6544. para'
Lexical Summary
para': To let go, to let loose, to be unrestrained, to uncover, to expose

Original Word: פָרַע
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: para`
Pronunciation: pah-rah'
Phonetic Spelling: (paw-rah')
KJV: avenge, avoid, bare, go back, let, (make) naked, set at nought, perish, refuse, uncover
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to loosen
2. (by implication) to expose, dismiss
3. (figuratively) absolve, begin

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
avenge, avoid, bare, go back, make naked, perish,

A primitive root; to loosen; by implication, to expose, dismiss; figuratively, absolve, begin -- avenge, avoid, bare, go back, let, (make) naked, set at nought, perish, refuse, uncover.

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[מָּרַע] verb denominative act as leader, lead (?); — only Infinitive construct בִּפְרֹעַ Judges 5:2, see above

III. מָּרַע verb let go, let alone (Late Hebrew id. unbind (hair), uncover; Arabic be empty, vacant, unoccupied (with of thing), Syriac uncover; ᵑ7 מְּרַע = Late Hebrew); —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular consecutive וּפָרַע Numbers 5:18; suffix מְּרָעֹה (Ges§ 7 b, c) Exodus 32:25; Imperfect3masculine singular יִפְרָ֑ע Leviticus 21:10, etc.; Imperative masculine singular suffix מְּרָעֵהוּ Proverbs 4:15; Infinitive cstr. מְּרֹע Judges 5:2; Participle act. מּוֺרֵעַ Proverbs 13:18; Proverbs 15:32; pass. מָּרוּעַ Leviticus 13:45, מָּרֻעַ Ezekiel 32:25; —

1 let go, let loose, people, i.e. remove restraint from them, Exodus 32:25 (twice in verse) (E); compare Job 15:4 CheJQ, July 1897, 577 (תִּפְרָע for תִּגְרַע); unbind head (by removing turban, sign of mourning) Leviticus 10:6; Leviticus 21:10 (forbidden to priests); also, Leviticus 13:45 (leper), Numbers 5:18 (womsn; all with ראֹשׁ; see NowArchaeology ii. 114; > denominative from מֶּרַע Gerber18 and others).

2 let alone = avoid Proverbs 4:15; = neglect Proverbs 1:25; Proverbs 8:33; Proverbs 13:18; Proverbs 15:32; absolute = refrain Ezekiel 24:14. — Judges 5:2 see I. מֶּרַע.

Niph`al Imperfect3masculine singular יִדָממּ֫רַע עָ֑ם Proverbs 29:18 the people is let loose, lacks restraint.

Hiph`il Perfect3masculine singular הַפְרִיעַ2Chronicles 28:19; Imperfect2masculine plural תַּפְרִיעוּ Exodus 5:4; —

1 cause people to refrain, מִמַּעֲשָׂיו Exodus 5:4.

2 shew lack of restraint2Chronicles 28:19.

Topical Lexicon
Overview

The verb פָרַע describes something or someone slipping loose from an ordained covering—hair from its binding, a nation from covenant restraints, a person from wise counsel. Its sixteen occurrences trace a line from literal unbinding to moral and spiritual abandonment.

Release and Willing Service

Exodus 5:4 – Pharaoh rebukes Moses for “letting the people loose” from forced labor, foreshadowing God’s redemptive liberation.
Judges 5:2 – “When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.” Voluntary devotion is pictured as warriors with unbound locks, a freedom energized by submission to the LORD rather than defiance of Him.

Ritual Hair Laws

Leviticus 10:6; 21:10 – Priests must not let hair hang loose while on duty, preserving the dignity of holy service.
Leviticus 13:45 – The leper’s disheveled hair marks public uncleanness.
Numbers 5:18 – The suspected adulteress has her hair loosened, exposing hidden sin to divine judgment.

Unkempt hair signals exposure; bound hair signifies ordered holiness.

