פְּשַׁר (pe.shar)
pe.shar
to interpret
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb peshar means to interpret, specifically in the context of explaining a dream or vision. It appears only twice in the entire Old Testament, both instances found in the book of Daniel. In these passages, the word describes the act of making sense of mysterious symbols that would otherwise remain opaque.
Its usage is tightly bound to the narrative of court wisdom, where characters like Daniel are called upon to reveal the hidden meaning behind royal dreams. The term does not suggest creating new information but rather uncovering what is already encoded in the vision. This limited occurrence highlights its specialized role as a technical term for deciphering divine or prophetic imagery.
Translators typically render peshar as "interpret" or "explain," keeping the focus on the cognitive act of understanding rather than any mystical power. The word underscores a biblical theme: that hidden things can be revealed to those with wisdom, bridging the gap between the mysterious and the known.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word peshar appears only twice in the Old Testament, both times in Daniel. It describes the act of interpreting dreams or visions that seem mysterious at first glance. In these stories, kings face anxiety over unreadable messages, but God gives wisdom to those who trust Him. This shows that understanding often comes not from human cleverness alone, but from divine insight shared through faithful servants.
For your life, this means you do not need to have all the answers immediately. When situations feel unclear or confusing, you can look to God for clarity. He promises to reveal what is hidden to those who seek Him with a sincere heart. This brings peace in uncertain times, knowing that wisdom is available to everyone who asks.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ interpret1×
- an interpreter of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְפַשַּׁ֣ר1×
- לְ/מִפְשַׁ֖ר1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 5:12
because an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.”
This verse lists peshar as one of the special gifts found in Daniel, showing it was recognized as a distinct skill alongside knowledge and understanding.
-
Daniel 5:16
But I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and dissolve doubts. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
Here the king directly challenges Daniel to use this ability to explain the writing on the wall, highlighting its practical role in resolving royal crisis.