Hebrew word · H6551

פַּרְעֹשׁ

far'osh

Parosh

As a common noun it means 'flea' (1 Samuel 24:14; 26:20, where David calls himself 'a single flea'). As a proper noun it is the name of a lay family that recurs throughout Ezra and Nehemiah.

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.3

§ Parosh or Pharosh = "flea"

1) ancestor of a family who returned from exile with Zerubbabel and a 2nd group who returned with Ezra

2) a leader of the people who signed the covenant with Nehemiah

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ezra 2:3

Range of meaning

As a common noun it means 'flea' (1 Samuel 24:14; 26:20, where David calls himself 'a single flea'). As a proper noun it is the name of a lay family that recurs throughout Ezra and Nehemiah.

Against the English

English versions transliterate it as 'Parosh', which hides the meaning. Older versions (Septuagint Phoros, Vulgate Pharos) also transliterate.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ezra 2:3 matches Nehemiah 7:8 exactly, and 1 Esdras 5:9 ('Phoros', 2,172) agrees. More men of this family come back with Ezra (Ezra 8:3, 150 men under Zechariah). Several of them appear among those who had married foreign wives (Ezra 10:25). Pedaiah son of Parosh repairs part of the wall (Nehemiah 3:25). 'Parosh' heads the list of the 'chiefs of the people' who seal the covenant (Nehemiah 10:14). Animal names were common: Huldah ('mole/weasel'), Shaphan ('rock badger'), Achbor ('mouse').

From the study of Nehemiah 7:8

Range of meaning

As a common noun the word means "flea" (1 Sam 24:14; 26:20, where David calls himself a mere flea). As a personal name it belongs to the ancestor of a large lay family, meaning a family that was not priests or Levites.

Against the English

Translations transliterate it (Parosh; LXX Phoros; Vulgate Pharos). None of them conveys the "flea" meaning, and no translation needs to.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Parosh clan comes up again and again in the restoration books. Another 150 men "of the sons of Parosh" came with Ezra (Ezra 8:3). Members are named among those who had married foreign wives (Ezra 10:25). Pedaiah son of Parosh repaired part of Jerusalem's wall (Neh 3:25). "Parosh" heads the list of the leaders of the people who sealed the covenant (Neh 10:14). Animal names for people were common in Israel and the ancient Near East (compare Deborah "bee," Jonah "dove," Huldah "weasel"). There is no sign the name was an insult.

Where it appears

Ezra · 3

  1. Ezra 2:3 פַרְעֹ֔שׁ Parosh

    the descendants of Parosh, 2,172;

    Here: The name of the ancestor or founding head of a large lay family, meaning people who were not priests or Levites. The name is the ordinary Hebrew word for 'flea' (1 Samuel 24:14). It was probably a nickname, like other Israelite names taken from small animals. It comes first in the list of lay families.

  2. Ezra 8:3 פַרְעֹ֖שׁ Parosh

    of the descendants of Shecaniah; from the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;

  3. Ezra 10:25 פַרְעֹ֡שׁ Parosh

    And among the other Israelites, from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah.

Nehemiah · 3

  1. Nehemiah 3:25 פַּרְעֹֽשׁ׃ ס Parosh

    and Palal son of Uzai made repairs opposite the angle and the tower that juts out from the upper palace of the king near the courtyard of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh

  2. Nehemiah 7:8 פַרְעֹ֔שׁ Parosh

    the descendants of Parosh, 2,172;

    Here: The ancestor whose name the clan carried. By this time it works as a family name rather than pointing to one living man.

  3. Nehemiah 10:14 פַּרְעֹשׁ֙ Parosh

    And the leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.