Communal Disorder

Exodus 32:25 – “Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a derision to their enemies.”
2 Chronicles 28:19 – Ahaz “encouraged moral decline in Judah,” unleashing national shame.

Abandoning covenant boundaries invariably invites outside scorn and divine discipline.

Wisdom Literature Warnings

Proverbs 1:25; 4:15; 8:33; 13:18; 15:32; 29:18 employ the verb for spurning counsel:

“Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law” (Proverbs 29:18).

Ignoring instruction is portrayed as casting off the protective covering of wisdom.

Prophetic Finality

Ezekiel 24:14 – “I, the LORD, have spoken. I will not withhold, I will not show pity, and I will not relent.”

When human rebellion has run wild unchecked, God answers with an unrelenting decree. What sinners have recklessly loosed, divine justice firmly binds.

Ministry Implications

1. True freedom comes under the Lord’s authority; leaders must guard that balance.
2. Visible symbols (e.g., the priest’s groomed hair or the believer’s orderly worship, 1 Corinthians 14:40) reinforce invisible realities of holiness.
3. Preaching must maintain prophetic vision; otherwise congregations “cast off restraint.”
4. Discipline, whether parental, ecclesial, or civil, is a gracious covering, not an impediment.

Through פָרַע Scripture testifies that liberty detached from God’s order collapses into chaos, while submission within His order releases people into purposeful service and blessing.

Forms and Transliterations
אֶפְרַ֥ע אפרע בִּפְרֹ֤עַ בפרע הִפְרִ֙יעַ֙ הפריע וַתִּפְרְע֥וּ וּפָרַע֙ ופרע ותפרעו יִפְרָ֔ע יִפָּ֣רַֽע יפרע פְּרָעֵ֥הוּ פְרָעֹ֣ה פָר֔וּעַ פָרֻ֖עַ פּוֹרֵ֣עַ פורע פרוע פרע פרעה פרעהו תִּפְרָ֣עוּ ׀ תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃ תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ תפריעו תפרעו תפרעו׃ ’ep̄·ra‘ ’ep̄ra‘ bifRoa bip̄·rō·a‘ bip̄rōa‘ efRa faRua feraOh hifRia hip̄·rî·a‘ hip̄rîa‘ p̄ā·ru·a‘ p̄ā·rū·a‘ p̄ārua‘ p̄ārūa‘ pə·rā·‘ê·hū p̄ə·rā·‘ōh pərā‘êhū p̄ərā‘ōh peraEhu pō·w·rê·a‘ poRea pōwrêa‘ tafRiu tap̄·rî·‘ū tap̄rî‘ū tifRau tip̄·rā·‘ū tip̄rā‘ū ū·p̄ā·ra‘ ufaRa ūp̄āra‘ vattifreU wat·tip̄·rə·‘ū wattip̄rə‘ū yifRa yip·pā·ra‘ yip̄·rā‘ yipPara yippāra‘ yip̄rā‘
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 5:4
HEB: מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ אֶת־ הָעָ֖ם
NAS: why do you draw the people
KJV: and Aaron, let the people
INT: Moses and Aaron draw the people act

Exodus 32:25
HEB: הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י פָרֻ֖עַ ה֑וּא כִּֽי־
NAS: that the people were out of control-- for Aaron
KJV: that the people [were] naked; (for Aaron
INT: the people for of control he them

Exodus 32:25
HEB: ה֑וּא כִּֽי־ פְרָעֹ֣ה אַהֲרֹ֔ן לְשִׁמְצָ֖ה
NAS: for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision
KJV: (for Aaron had made them naked unto [their] shame
INT: he them get Aaron derision

Leviticus 10:6
HEB: רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֥ם אַל־ תִּפְרָ֣עוּ ׀ וּבִגְדֵיכֶ֤ם לֹֽא־
NAS: and Ithamar, Do not uncover your heads
KJV: his sons, Uncover not your heads,
INT: your heads not uncover your clothes nor

