פּוּר (pur)
pur
Purim
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun pur simply means "lot." In the Book of Esther, it refers to the casting of lots by Haman to determine an auspicious day for destroying the Jewish people (Esther 3:7). The word appears only seven times in the Old Testament, almost exclusively within this narrative context.
The festival of Purim derives its name directly from this term. Esther 9:26 explains that the Jews named the days "Purim" after the pur, or lot, that had been cast. This etymology highlights a dramatic reversal: what Haman intended as a tool of fate to seal their destruction became the very marker of their deliverance.
Translators often retain the Hebrew word Purim in English Bibles rather than translating it as "lots," preserving the specific historical reference. The term carries no inherent religious ritual meaning on its own; it is strictly tied to the historical event of the lot-casting and the subsequent celebration of survival recorded in Esther.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pur literally means a lot, used for casting lots to decide outcomes. In the Book of Esther, Haman cast these lots to choose the day he would destroy the Jewish people. This act was meant to seal their fate through chance or fortune.
Yet the story shows how God can turn intended harm into deliverance. The very lot that signaled death became the marker for a festival of survival. When we face uncertain times, this reminds us that outcomes are not always fixed by circumstance. What seems like bad luck can become part of a larger plan for good.
This word invites us to trust that our lives are held in hands greater than chance. Even when circumstances look dark, there is hope for reversal and joy. The story of Purim encourages faith in the midst of uncertainty.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Purim4×
- Pur2×
- the/ Pur1×
- Purim1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פוּרִים֙1×
- פּוּר֩1×
- פּוּר֙1×
- הַ/פּוּרִ֣ים1×
- הַ/פּוּרִ֛ים1×
- הַ/פֻּרִ֨ים1×
- הַ/פֻּרִ֖ים1×
- הַ/פּ֔וּר1×
Key Verses
-
Esther 3:7
In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, and chose the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
This verse establishes the word's origin as Haman casts the lot to determine the date for destruction.
-
Esther 9:24
because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast “Pur”, that is the lot, to consume them and to destroy them;
Here the text recalls how that same lot was used in a plot to consume the Jewish people.
-
Esther 9:26
Therefore they called these days “Purim”, from the word “Pur.” Therefore because of all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and that which had come to them,
This occurrence explains the etymology of Purim, showing how the name of the lot became the name of the celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word pur mean?
Why is the festival called Purim?
Where does this word appear in the Bible?
Does pur have a religious ritual meaning?
Every Occurrence (7 verses across 1 books)
Esther 7 verses
In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot,…
Esther 9:24because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy…
Esther 9:26Therefore they called these days “Purim”, from the word “Pur.” Therefore because of all the words of this letter, and…
Esther 9:28and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every…
Esther 9:29Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority to confirm this second…
Esther 9:31to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had decreed, and as…
Esther 9:32The commandment of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.