פָּרָה
a heifer
Definition
פָּרָה (pârâh) specifically refers to a female bovine, typically a young cow that has not yet borne a calf, hence the common translation 'heifer.' It denotes a domesticated animal used for labor, milk, and as a valuable possession. In prophetic literature, the term takes on symbolic meaning, representing Israel in Hosea 4:16 ('a stubborn heifer') to illustrate rebellion. In the Joseph narrative (Genesis 41), Pharaoh's dream of seven fat and seven lean heifers symbolizes years of agricultural abundance and famine.
Biblical Usage
The word appears 22 times, primarily in narrative contexts describing livestock as wealth (e.g., Genesis 32:15 as part of Jacob's gift to Esau). Its most famous usage is in Pharaoh's prophetic dreams in Genesis 41, where the seven heifers symbolize seven years. It is also used in legal and prophetic texts: Deuteronomy 21:3-6 details the ritual of the broken-necked heifer for an unsolved murder, and Hosea 4:16 uses it metaphorically for Israel's stubbornness.
Etymology
פָּרָה is the feminine form of the noun פַּר (par, H6499), meaning 'bull' or 'young bull.' The root is associated with being fruitful or productive, linking to the agricultural value of the animal. Cognates exist in related Semitic languages, like Ugaritic and Arabic, indicating a common term for cattle.
Semantic Range
The heifer carries theological weight in rituals of purification and atonement. The red heifer ritual (Numbers 19) for cleansing from impurity prefigures Christ's sacrificial work. In Hosea 4:16, God's metaphor of Israel as a 'stubborn heifer' vividly portrays the spiritual adultery and rebellion of His people, deepening our understanding of covenant faithfulness and judgment.
In ancient Israel, a heifer was a significant economic asset, representing wealth, sustenance (milk), and agricultural labor. It was not primarily for meat consumption. The specific choice of a heifer (not a bull) in rituals like Deuteronomy 21:3 may relate to its perceived innocence or value, differing from modern views of cattle as mere commodities.
עֶגְלָה (ʿeglâh, H5697) — a young female calf, often used similarly but can imply a slightly younger animal; שׁוֹר (shôr, H7794) — a general term for ox, bull, or cattle, often male.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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