אֶפְרֹחַ
𐤀𐤐𐤓𐤇
ʼephrôach
H667 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A newly hatched bird, a chick; used for the young of birds specifically at the stage shortly after emerging from the egg. The term denotes the animal in this early, vulnerable phase, distinct from both the egg and the mature bird. While primarily signifying 'chick' or 'fledgling,' it may also carry the broader sense of newly emerged young bird in certain contexts.
Semantic Range
newly hatched bird, chick, fledgling, brood of young birds
Root / Etymology
From the root פָּרַח (parach), meaning 'to break forth, bud, sprout, blossom.' The word אֶפְרֹחַ derives from this root, with a specific reference to 'breaking out' as a metaphor for the act of hatching from an egg. Thus, while פָּרַח relates to notions of bursting out or blossoming, אֶפְרֹחַ narrows the image to the creature that emerges from an eggshell — a chick or fledgling.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אֶפְרֹחַ appears primarily in poetic and legal contexts, typically referencing the young of birds (e.g., Deut 22:6, Job 39:30). The word is particularly associated with the moment following hatching, and its usage is almost always literal, contrasting with other terms for young animals (such as גּוּזַל for nestling). The Septuagint usually translates it with νεοσσός, which, like 'chick,' is specific to birds. The word is not applied to mammalian young, and does not refer to the egg or the adult bird. In legal and ritual texts (e.g., Deut 22:6's law about taking the mother bird with the young), nuance falls on the helpless stage of life immediately post-hatching, emphasizing vulnerability and the need for protection. English translations using 'young' or 'brood' can be too general; 'chick' or 'fledgling' better reflect the Hebrew intent. The term does not appear outside the context of birds in biblical Hebrew, though in later Hebrew it can refer to other young animals by analogy.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from פָּרַח (in the sense of bursting the shell); the brood of a bird; young (one).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פרח (p-r-ḥ) — break forth, sprout, blossom
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6515 | פָּרוּחַ | Blossomed one |
| H6524 | פָּרַח | in budding |
| H6525 | פֶּרַח | blossom |
| H6526 | פִּרְחַח | young offshoot |
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H667-03 |
הָֽ/אֶפְרֹחִ֔ים | haeferochim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the young | the hatchlings | 1 |
H667-04 |
וְ/אֶפְרֹחָ֥י/ו | veeferochayv | HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
and its brood | and his newly-hatched chick | 1 |
H667-02 |
אֶפְרֹחִים֙ | eferochim | HNcmpa |
young ones | newly-hatched chicks | 1 |
H667-05 |
ו/אפרח/ו | vfrchv | HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
and its brood | his hatchling | 1 |
H667-01 |
אֶפְרֹ֫חֶ֥י/הָ | eferocheyha | HNcmpc/Sp3fs |
her-young | her hatchlings | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H667-02 |
Deuteronomy 22:6 | אֶפְרֹחִים֙ | eferochim | HNcmpa |
young ones | newly-hatched chicks |
H667-03 |
Deuteronomy 22:6 | הָֽ/אֶפְרֹחִ֔ים | haeferochim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the young | the hatchlings |
H667-01 |
Psalms 84:4 | אֶפְרֹ֫חֶ֥י/הָ | eferocheyha | HNcmpc/Sp3fs |
her-young | her hatchlings |
H667-05 |
Job 39:30 | ו/אפרח/ו | vfrchv | HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
and its brood | his hatchling |
H667-04 |
Job 39:30 | וְ/אֶפְרֹחָ֥י/ו | veeferochayv | HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
and its brood | and his newly-hatched chick |