פָּרַח (pa.rach)
pa.rach
to sprout; to break out; to fly
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 22 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb parach primarily describes the physical act of budding, sprouting, or blooming. It captures the moment when a plant sends out new shoots or blossoms, bringing life to what was previously dormant. This sense of natural growth appears in agricultural contexts, such as when vines or trees are described as producing fresh foliage.
Lexical sources note that parach also carries a darker meaning: to break out suddenly. This usage applies to skin conditions like leprosy or other eruptions on the body. The word thus bridges two very different kinds of "breaking forth"—one bringing life through vegetation, and another signaling disease or impurity. Additionally, in Aramaic-influenced passages, parach can mean to fly, though this is less common in Hebrew texts.
In Scripture, parach appears most frequently in Leviticus, where it helps describe the symptoms of ritual impurity. It also shows up in poetic books like Proverbs and Isaiah, often illustrating sudden change or visible signs of a deeper condition. Translators typically render it as "sprout" or "break out," depending on whether the context involves plants or skin.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word parach brings together two very different kinds of sudden appearance. In nature, it describes a vine sending out fresh shoots or a field bursting into bloom after rain. This image reminds us that life often returns in ways we did not expect, bringing renewal to places that seemed dormant or dry.
Yet the same word also describes skin conditions breaking out on the body. In ancient Israel, this was a visible sign requiring careful examination by a priest. It serves as a reminder that what is hidden inside can eventually surface, demanding honesty and care rather than shame.
Whether used for green leaves or healing skin, parach points to the reality of change. It invites us to look closely at our own lives, recognizing both the seasons of growth and the moments when we need help to become whole again.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 22 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it has broken out3×
- breaking out2×
- ¿/ had it budded1×
- you cause to sprout1×
- when/ [it was] budding1×
- they will sprout1×
- they will bud1×
- so/ it may bud1×
- it will show buds1×
- it will flourish1×
- it will bud1×
- it will break out1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תַּפְרִ֑יחִי1×
- תִּפְרַ֤ח1×
- תִּפְרַ֜ח1×
- תִפְרָ֗ח1×
- תִפְרַ֑חְנָה1×
- פֹּרַ֙חַת֙1×
- פֹּרַ֖חַת1×
- פֹּרֵ֛חַ1×
- פֹּרֵ֕חַ1×
- פָּרֹ֨חַ1×
- פָּרָֽחָה\׃1×
- פָּרָ֑חָה1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 40:10
and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters produced ripe grapes.
Joseph interprets the cupbearer's dream using this verb for budding, linking the physical act of sprouting to a sudden shift in fortune.
-
Exodus 9:10
They took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward the sky; and it became boils and blisters breaking out on man and on animal.
The verb describes boils breaking out on people and animals, showing how the word captures a painful, visible eruption rather than gentle growth.
-
Leviticus 13:20
The priest shall examine it. Behold, if its appearance is deeper than the skin, and its hair has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is the plague of leprosy. It has broken out in the boil.
Here the priest uses the term to identify leprosy breaking out in a boil, highlighting its role in diagnosing ritual impurity.
-
Isaiah 27:6
In days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will blossom and bud. They will fill the surface of the world with fruit.
This verse uses the word for Israel to blossom and bud, transforming the physical image of vegetation into a promise of national restoration.