Lexical Summary parashah: Section, division, portion Original Word: פָרָשָׁה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance declaration, sum From parash; exposition -- declaration, sum. see HEBREW parash NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom parash Definition exact statement NASB Translation exact amount (1), full account (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מָּרָשָׁה] noun feminine exact statement; — construct מָּרָשַׁת הַכֶּסֶף Esther 4:7, גְּדֻלַּת מָרְדֳּכַי ׳פ Esther 10:2. Topical Lexicon Biblical Context The noun פָרָשָׁה (parashah) occurs twice in the Hebrew Scriptures, both in the Book of Esther. In Esther 4:7 it denotes the written “copy” of the royal edict engineered by Haman to annihilate the Jews, which Mordecai passes to Esther via Hathach. In Esther 10:2 it describes the “account” recorded among the chronicles of Media and Persia concerning the authority and achievements of King Ahasuerus and the elevation of Mordecai. In each setting, parashah points to an official, authoritative written record that preserves events for legal and historical memory. Historical Background The Persian Empire relied on an expansive bureaucratic system in which laws and reports were drafted, copied, sealed, translated, and archived across its 127 provinces (Esther 1:1). The palace complex at Susa contained scriptoria and record rooms where royal secretaries preserved such documents. Parashah reflects this milieu: a discrete written section meant for dissemination or archival. Theological Significance 1. Providence and Preservation. The presence of parashah in Esther highlights God’s providence working through secular documents. A written edict intended for evil becomes the catalyst for intercession, fasting, and eventual deliverance (Esther 4:14–17). Ministry Application • Value of Documentation. Churches, missions, and ministries should keep accurate minutes, policies, and testimonies. Written clarity restrains error and enables future generations to trace God’s faithfulness. Related Concepts and References – “Book of the Chronicles of the Kings” (Esther 2:23; 6:1) – the broader archival context for parashah. – “Scroll of remembrance” (Malachi 3:16) – divine record paralleling human chronicles. – “Therefore go and make disciples… teaching them to observe” (Matthew 28:19–20) – the New Testament mandate rests on carefully transmitted apostolic teaching, of which parashah is an Old Testament shadow. Christological Foreshadowing The copy of the death-dealing decree delivered to Esther recalls the “written code” that stood against humanity (Colossians 2:14). Just as Mordecai’s intervention led to the Jews’ survival, Christ has taken the hostile decree “out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Esther’s narrative, punctuated by parashah, therefore prefigures the gospel reversal in which condemnation is replaced by salvation. Practical Reflection Believers today inhabit a culture saturated with documents—digital and physical. The brief yet potent appearances of parashah urge Christians to steward written words wisely: reading laws with discernment, recording testimonies with gratitude, and trusting that every decree, whether malicious or benevolent, ultimately serves the sovereign purposes of God who faithfully writes His account through history. Forms and Transliterations וּפָרָשַׁת֙ ופרשת פָּרָשַׁ֣ת פרשת pā·rā·šaṯ pārāšaṯ paraShat ū·p̄ā·rā·šaṯ ufaraShat ūp̄ārāšaṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Esther 4:7 HEB: קָרָ֑הוּ וְאֵ֣ת ׀ פָּרָשַׁ֣ת הַכֶּ֗סֶף אֲשֶׁ֨ר NAS: that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money KJV: him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money INT: that had happened and the exact of money after Esther 10:2 2 Occurrences |
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