פַּרְעֹה
𐤐𐤓𐤏𐤄
Pareoh
H6547 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Official title for the monarch of Egypt, used throughout the Hebrew Bible to denote the reigning king of Egypt, irrespective of individual identity. The term functions both as a proper noun ('Pharaoh') and as a designation for the office or institution of Egyptian kingship. In certain contexts, it may be used in appositional constructions (e.g., 'Pharaoh, king of Egypt').
Semantic Range
Pharaoh (royal title), king of Egypt, sovereign or monarch of Egypt, the Egyptian court as a political entity, sometimes as shorthand for Egypt itself
Root / Etymology
Of Egyptian origin; derived from the Egyptian phrase 'pr-ˁ3', literally 'great house', referring originally to the palace/royal residence (the seat of government), which over time came to denote the ruler himself. The Hebrew פַּרְעֹה (Parʻôh) is a direct borrowing, reflecting the Egyptian pronunciation. The root is not native to Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, פַּרְעֹה is universally applied to the ruler of Egypt regardless of period or dynastic identity. The term is used alone ('Pharaoh') or with additional qualifiers, such as a personal name or descriptive phrase, particularly in later historical books and the prophetic literature (e.g., 'Pharaoh-necho', 'Pharaoh-hophra'). During the monarchic and exilic periods, the office of Pharaoh is frequently mentioned in narratives involving Israelite interactions with Egypt (e.g., Exodus, Genesis, 1–2 Kings, Jeremiah). The term does not originally imply ethnic or religious affiliation, but denotes political sovereignty. In English Bibles, the Hebrew term is routinely rendered as 'Pharaoh', which accurately reflects the original meaning, though the English word 'Pharaoh' itself is a later borrowing via Greek 'Pharaō'. Translation traditions sometimes treat 'Pharaoh' as a proper name, which may obscure its original function as a title. The use of 'Pharaoh' as a strictly personal name is not attested in the Hebrew Bible; it always designates an office-holder. Distinct from the use of individualized Egyptian royal names as found in extra-biblical Egyptian records.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings; Pharaoh.
Bantu Hebrew
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פרעה (p-r-ʿ-h) — rule, great house, royal authority
Word Forms
7 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6547-06 |
פַּרְעֹ֑ה | pareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh | Pharaoh | 177 |
H6547-02 |
פַרְעֹ֔ה | fareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh | Pharaoh | 54 |
H6547-04 |
לְ/פַרְעֹֽה | lefareoh | HR/Np |
to Pharaoh | to Pharaoh | 25 |
H6547-01 |
בְּ/פַרְעֹה֙ | befareoh | HR/Np |
upon Pharaoh | in Pharaoh | 6 |
H6547-07 |
וּ/פַרְעֹ֣ה | ufareoh | HC/Np |
and Pharaoh | and Pharaoh | 3 |
H6547-05 |
מִ/פַּרְעֹ֛ה | mipareoh | HR/Np |
from Pharaoh | from Pharaoh | 2 |
H6547-03 |
כְּ/פַרְעֹֽה | kefareoh | HR/Np |
like Pharaoh | as Pharaoh | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
268 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6547-02 |
Genesis 12:15 | פַרְעֹ֔ה | fareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh's | Pharaoh |
H6547-06 |
Genesis 12:15 | פַּרְעֹ֑ה | pareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh | Pharaoh |
H6547-06 |
Genesis 12:15 | פַּרְעֹֽה | pareoh-2 | HNp |
Pharaoh's | Pharaoh |
H6547-06 |
Genesis 12:17 | פַּרְעֹ֛ה | pareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh | Pharaoh |
H6547-02 |
Genesis 12:18 | פַרְעֹה֙ | fareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh | Pharaoh |
H6547-06 |
Genesis 12:20 | פַּרְעֹ֖ה | pareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh | Pharaoh |
H6547-06 |
Genesis 37:36 | פַּרְעֹ֔ה | pareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh's | Pharaoh |
H6547-06 |
Genesis 39:1 | פַּרְעֹ֜ה | pareoh | HNp |
of Pharaoh | Pharaoh |
H6547-06 |
Genesis 40:2 | פַּרְעֹ֔ה | pareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh | Pharaoh |
H6547-02 |
Genesis 40:7 | פַרְעֹ֗ה | fareoh | HNp |
Pharaoh's | Pharaoh |