Leviticus 13:45
HEB: וְרֹאשׁוֹ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה פָר֔וּעַ וְעַל־ שָׂפָ֖ם
NAS: and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover
KJV: and his head bare, and he shall put a covering
INT: of his head become shall be uncovered and his mustache

Leviticus 21:10
HEB: רֹאשׁוֹ֙ לֹ֣א יִפְרָ֔ע וּבְגָדָ֖יו לֹ֥א
NAS: the garments, shall not uncover his head
KJV: on the garments, shall not uncover his head,
INT: his head nor uncover his clothes nor

Numbers 5:18
HEB: לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָה֒ וּפָרַע֙ אֶת־ רֹ֣אשׁ
NAS: the LORD and let [the hair of] the woman's
KJV: the LORD, and uncover the woman's
INT: before the LORD and let head the woman's

Judges 5:2
HEB: בִּפְרֹ֤עַ פְּרָעוֹת֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל
NAS: That the leaders led in Israel,
KJV: ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel,
INT: led the leaders Israel

2 Chronicles 28:19
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֤י הִפְרִ֙יעַ֙ בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּמָע֥וֹל
NAS: of Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah
KJV: Judah naked, and transgressed
INT: of Israel for had brought Judah and transgressed

Proverbs 1:25
HEB: וַתִּפְרְע֥וּ כָל־ עֲצָתִ֑י
NAS: And you neglected all my counsel
KJV: But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
INT: neglected all my counsel

Proverbs 4:15
HEB: פְּרָעֵ֥הוּ אַל־ תַּעֲבָר־
NAS: Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away
KJV: Avoid it, pass not by it, turn
INT: Avoid nay pass

Proverbs 8:33
HEB: וַחֲכָ֗מוּ וְאַל־ תִּפְרָֽעוּ׃
NAS: and be wise, And do not neglect [it].
KJV: and be wise, and refuse it not.
INT: and be wise not neglect

Proverbs 13:18
HEB: רֵ֣ישׁ וְ֭קָלוֹן פּוֹרֵ֣עַ מוּסָ֑ר וְשׁוֹמֵ֖ר
NAS: and shame [will come] to him who neglects discipline,
KJV: and shame [shall be to] him that refuseth instruction:
INT: Poverty and shame neglects discipline regards

Proverbs 15:32
HEB: פּוֹרֵ֣עַ מ֭וּסָר מוֹאֵ֣ס
NAS: He who neglects discipline despises
KJV: He that refuseth instruction despiseth
INT: neglects discipline despises

Proverbs 29:18
HEB: בְּאֵ֣ין חָ֭זוֹן יִפָּ֣רַֽע עָ֑ם וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר
NAS: the people are unrestrained, But happy
KJV: the people perish: but he that keepeth
INT: there vision are unrestrained the people keeps

Ezekiel 24:14
HEB: וְעָשִׂ֔יתִי לֹֽא־ אֶפְרַ֥ע וְלֹא־ אָח֖וּס
NAS: and I will act. I will not relent, and I will not pity
KJV: and I will do [it]; I will not go back, neither will I spare,
INT: will act I will not relent and I will not pity

16 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6544
16 Occurrences


bip̄·rō·a‘ — 1 Occ.
’ep̄·ra‘ — 1 Occ.
p̄ā·ru·a‘ — 2 Occ.
p̄ə·rā·‘ōh — 1 Occ.
hip̄·rî·a‘ — 1 Occ.
pə·rā·‘ê·hū — 1 Occ.
pō·w·rê·a‘ — 2 Occ.
tap̄·rî·‘ū — 1 Occ.
tip̄·rā·‘ū — 2 Occ.
ū·p̄ā·ra‘ — 1 Occ.
wat·tip̄·rə·‘ū — 1 Occ.
yip̄·rā‘ — 1 Occ.
yip·pā·ra‘ — 1 Occ.

6543
Top of Page
Top of Page