Original Word: פֶרֶשׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Peresh
Pronunciation: PEH-resh
Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-resh)
KJV: Peresh
NASB: Peresh
Word Origin: [the same as H6569 (פֶּרֶשׁ - refuse)]

1. Peresh, an Israelite

Peresh

The same as peresh; Peresh, an Israelite -- Peresh.

see HEBREW peresh

Word Origin
from the same as peresh
Definition
a Manassite
NASB Translation
Peresh (1).

II. מֶּ֫רֶשׁ proper name, masculine Manassite 1 Chronicles 7:16, A ᵐ5^L Φαρες.

IV. פרשׁ (√ of following; meaning dubious; against Lag^{BN 50} (horse, one that breaks the ground, Arabic ) see Frä⁹⁴, compare also Nö^{ZMG xi (1886), 737}).

Biblical Context

“And Machir’s wife Maacah bore a son and named him Peresh. The name of his brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem” (1 Chronicles 7:16). Peresh appears only in this verse, within the genealogical register of the tribe of Manasseh. The passage anchors him in the household of Machir, firstborn of Manasseh, thereby linking him to the half-tribe that inherited territory on both sides of the Jordan (Joshua 17:1–6).

Genealogical Significance

1. Placement among the sons of Gilead situates Peresh in the generation that helped shape the identity of the Transjordanian clans.
2. The listing alongside his brother Sheresh (“root”) and nephews Ulam and Rakem preserves a line that may have held local leadership in Gilead. In later centuries, such records validated land claims after the Exile (Ezra 2:62).
3. His inclusion underscores the Chronicler’s concern to show continuity from the patriarchal promises to the post-exilic community, reinforcing that every family line—even one mentioned only once—contributed to Israel’s covenant story.

Historical and Cultural Insights

• The name Peresh likely carried an earthy nuance (“dung”), a reminder that ancient Israelites did not avoid blunt or humble imagery in personal names. This contrasts sharply with his brother’s name, Sheresh (“root”), suggesting a family comfortable with both unvarnished realism and hopeful symbolism.
• Gileadite society valued capable warriors and herdsmen. Though Scripture attributes no deeds to Peresh, the context of Manasseh’s east-Jordan settlements (Numbers 32:39–42) implies a life shaped by frontier defense and pastoral enterprise.
• Chronicling obscure individuals served a practical purpose: safeguarding hereditary allotments and temple service rosters (1 Chronicles 9:1–2). Peresh’s record preserved property boundaries and priestly levies tied to his descendants.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Faithfulness in Details: The Spirit-inspired Chronicler records even a solitary name, illustrating that God notices every generation (Psalm 145:4). Peresh stands as evidence that no individual is too minor for God’s redemptive narrative.
2. Humility and Honor: A name meaning “refuse” being honored in Scripture mirrors the pattern of God choosing the lowly to shame the lofty (1 Corinthians 1:27–29).
3. Covenant Continuity: By anchoring Peresh in Machir’s lineage, Scripture reaffirms the unbroken thread from Abraham to the Restoration era, confirming that God’s promises outlast exile, obscurity, and time.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Genealogies encourage believers to value their own family stories, cultivating gratitude for God’s providence across generations.
• Leaders can remind congregations that obscurity in human records does not equate to insignificance before God; every servant matters (Hebrews 6:10).
• The contrast between Peresh and Sheresh may inspire preaching on how God redeems both the “messy” and the “rooted” aspects of life, shaping them for His glory.

Related Scriptural Insights

Genesis 46–50; Numbers 26:29–34; Joshua 17:1–6; 1 Chronicles 27:20–21—passages that trace Manasseh’s lineage and land, providing context for Peresh’s place in Israel’s unfolding history.

פֶּ֔רֶשׁ פרש pe·reš pereš PereshInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts