The Hebrew verb pasach means to pass over, to spare, or to leap. It is the root of the word Passover (Pesach). On the night of the Exodus, God 'passed over' the homes marked with blood, sparing the firstborn within. The word may also carry the sense of leaping or limping, as in Elijah's challenge to Israel 'limping' between two opinions.
Pasach is one of the most theologically charged verbs in the Old Testament. The original Passover event is the paradigmatic act of redemption in the Hebrew Bible — everything that follows, including the covenant at Sinai, the conquest, the temple, and ultimately the coming of Messiah, flows from this foundational act of deliverance. Blood on the doorposts caused God to 'pass over' in protection rather than judgment. The New Testament explicitly interprets Christ as our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), who was sacrificed so that death passes over those who trust in His blood. Elijah's use of pasach for Israel 'limping' between Baal and YHWH adds the dimension of decisive choice — you cannot straddle the line between the true God and idols.