פַּרְעָה
𐤐𐤓𐤏𐤄
parʻâh
H6546 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A term referring to leaders or representatives, particularly those who act as agents or prime movers in group actions; may carry specific connotations of those who take initiative in leadership or lead in acts of retribution or vengeance. In most occurrences, functions as a collective or plural, denoting a group of leaders or principal figures who direct communal actions—sometimes specifically in contexts of seeking vengeance or retribution.
Semantic Range
leaders, prime movers, those who mobilize groups, those who rise or lead out (esp. for action), acts of communal mobilization, principal figures in avenging or retributive action
Root / Etymology
From the root פרע (P-R-‘), meaning 'to let go,' 'to loosen,' 'to let flow' or 'to allow to go unrestrained,' which underlies meanings of something breaking free or leading out. פַּרְעָה is the feminine singular form but occurs almost exclusively in the plural (פַּרְעוֹת), referring concretely to persons (leaders, usually women, but sometimes used generically) who are at the forefront; as an abstract, it can denote acts of leadership, especially with an active/outgoing quality.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פַּרְעָה is a rare term, found notably in Judges 5:2,9 in the Song of Deborah, where it refers to those who 'lead out' or 'take initiative' among the Israelites. The function is communal and is integrally related to the mobilization of groups, especially in military or avenging contexts. The word is sometimes translated as 'leaders' or 'nobles,' but the underlying sense is more dynamic, emphasizing the action of rising up or leading out, rather than simply holding office. In post-biblical Hebrew, related roots are used for 'hair let loose' (as in Nazirites), but this sense is not present in the biblical usage of פַּרְעָה. The choice to translate as 'leaders' in English may obscure the nuance of spontaneous, active mobilization present in the Hebrew. Standard translations often fail to capture the word's association with communal stirring or voluntary rising, focusing instead on a generic sense of 'leadership.' The connection with vengeance in some contexts is secondary and arises from the leaders' role as prime movers in acts of retribution.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of פֶּרַע (in the sense of beginning); leadership (plural concretely, leaders); [phrase] avenging, revenge.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פרע (p-r-ʿ) — to loosen, to let go, to lead out, to allow to go unrestrained
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6544 | פָּרַע | in letting loose |
| H6545 | פֶּרַע | unbound hair of |
| H6549 | פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה | Pharaoh Necho |
| H6550 | פַּרְעֹשׁ | flea |
| H6552 | פִּרְעָתוֹן | in Pirathon |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6546-02 |
פְּרָעוֹת֙ | peraot | HNcmpa |
leaders | lead-out leaders | 1 |
H6546-01 |
פַּרְע֥וֹת | pareot | HNcmpc |
of leaders | leaders of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6546-01 |
Deuteronomy 32:42 | פַּרְע֥וֹת | pareot | HNcmpc |
of leaders | leaders of |
H6546-02 |
Judges 5:2 | פְּרָעוֹת֙ | peraot | HNcmpa |
leaders | lead-out leaders |