פֵּרָה (pe.rah)
pe.rah
mole
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun pe·rah refers to a mole, an animal known for living underground. It appears only once in the entire Old Testament, found in Isaiah 2:20.
In this verse, the prophet describes a day when people will flee from idolatry by casting their silver and gold idols into holes and cracks in the rocks. The text notes that these objects will be left for moles and bats to inhabit. This usage highlights the complete degradation of what was once valued; the idols become mere shelter for creatures associated with darkness and the earth, rather than objects of worship.
The word is rare and specific, pointing to a small burrowing mammal. Its single occurrence serves as a vivid image of abandonment, showing how false gods are ultimately discarded and left to dwell in the dark places of the earth alongside other creatures of the night.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pe·rah appears only once in Scripture, nestled in Isaiah’s warning against trusting in wealth and false gods. When people abandon their idols, they leave them for moles and bats to inhabit. This image shows how empty things become when we stop worshipping them. They are not lost forever; they simply return to the dust from which they came.
For your faith, this reminds us that what we hold onto tightly will one day be left behind. Whether it is money, reputation, or control, these things cannot save us. Only God endures. When we release our grip on temporary comforts, we make room for the One who gives true life.
Let this truth bring peace. You do not need to cling to what fades. Trust in the Lord, and you will find rest that no idol can provide.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- moles1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פֵּר֖וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 2:20
In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
This verse uses pe·rah to show how idols, once prized, are discarded into dark places for creatures of the earth, highlighting their ultimate worthlessness.