פָּרַע (pa.ra)
pa.ra
to lead; to neglect
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb par‘a carries a tension between leading and neglecting, rooted in the idea of removing restraint. In its basic sense, it means to let go or loosen something that was held back. This physical release extends metaphorically to people: to "let loose" the populace implies empowering them to act freely, as seen when Deborah calls Israel to rise up in Judges 5:2.
Conversely, this loosening can signify abandonment or failure to care for. In the legal texts of Leviticus and Exodus, par‘a describes the neglect of duties toward family members, such as failing to provide for one’s parents or relatives. It marks a breakdown in social responsibility where obligations are ignored rather than fulfilled.
The word’s range depends on context. When applied to leadership, it suggests unleashing potential; when applied to relationships, it highlights a failure to maintain necessary bonds. Translators often render it as "neglect" or "let alone," capturing the sense of leaving something without the attention or restraint it requires.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word par‘a holds a quiet tension in Scripture, describing the act of loosening a hold or removing a restraint. In Judges, this release empowers the people to rise up for justice. Yet in Leviticus and Chronicles, it marks a failure to maintain necessary boundaries, whether through neglecting family duties or ignoring divine instruction. This duality reminds us that freedom without structure can lead to chaos.
For your daily walk, this word invites reflection on where you hold back and where you let go. Are there responsibilities toward loved ones that need your attentive care? Or perhaps areas of life where God’s wisdom offers a guiding hand you have chosen to ignore? The text suggests that true blessing comes not from unrestrained liberty, but from heeding correction and maintaining holy order.
When we feel the pull of neglect or the weight of unguided freedom, we can turn back to the source of all restraint and guidance. It is a call to examine our hearts, ensuring that our actions honor both community and Creator. May you find peace in aligning your life with the wisdom that preserves rather than destroys.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [one who] ignores2×
- you neglect [it]1×
- you let loose1×
- when/ acted as leaders1×
- let loose1×
- it is let loose1×
- he will let loose1×
- he had allowed lack of restraint1×
- had let [it] run wild/ he1×
- avoid/ it1×
- are you causing to refrain1×
- and/ you ignored1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פּוֹרֵ֣עַ2×
- תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ1×
- תִּפְרָֽעוּ\׃1×
- תִּפְרָ֣עוּ\׀1×
- פְּרָעֵ֥/הוּ1×
- פָרֻ֖עַ1×
- פָר֔וּעַ1×
- פְרָעֹ֣/ה1×
- יִפָּ֣רַֽע1×
- יִפְרָ֔ע1×
- וּ/פָרַע֙1×
- וַ/תִּפְרְע֥וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 5:2
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh!
Here par‘a describes the willing leadership that mobilizes Israel, showing the word’s positive sense of empowering people to act freely.
-
Leviticus 10:6
Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, “Don’t let the hair of your heads go loose, and don’t tear your clothes, so that you don’t die, and so that he will not be angry with all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled.
Moses commands Aaron not to let his hair go loose, using the term to denote maintaining ritual restraint during a time of mourning.
-
Proverbs 1:25
but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
The word translates 'ignored,' highlighting the destructive consequence of rejecting divine counsel and reproof.
-
Exodus 32:25
When Moses saw that the people were out of control, (for Aaron had let them lose control, causing derision among their enemies),
Aaron is blamed for letting the people lose control, illustrating how neglecting spiritual boundaries leads to social disorder.