פָּאַר (pa.ar)
pa.ar
to beautify; to re-harvest
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 13 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb pa’ar carries a dual sense of enhancing appearance and performing a specific agricultural task. In its most common Piel stem, it means to beautify or glorify something by adding ornamentation. This usage appears when describing how God adorns the heavens with stars in Psalm 19:1, or how He clothes the grass with splendor in Psalm 147:6. The word suggests an active process of making something visually striking or honorable through external decoration.
A more unusual meaning arises from its possible root connection to harvesting. In Judges 8:7 and 8:16, the text uses pa’ar to describe thorns and briers that prick the enemy. Here, the imagery shifts from decoration to the act of going over the branches to gather what remains, or perhaps the sharp, jagged nature of the unharvested field. This concrete, physical sense grounds the abstract idea of "glory" in tangible reality.
The Hithpael stem reflects a self-directed action, meaning to glorify oneself or boast. When used this way, it often carries a negative tone, as seen in Isaiah 10:15 where the axe boasts against the one who swings it. The word thus spans from divine beauty to human pride, showing how external adornment can become internal arrogance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pa’ar reminds us that beauty is often an act of care rather than mere decoration. When God beautifies His house or adorns the heavens, He is actively enhancing what already exists. This suggests that our lives and communities are meant to be refined and honored through intentional acts of love and worship.
Yet the word also carries a warning against pride. When tools boast against their users, they forget their source of strength. We are invited to reflect God’s glory by serving others humbly, allowing His beauty to shine through our actions rather than seeking attention for ourselves. This balance helps us find joy in being part of something greater than our own achievements.
Whether in the quiet moments of prayer or the busy work of daily life, we can trust that God values the sincere efforts of our hearts. He invites us to participate in His plan, not by striving for perfection, but by offering our best with gratitude and humility.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 13 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ beautify2×
- he has glorified/ you2×
- ¿/ does it glorify itself1×
- you will go over [the] boughs1×
- to/ glorify myself1×
- to/ glorify himself1×
- it should glorify itself1×
- he will get glory for himself1×
- he glorifies1×
- I will get glory for myself1×
- I will beautify1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְ/הִתְפָּאֵֽר\׃2×
- תְפָאֵ֖ר1×
- פֵאֲרָֽ/ךְ\׃\ \ס1×
- פֵאֲרָֽ/ךְ\׃1×
- לְ/פָאֵר֙1×
- לְ/פָאֵ֕ר1×
- יִתְפָּאָֽר\׃\ \פ1×
- יִתְפָּאֵ֨ר1×
- יְפָאֵ֥ר1×
- הֲ/יִתְפָּאֵר֙1×
- אֶתְפָּאָֽר\׃1×
- אֲפָאֵֽר\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 60:7
All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you. The rams of Nebaioth will serve you. They will be accepted as offerings on my altar; and I will beautify my glorious house.
This verse highlights God's active role in beautifying His sanctuary, showing that He desires to enhance the holiness of His dwelling place through the offerings and devotion of His people.
-
Isaiah 10:15
Should an ax brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood.
Here the word is used metaphorically to warn against pride, illustrating how created things have no right to boast over their Creator or the purpose for which they were made.
-
Ezra 7:27
Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem;
This occurrence connects the concept of beautification directly to worship, as God moves the king's heart to restore and honor the temple in Jerusalem.
-
Isaiah 61:3
to provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified.
The word appears in a promise of restoration, where God replaces mourning with praise, effectively beautifying the lives of those who grieve with garments of joy.