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פַּרְסִי

𐤐𐤓𐤎𐤉

Parçîy

H6542 noun

SILEX Entry

Root פּרס to break, divide, spread out

Definition

A member of the people or ethnic group originating from Persia; specifically, an inhabitant or native of the region known as Paras (Persia) in biblical texts. The term is used to denote those ethnically or geographically associated with Persia, typically in the context of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In later biblical books, it frequently refers to the imperial Persians who conquered Babylon and ruled over the land of Israelite returnees from exile.

Semantic Range

Persian (inhabitant of Persia), ethnic Persian, member of the Persian people, imperial Persian official, collectively: the Persian nation or empire

Root / Etymology

From the root פָּרַס (paras), meaning 'to break, divide, spread out.' פַּרְסִי is a nisbe (adjectival gentilic) formation indicating 'one from Paras (Persia)'; thus, 'Persian' or 'one of Persia.' The connection between the root idea of spreading or dividing and the ethnonym is unclear and may be coincidental, as the ethnonym Paras is likely borrowed from Old Persian or related Iranian terms for the region/people.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פַּרְסִי appears exclusively in the later books of the Hebrew Bible (especially Daniel, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles) to denote individuals or collectivities associated with Persia during and after the exile. Its use reflects historical awareness of the Persian Empire as the dominant imperial power. The term is often used in the expressions 'Madai and Paras' (Media and Persia) or 'Mede and Persian,' referring to the dual kingdom. English 'Persian' is a suitable equivalent, but care should be taken not to conflate 'Persian' (ethnic/geographic identity) with later usages referring to modern Iran or later cultural developments. In context, פַּרְסִי generally does not carry religious implications (i.e., it does not indicate followers of Zoroastrianism specifically). Unlike other gentilic forms in Hebrew, פַּרְסִי always refers to the foreign imperial group rather than Israelites or Judahites. The name may sometimes be used in contrast to other groups in the post-exilic period (e.g., Babylonians, Egyptians).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

patrial from פָּרַס; a Parsite (i.e. Persian), or inhabitant of Peres; Persian.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פרס (p-r-s) — break, divide, spread out

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6536 פָּרַס to split
H6537 פְּרַס division
H6538 פֶּרֶס the tearing talon
H6539 פָּרַס Persia
H6540 פָּרַס Persia

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6542-01 הַ/פָּֽרְסִֽי haparesi HTd/Ngmsa the Persian the Persian man 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6542-01 Nehemiah 12:22 הַ/פָּֽרְסִֽי haparesi HTd/Ngmsa the Persian the Persian man
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