פָּרַשׁ (pa.rash)
pa.rash
to declare; to pierce
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb pa.rash means to make something distinct or clearly defined. In its most common usage, it describes the act of declaring a matter with precision so that there is no confusion about what is required. This sense appears in legal and administrative contexts, such as when specific instructions are laid out for the people.
For example, the sources note its use in Nehemiah 10:29, where the community commits to walking in God’s law that was "distinctly declared" or made clear to them. It also appears in Ezekiel 34:12, where God describes Himself as seeking out His sheep and making their situation distinct by rescuing them from scattered places.
Interestingly, the word has a secondary meaning in the Hiphil stem: to pierce or sting. This vivid image is found in Proverbs 23:32, describing how wine ends up "biting" like a serpent. This sharp contrast between clear declaration and painful piercing highlights the word’s core idea of making an impact that cannot be ignored.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pa.rash carries two striking images: making something clear and piercing through confusion. In legal or teaching contexts, it describes God’s law being laid out with such precision that there is no room for misunderstanding. Nehemiah 8:8 shows scribes reading the Torah distinctly so the people truly grasped its meaning. This clarity is not just intellectual; it is a gift that guides our daily choices and keeps us from wandering into error.
Yet the same word can describe something that pierces, like the bite of a viper in Proverbs 23:32. This reminds us that truth often has weight and consequence. When God’s instructions are clear, they cut through our excuses and expose what we might otherwise ignore. The sharpness is not meant to harm but to awaken us to reality.
In Leviticus 24:12 and Numbers 15:34, the word appears in moments of uncertainty where people wait for God’s will to be declared. These verses show that when direction is missing, we are invited to pause and seek clarity rather than act in haste. God provides light for our path, even when the way ahead seems unclear.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ decide1×
- making clear1×
- it will sting1×
- it had been decided1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- פֹרַ֔שׁ1×
- מְפֹרָ֑שׁ1×
- לִ/פְרֹ֥שׁ1×
- יַפְרִֽשׁ\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Nehemiah 8:8
They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.
This verse highlights the word's primary use in teaching, where the law is read distinctly so the people can understand God's requirements clearly.
-
Proverbs 23:32
In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.
Here the word shifts to its secondary meaning of piercing, vividly describing how wine eventually bites like a serpent to warn against folly.
-
Leviticus 24:12
They put him in custody until Yahweh’s will should be declared to them.
The verse shows the word in a context of waiting for divine instruction, emphasizing that God's will must be declared before action is taken.