Original Word: פַרְשֶׁגֶן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: parshegen
Pronunciation: par-sheh-gen
Phonetic Spelling: (par-sheh'-ghen)
NASB: copy
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H6572 (פַּרשֶׁגֶן פַּתשֶׁגֶן - copy)]

1. copy

copy

(Aramaic) corresponding to parshegen -- copy.

see HEBREW parshegen

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to parshegen
Definition
a copy
NASB Translation
copy (3).

מַּרְשֶׁ֫גֶן noun masculine^{Ezra 4:23} copy (ᵑ7 שַׁנְנָא-, Syriac ; Aramaic loan-word in Biblical Hebrew, where also מַּתְשֶׁנֶן id.; loan-word from Persian (Thes¹¹³³; Add.108), compare Armenian pat³ên, copy, Gildemeister^{ZKM iv. 210} Lag^{Ges. Abh. 79, Armen. Stud. § 1838} Mey^{Enst. J. 22} HoffmZA ii. 52, Old Iranian * paticayan, id., according to Andr^{M 79}*; not clear whether ׳מַּר is textual error for ׳מּת (Hoffm ^1.c.), or from different original (Andr^l.c. para™ayan? paricayan?), or from same √ in different stage (so apparently Scheft^{52, citing, for both}, Old Baktrian fra-s®nhana, announcement, Old Iranian pra´amsana, pra´¹sana, command, Arabic frasasti, command, patisênhana, answer, Old Persian *patithanhana, announcement, answer)); — construct ׳פ Ezra 4:11,23; Ezra 5:6.

Summary of Meaning and Usage

The term פַרְשֶׁגֶן appears three times in the Old Testament, each within the Aramaic sections of Ezra (Ezra 4:11; Ezra 4:23; Ezra 5:6). In every case it designates the officially issued “copy” or “text” of a royal or gubernatorial letter sent to or from the Persian court. The word is thus associated with authentic documentation, preserving the exact wording of decrees that affected the returning exiles and the rebuilding of the temple.

Historical Background

Ezra narrates events taking place under the vast Persian Empire, which governed its territories through an intricate bureaucracy. Royal correspondence was dispatched in duplicate or triplicate, preserved in archives such as the royal “House of Records” (Ezra 6:1–2). The presence of a specific term for an authoritative reproduction of a document reflects this administrative precision. פַרְשֶׁגֶן likely entered Jewish vocabulary through prolonged exposure to Persian governance during and after the Babylonian exile, evidencing the real‐world cultural milieu that the biblical account records.

Contextual Analysis in Ezra

1. Ezra 4:11 introduces the opponents’ letter: “This is the text of the letter they sent him: From your servants, the men of the region beyond the Euphrates:”. The “text” is leveraged to halt temple construction, demonstrating how political maneuvering used the empire’s formal channels.
2. Ezra 4:23 records the imperial response: “As soon as the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.”. The certified copy carries binding authority, and its public reading legitimizes coercive action.
3. Ezra 5:6 shifts to the faithful: “This is the copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of the region west of the Euphrates … sent to King Darius.”. Here the same administrative mechanism becomes a vehicle for justice, ultimately paving the way for the temple’s completion.

Theological Reflections

Scripture’s inclusion of these precise documentary terms underscores God’s sovereignty over empires and paperwork alike. The oracle of Isaiah 44:28–45:4 foresaw Persian decrees favoring Israel; the use of פַרְשֶׁגֶן shows that fulfillment arriving through authentic, verifiable instruments. Moreover, the motif of an unalterable “copy” parallels the enduring, unchanging Word of God, “which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:23).

Ministerial Application

1. Accuracy in Transmission: As the Persian court insisted on faithful copies, so the church is called to preserve and transmit Scripture without alteration (2 Timothy 2:15).
2. Respect for Civil Authority: The believers in Ezra navigated opposition and support through official channels, modeling a balanced submission and appeal (Romans 13:1; Acts 25:11).
3. Strategic Use of Documentation: Modern ministries benefit from clear, truthful records—constitutions, covenants, and policies—that mirror the transparency seen in Ezra’s copies.

Related Biblical Themes

• Divine use of pagan authorities (Ezra 1:1–4; Nehemiah 2:1–8).
• Public reading of authoritative texts (Deuteronomy 31:11; Nehemiah 8:1–8).
• The permanence of God’s decrees contrasted with the situational edicts of men (Psalm 119:89; Daniel 6:8).

פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן פַּרְשֶׁ֤גֶן פרשגן par·še·ḡen paršeḡen parShegenInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts