GospelMount
Search Topics Scripture Prayer Resources Ebooks About Support the mission Saved articles

פַּרְשֶׁ֫גֶן (par.she.gen)

par.she.gen

copy

H6572 · Hebrew · Old Testament · 4 verses

H:N-M

Quick Reference

Language
Biblical Hebrew
Testament
Old Testament
Occurrences
4 verses
Root
—
Part of speech
H:N-M

Word Overview

The Hebrew noun parshegen refers to an official copy or duplicate of a document, appearing in four verses primarily within Ezra and Esther. It denotes a certified reproduction of a decree or letter, ensuring that the original authority’s commands are preserved and distributed accurately across the empire.

This term highlights the administrative precision of the Persian government, where written records held immense power. In Ezra 7:11, it describes the copy of King Artaxerxes’ decree granting Ezra permission to return to Jerusalem, underscoring how legal documentation facilitated religious restoration and community governance.

As a variant spelling of patshagen (H6572B), parshegen reflects minor orthographic differences in biblical Hebrew without altering its core meaning. Its limited usage emphasizes the specific historical context of imperial correspondence, where copies served as vital tools for maintaining order and enforcing royal will across distant provinces.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

The word parshegen refers to an official copy or duplicate of a document, appearing in four verses primarily within Ezra and Esther. It denotes a certified reproduction of a decree or letter, ensuring that the original authority’s commands are preserved and distributed accurately across the empire.

This term highlights the administrative precision of the Persian government, where written records held immense power. In Ezra 7:11, it describes the copy of King Artaxerxes’ decree granting Ezra permission to return to Jerusalem, underscoring how legal documentation facilitated religious restoration and community governance.

As a variant spelling of patshagen (H6572B), parshegen reflects minor orthographic differences in biblical Hebrew without altering its core meaning. Its limited usage emphasizes the specific historical context of imperial correspondence, where copies served as vital tools for maintaining order and enforcing royal will across distant provinces.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.

  • <the> copy of3×
  • [is] [the] copy of1×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

  • פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן3×
  • פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן1×

Key Verses

  • Ezra 7:11
    Now this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of Yahweh’s commandments, and of his statutes to Israel:

    This occurrence matters because it introduces the official copy of King Artaxerxes' decree that authorized Ezra's mission, establishing the legal basis for the return and restoration.

  • Esther 3:14
    A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready against that day.

    Here the copy is used to disseminate a deadly decree across all provinces, showing how the document functioned as an instrument of immediate and widespread danger.

  • Esther 4:8
    He also gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Susa to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to declare it to her, and to urge her to go in to the king to make supplication to him, and to make request before him for her people.

    Mordecai gives Esther this specific copy to prove the reality of the threat against her people, making it the crucial evidence that prompts her decision to intervene.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does parshegen mean in the Bible?

Parshegen is a Hebrew noun that means an official copy or duplicate of a written document. It appears in the books of Ezra and Esther to describe certified reproductions of royal decrees, ensuring that the original authority's commands were preserved and distributed accurately.

Where does this word appear?

The word occurs only four times in the Hebrew Bible: Ezra 7:11, Esther 3:14, Esther 4:8, and Esther 8:13. In these verses, it refers to copies of letters or decrees issued by Persian kings.

Why is this word significant in the story of Esther?

In Esther, the copy of the decree serves as concrete proof of the threat against the Jewish people. Mordecai gives this copy to Esther (Esther 4:8) so she can see the written evidence and understand the urgency of approaching the king to save her people.

Every Occurrence (4 verses across 2 books)