Word Study for H6544 (פָּרַע)

pâraʻ /paw-rah'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto loosen; by implication, to expose, dismiss; figuratively, absolve, begin

KJV usageavenge, avoid, bare, go back, let, (make) naked, set at nought, perish, refuse, uncover.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pâraʻ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word pâraʻ, represented by H6544, is a primitive root with a core meaning of to loosen. It appears 17 times in 15 verses, and its applications extend to concepts like exposing, dismissing, making naked, refusing, or allowing to perish. This word often carries a sense of letting go of restraint, whether in a physical, moral, or ceremonial context.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H6544 describes states of being unrestrained or uncovered. In the context of Israel's sin with the golden calf, the people were made naked Exodus 32:25, a term that signifies their moral exposure and shame. A similar meaning is found when King Ahaz made Judah naked, leading them to transgress against the LORD 2 Chronicles 28:19. The word is also used in a legal and ritual sense, such as the command for a leper's head to be bare Leviticus 13:45, or for priests to not uncover their heads as a sign of their consecrated status Leviticus 10:6. Figuratively, it denotes the rejection of guidance, as seen in Proverbs where one who refuseth instruction faces poverty and shame Proverbs 13:18, and a people without vision perish Proverbs 29:18.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the scope of H6544:

H6533 pâram (to tear; rend): This word is frequently used alongside pâraʻ in Levitical law concerning priests and lepers. For example, high priests were commanded to neither uncover H6544 their heads nor rend their clothes, linking the two actions as forbidden signs of mourning for the consecrated Leviticus 21:10.
H8085 shâmaʻ (to hear intelligently): This word stands in direct contrast to refusing instruction. While one who refuseth H6544 instruction despises his soul, "he that heareth reproof getteth understanding" Proverbs 15:32. This highlights the choice between dismissing and intelligently accepting wisdom.
H2377 châzôwn (vision): This term is crucially linked to social order. The book of Proverbs states that where there is no vision, the people perish H6544, indicating that divine revelation provides the necessary restraint to prevent society from becoming "loose" and falling into ruin Proverbs 29:18.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6544 is significant, often illustrating the negative consequences of a lack of restraint or a rejection of divine order.

Moral and Social Collapse: The concept that a people without vision will perish Proverbs 29:18 establishes a core principle: divine guidance is essential for social cohesion and righteousness. To be "loose" from God's law is to be on a path to destruction.
Rejection of Divine Wisdom: The repeated use of pâraʻ for refusing instruction (Proverbs 8:33, 13:18) frames the rejection of wisdom not as a neutral act, but as a destructive choice that leads to shame and dishonor. Setting God's counsel at nought Proverbs 1:25 is a direct path to ruin.
Ritual States of Separation: The word distinguishes between holy and profane states. The priest is to remain "covered" to maintain his consecration Leviticus 10:6, while the leper is "bare" Leviticus 13:45 and the accused woman is "uncovered" Numbers 5:18, signifying states of uncleanness or judgment.
Covenant Unfaithfulness: The "nakedness" of the people in Exodus 32:25 represents more than physical exposure; it is a spiritual state of being unrestrained by their covenant with God, resulting in shame before their enemies.

Summary

In summary, H6544 is a multifaceted word that moves from the literal meaning of "to loosen" or "uncover" to the profound spiritual concepts of moral unrestraint, social decay, and the active rejection of divine wisdom. It demonstrates that freedom from God's instruction and order is not true liberty but a state that leads to perishing, shame, and judgment. The word serves as a consistent biblical warning about the dangers of being "let loose" from the source of life and truth.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 16 occurrences, inflected in 13 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

תִּפְרָעוּ
פָרֻעַ
פּוֹרֵעַ
תַּפְרִיעוּ
הִפְרִיעַ
יִפָּרַע
תִּפְרְעוּ
פָרַע
פְּרָעֵ
אֶפְרַע
יִפְרָע
פְרֹעַ
פְרָעֹ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 15 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs (6 verses); never once in the other 32.

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Judges

2 Chronicles

Proverbs

Ezekiel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.