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פֶּרֶא

𐤐𐤓𐤀

pereʼ

H6501 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פרא to act wild, run wild, be untamed

Definition

Wild donkey, specifically referencing the onager (Equus hemionus hemippus), an animal characterized by its untamed and free-roaming nature across arid steppe regions. The term is used in biblical texts as a literal animal, often noted for its independence and resistance to domestication, and metaphorically to describe individuals or groups perceived as uncontrollable, free-spirited, or living outside social norms.

Semantic Range

wild ass, onager, wild donkey; symbol of unrestrained behavior; metaphor for independence, lack of social constraint, or isolation

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root פָּרָא (paraʾ), meaning 'to be wild, to run wild, to act as a wild one.' The word פֶּרֶא (pereʼ) represents the state or condition of wildness as embodied by the onager. The root connotes untamed behavior but in this noun specifically refers to the wild ass, a species indigenous to the Ancient Near East.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פֶּרֶא appears primarily as a poetic or figurative expression in the Hebrew Bible, reflecting the characteristics of the Syrian onager, which was known for roaming the deserts and steppes east of the Land of Israel. The animal became a symbol for untamable wildness or freedom (see Job 39:5–8; Genesis 16:12, where Ishmael is likened to a 'wild ass of a man'). In ancient Israelite culture, the pereʼ was distinguished from the domesticated donkey (חֲמוֹר, chamor), which was valued for its service in agriculture and trade. The term is rare and used almost exclusively in poetic or wisdom literature. Later translations, including the Septuagint and Vulgate, rendered פֶּרֶא as 'wild ass' or 'onager,' but in some English Bibles it is paraphrased or misunderstood as simply 'wild man' in metaphorical contexts, obscuring the original zoological and cultural reference. The animal no longer exists in the region, but evidence from faunal remains and iconography confirms its presence and symbolic resonance in the biblical period. Its depiction often communicates isolation, hardship, and unconstrained living, especially in contrast with domesticated life.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or פֶּרֶה; (Jeremiah 2:24), from פָּרָא in the secondary sense of running wild; the onager; wild (ass).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פרא (p-r-ʾ) — to act wild, run wild, be untamed

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6500 פָּרָא he will make fruitful
H6502 פִּרְאָם Piram
H6509 פָּרָה and they will bear fruit

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6501-03 פֶּ֣רֶא pere HNcmsc wild donkey wild donkey of 5
H6501-02 פְּרָאִ֖ים peraim HNcmpa wild donkeys wild donkeys 2
H6501-05 וּ/פְרָאִים֙ uferaim HC/Ncmpa and wild donkeys wild donkeys 1
H6501-04 פֶּ֣רֶה pereh HNcmsa wild donkey run wild! 1
H6501-01 פְרָאִ֣ים feraim HNcmpa wild donkeys wild donkeys 1

Occurrences in Scripture

10 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6501-03 Genesis 16:12 פֶּ֣רֶא pere HNcmsc wild donkey wild donkey of
H6501-02 Isaiah 32:14 פְּרָאִ֖ים peraim HNcmpa wild-donkeys wild donkeys
H6501-04 Jeremiah 2:24 פֶּ֣רֶה pereh HNcmsa wild donkey run wild!
H6501-05 Jeremiah 14:6 וּ/פְרָאִים֙ uferaim HC/Ncmpa and wild donkeys wild donkeys
H6501-03 Hosea 8:9 פֶּ֖רֶא pere HNcmsa wild donkey wild donkey of
H6501-01 Psalms 104:11 פְרָאִ֣ים feraim HNcmpa wild donkeys wild donkeys
H6501-03 Job 6:5 פֶּ֥רֶא pere HNcmsa wild donkey wild donkey of
H6501-03 Job 11:12 פֶּ֝֗רֶא pere HNcmsa wild ass wild donkey of
H6501-02 Job 24:5 פְּרָאִ֨ים peraim HNcmpa wild donkeys wild donkeys
H6501-03 Job 39:5 פֶּ֣רֶא pere HNcmsa the wild donkey wild donkey of
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