּ֣וֹת הָעָ֑ם וּדְע֣וּ
NAS: all you chiefs of the people,
KJV: hither, all the chief of the people:
INT: here all chiefs of the people and investigate
1 Kings 7:34
HEB: אֶ֚ל אַרְבַּ֣ע פִּנּ֔וֹת הַמְּכֹנָ֖ה הָֽאֶחָ֑ת
NAS: at the four corners of each
KJV: to the four corners of one
INT: at the four corners stand of each
2 Kings 14:13
HEB: עַד־ שַׁ֣עַר הַפִּנָּ֔ה אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת
NAS: of Ephraim to the Corner Gate,
KJV: of Ephraim unto the corner gate,
INT: against gate the corner four hundred
2 Chronicles 26:9
HEB: עַל־ שַׁ֧עַר הַפִּנָּ֛ה וְעַל־ שַׁ֥עַר
NAS: in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate
KJV: in Jerusalem at the corner gate,
INT: and Gate the Corner and Gate
2 Chronicles 26:15
HEB: הַמִּגְדָּלִים֙ וְעַל־ הַפִּנּ֔וֹת לִירוֹא֙ בַּֽחִצִּ֔ים
NAS: men to be on the towers and on the corners for the purpose of shooting
KJV: to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot
INT: the towers and on the corners to shoot arrow
2 Chronicles 28:24
HEB: מִזְבְּח֛וֹת בְּכָל־ פִּנָּ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
NAS: for himself in every corner of Jerusalem.
KJV: him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
INT: altars every corner of Jerusalem
Nehemiah 3:24
HEB: הַמִּקְצ֖וֹעַ וְעַד־ הַפִּנָּֽה׃
NAS: as the Angle and as far as the corner.
KJV: unto the turning [of the wall], even unto the corner.
INT: as the Angle far as the corner
Nehemiah 3:31
HEB: וְעַ֖ד עֲלִיַּ֥ת הַפִּנָּֽה׃
NAS: as the upper room of the corner.
KJV: and to the going up of the corner.
INT: far as the upper of the corner
Nehemiah 3:32
HEB: וּבֵ֨ין עֲלִיַּ֤ת הַפִּנָּה֙ לְשַׁ֣עַר הַצֹּ֔אן
NAS: the upper room of the corner and the Sheep
KJV: And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep
INT: Between the upper of the corner Gate and the Sheep
Job 1:19
HEB: וַיִּגַּע֙ בְּאַרְבַּע֙ פִּנּ֣וֹת הַבַּ֔יִת וַיִּפֹּ֥ל
NAS: the four corners of the house,
KJV: the four corners of the house,
INT: and smote the four corners of the house fell
Job 38:6
HEB: יָ֝רָ֗ה אֶ֣בֶן פִּנָּתָֽהּ׃
KJV: or who laid the corner stone
INT: laid stone the corner
Psalm 118:22
HEB: הָ֝יְתָ֗ה לְרֹ֣אשׁ פִּנָּֽה׃
NAS: Has become the chief corner [stone].
KJV: is become the head [stone] of the corner.
INT: has become the chief corner
Proverbs 7:8
HEB: בַּ֭שּׁוּק אֵ֣צֶל פִּנָּ֑הּ וְדֶ֖רֶךְ בֵּיתָ֣הּ
NAS: near her corner; And he takes
INT: the street near her corner the way to her house
Proverbs 7:12
HEB: וְאֵ֖צֶל כָּל־ פִּנָּ֣ה תֶאֱרֹֽב׃
NAS: And lurks by every corner.
KJV: and lieth in wait at every corner.)
INT: at every corner and lurks
Proverbs 21:9
HEB: לָשֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־ פִּנַּת־ גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת
NAS: to live in a corner of a roof
KJV: to dwell in a corner of the housetop,
INT: to live in A corner of a roof woman
Proverbs 25:24
HEB: שֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־ פִּנַּת־ גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת
NAS: to live in a corner of the roof
KJV: to dwell in the corner of the housetop,
INT: to live in A corner of the roof woman
Isaiah 19:13
HEB: אֶת־ מִצְרַ֖יִם פִּנַּ֥ת שְׁבָטֶֽיהָ׃
NAS: are deluded; [Those who are] the cornerstone of her tribes
KJV: Egypt, [even they that are] the stay of the tribes
INT: have led Egypt the cornerstone of her tribes
Isaiah 28:16
HEB: אֶ֣בֶן בֹּ֜חַן פִּנַּ֤ת יִקְרַת֙ מוּסָ֣ד
NAS: A costly cornerstone [for] the foundation,
KJV: a precious corner [stone], a sure
INT: stone A tested cornerstone A costly the foundation
Jeremiah 31:38
HEB: חֲנַנְאֵ֖ל שַׁ֥עַר הַפִּנָּֽה׃
NAS: of Hananel to the Corner Gate.
KJV: unto the gate of the corner.
INT: of Hananel Gate to the Corner
Jeremiah 31:40
HEB: קִדְר֜וֹן עַד־ פִּנַּ֨ת שַׁ֤עַר הַסּוּסִים֙
NAS: Kidron, to the corner of the Horse
KJV: of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse
INT: Kidron far to the corner Gate of the Horse
Jeremiah 51:26
HEB: מִמְּךָ֙ אֶ֣בֶן לְפִנָּ֔ה וְאֶ֖בֶן לְמֽוֹסָד֑וֹת
NAS: from you [even] a stone for a corner Nor
KJV: of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone
INT: from you a stone A corner A stone foundations
Ezekiel 43:20
HEB: וְאֶל־ אַרְבַּע֙ פִּנּ֣וֹת הָעֲזָרָ֔ה וְאֶֽל־
NAS: and on the four corners of the ledge
KJV: of it, and on the four corners of the settle,
INT: and on the four corners of the ledge and on
29 Occurrences
Strong's Hebrew 6438
29 Occurrences
p̄in·nāh — 1 Occ.
hap·pin·nāh — 6 Occ.
hap·pin·nō·wṯ — 2 Occ.
lə·p̄in·nāh — 1 Occ.
pin·nāh — 4 Occ.
pin·naṯ- — 5 Occ.
pin·nā·ṯāh — 1 Occ.
pin·nō·wṯ — 6 Occ.
pin·nō·w·ṯām — 1 Occ.
pin·nō·ṯāw — 2 Occ.