Original Word: פֶרֶד
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: pered
Pronunciation: peh'-red
Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-red)
KJV: mule
NASB: mules, mule, mules'
Word Origin: [from H6504 (פָּרַד - separated)]

1. a mule (perhaps from his lonely habits)

mule

From parad; a mule (perhaps from his lonely habits) -- mule.

see HEBREW parad

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a mule
NASB Translation
mule (6), mules (8), mules' (1).

מֶּ֫רֶד noun masculine^{2Samuel 18:9} mule; — ׳פ absolute 2 Samuel 18:9 (3 t. in verse) +, suffix מִּרְדּוֺ 2 Samuel 13:29; plural מְּרָדִים 1 Kings 10:25 +; מִּרְדֵיהֶם Ezra 2:66 = Nehemiah 7:68 (van d. H.; Gi Baer in margin); — mule, ridden by princes 2 Samuel 13:29, in battle 2 Samuel 18:9 (3 t. in verse); compare (later, + horses, etc.) Zechariah 14:15; Isaiah 66:20; royal gift 1 Kings 10:25 2Chronicles 9:24; royal property 1 Kings 18:5; in trade of Tyre Ezekiel 27:14; beast of burden, מַשָּׂא צֶמֶד מְּרָדִים 2 Kings 5:17 the load of a pair of mules, of earth, 1 Chronicles 12:40; property of returning exiles Ezra 2:66 = Nehemiah 7:68; as refractory Psalm 32:9 (in simile).

Identification and Natural History

Pered describes the hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse—an animal prized in the Ancient Near East for sure-footed strength, endurance, and sterility (hence free from the unpredictability of breeding stock). While horses symbolized military might and donkeys humble service, the mule occupied the middle ground of reliable transport and royal travel.

Cultural and Economic Significance

• Trade Commodity: Ezekiel 27:14 lists mules among the luxury goods flowing into the mercantile hub of Tyre. Their inclusion alongside “horses and war-horses” highlights their monetary value.
• Diplomatic Tribute: 1 Kings 10:25 and 2 Chronicles 9:24 show visiting dignitaries bringing Solomon annual gifts that included “clothes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules,” underlining their role in interstate diplomacy.
• Agricultural Survival: Faced with drought, Ahab orders Obadiah to search for pasture “to keep the horses and mules alive” (1 Kings 18:5). Their preservation was vital to the kingdom’s infrastructure.

Appearances in Israel’s Monarchy

• Royal Transport: All of David’s sons fled on mules after Amnon’s assassination (2 Samuel 13:29). Absalom likewise rode a mule in his ill-fated flight (2 Samuel 18:9). The narrative assumes that princes, not commoners, possessed such mounts, marking them as status symbols.
• Military Logistics: When the men of Manasseh came to crown David at Hebron they supplied “donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen” laden with food (1 Chronicles 12:40), showing the animal’s role in provisioning troops.

Figurative and Prophetic Use

• Moral Instruction: “Do not be like a horse or mule, which have no understanding” (Psalm 32:9). The mule serves as a negative example of stubbornness that requires external restraint, contrasting with the willing obedience God seeks.
• Eschatological Pilgrimage: Isaiah envisions the nations bringing Israel’s exiles back “on horses … and on mules and camels” (Isaiah 66:20), portraying a global procession of worship.
• End-Times Judgment: Zechariah 14:15 extends the plague of the Day of the LORD even to “the horses, mules, camels, donkeys,” illustrating total divine sovereignty over every creature associated with mankind’s power.

Theological Reflections

1. Mixed Nature, Singular Purpose: Though a hybrid, the mule’s strength is fully harnessed when submitted to its master, mirroring believers who, despite mixed motives, become useful when yielded to the Lord.
2. Royal Yet Peaceful: Princes rode mules instead of war-horses, hinting at leadership characterized by service rather than conquest—anticipating the Messiah who enters Jerusalem “humble and mounted on a donkey” (Matthew 21:5).
3. Judgment or Blessing: The same animal can picture stubborn rebellion (Psalm 32:9) or joyous restoration (Isaiah 66:20), depending on its relationship to God’s purpose.

Practical Ministry Application

• Discipleship: Leaders should avoid “reins and bits” Christianity that forces compliance; instead cultivate understanding hearts responsive to Scripture.
• Stewardship: Like Ahab’s concern for livestock in famine, wise believers preserve God-given resources for ministry rather than squander them.
• Mission: Isaiah’s vision invites the church to participate in gathering worshipers from every nation by every available “vehicle,” whether ancient mule or modern technology.

Summary

Pered threads through Scripture as an emblem of dependable service for kings, merchants, and pilgrims. Whether carrying rebellious Absalom to judgment or ushering the redeemed to Jerusalem, the mule testifies that every creature—and every human endeavor—finds its true worth when harnessed to the sovereign purposes of God.

הַפֶּ֗רֶד הַפֶּ֙רֶד֙ הַפֶּ֡רֶד הפרד וְהַפֶּ֥רֶד וָפֶ֔רֶד וּבַגְּמַלִּ֣ים וּבַפְּרָדִ֜ים וּפְרָדִ֑ים וּפְרָדִ֔ים ובגמלים ובפרדים והפרד ופרד ופרדים כְּפֶרֶד֮ כפרד פְּרָדִ֖ים פִּרְדֵיהֶ֕ם פִּרְדּ֖וֹ פרדו פרדיהם פרדים hap·pe·reḏ hapPered happereḏ kə·p̄e·reḏ kefeRed kəp̄ereḏ pə·rā·ḏîm peraDim pərāḏîm pir·ḏê·hem pir·dōw pirḏêhem pirdeiHem pirDo pirdōw ū·ḇag·gə·mal·lîm ū·ḇap·pə·rā·ḏîm ū·p̄ə·rā·ḏîm ūḇaggəmallîm ūḇappərāḏîm uferaDim ūp̄ərāḏîm uvaggemalLim uvapperaDim vaFered vehapPered wā·p̄e·reḏ wāp̄ereḏ wə·hap·pe·reḏ wəhappereḏInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts