פָּרַם
𐤐𐤓𐤌
pâram
H6533 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To tear through forceful separation, especially by pulling apart, typically referring to physical objects such as garments, veils, or coverings. Extended to figurative uses for acts of desecration or the signaling of grief, outrage, or other strong emotions by such an act of tearing.
Semantic Range
to tear (garments or veil), to rend in mourning, to rip apart in protest or distress, figurative rending as sign or symbol
Root / Etymology
Root: פּרם. The root sense relates to acts of pulling apart or dividing by force; the term is distinct from synonyms like קרע (qara‘), with possible nuance of complete or aggressive separation. The verbal form פָּרַם is a standard qal stem formation directly expressing the root idea.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פָּרַם occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is usually employed in contexts where the tearing is intentional and potentially carries symbolic meaning, such as tearing garments in distress or protest (e.g., 2 Kings 5:7; Ezra 9:3, 5). The action is often public and may express extreme emotion, such as grief or horror, paralleling ancient Near Eastern mourning customs. Unlike קָרַע (qara‘), also 'to tear/rend', פָּרַם has a more forceful or perhaps complete connotation and is less common. In post-biblical Hebrew, פָּרַם remains rare, with קָרַע becoming dominant in expressing rending for mourning. Most major English translations render פָּרַם as 'tear' or 'rend', but without reflecting this nuance; older translations sometimes use 'rent.' The verb does not carry an inherent religious or ceremonial sense but gains such overtones in mourning or protest contexts, distinct from neutral or accidental tearing. Its semantic range in the Hebrew Bible is circumscribed to its few appearances, and it does not shift substantially between pre-exilic and post-exilic periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to tear; rend.
Bantu Hebrew
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פרם (p-r-m) — to tear apart, to rend, to separate by force
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6533-01 |
פְרֻמִים֙ | ferumim | HVqsmpa |
torn | torn-apart ones | 1 |
H6533-02 |
תִפְרֹ֨מוּ֙ | tiferomu | HVqi2mp |
tear | you will tear apart | 1 |
H6533-03 |
יִפְרֹֽם | yiferom | HVqi3ms |
he shall tear | he will tear apart | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6533-02 |
Leviticus 10:6 | תִפְרֹ֨מוּ֙ | tiferomu | HVqi2mp |
tear | you will tear apart |
H6533-01 |
Leviticus 13:45 | פְרֻמִים֙ | ferumim | HVqsmpa |
torn | torn-apart ones |
H6533-03 |
Leviticus 21:10 | יִפְרֹֽם | yiferom | HVqi3ms |
he shall tear | he will tear apart |