פְּרַס (pe.ras)
pe.ras
to divide; half
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Aramaic verb peras means to break something in two or divide it. In the Book of Daniel, this word appears with significant narrative weight during the writing on the wall scene (Daniel 5:28). Here, Daniel interprets the mysterious inscription by explaining that God has numbered the days of King Belshazzar’s reign and brought them to an end. The use of peras here suggests a decisive severing or completion, marking the termination of a specific period.
This term is the Aramaic counterpart to the Hebrew paras (H6536), sharing the same root idea of division. While it can refer to physical splitting, its theological application in Daniel highlights divine sovereignty over time and history. The word underscores that human kingdoms are subject to God’s judgment, which acts as a final cut or boundary. Translators often render this as "numbered" in context, capturing the sense of bringing a count to its conclusion rather than just measuring.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word peras carries the weight of finality. In Daniel 5, it marks the end of Belshazzar’s reign, showing that God holds the scale of history. When we face seasons where our plans seem to break apart, this reminds us that no power is beyond His reach.
Divine sovereignty means our lives are not random. Even when circumstances divide what we hold dear, God remains in control. This truth offers stability when the world feels unstable, anchoring our hope in His faithful rule over time and nations.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- peres1×
- it has been broken in two1×
- and/ pharsin1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פְּרֵ֑ס1×
- פְּרִיסַת֙1×
- וּ/פַרְסִֽין\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 5:28
PERES: your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
This verse explicitly translates peras as 'divided,' showing God’s decisive act to end Belshazzar’s kingdom and transfer power to the Medes and Persians.
-
Daniel 5:25
“This is the writing that was inscribed: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’
The appearance of Upharsin here sets the stage for the judgment, linking the concept of division directly to the divine inscription on the wall.