Lexical Summary
peshar: interpretation
Original Word:פְשַׁר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:pshar
Pronunciation:peh-shar
Phonetic Spelling:(pesh-ar')
KJV: interpretation
NASB:interpretation
Word Origin:[(Aramaic) fromH659 (אֵפַע - Ephah)0]
1. an interpretation
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
interpretation
(Aramaic) frompshar; an interpretation -- interpretation.
see HEBREWpshar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) from
pesharDefinitioninterpretation
NASB Translationinterpretation (30).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
31Daniel 2:45 (of dream) (compare Biblical Hebrew as loan-word); — construct
Daniel 4:3;
Daniel 5:15,26;
Daniel 7:16; emphatic
Daniel 2:4 7t. Daniel; +
Daniel 4:15;
Daniel 4:16 Kt (Qr );
Daniel 2:7;
Daniel 5:12; suffix
Daniel 2:5,6 (twice in verse) + 11 t. Daniel; + Qr
Daniel 4:15;
Daniel 4:16 (Kt ); plural
Daniel 5:16.
Topical Lexicon
Root and Semantic Fieldפְשַׁר (pesher) denotes the act or result of “explaining, interpreting, solving.” The underlying idea is that something obscure is untied so that its meaning becomes plain. The term therefore belongs to the semantic field of revelation: the hidden is made known, not by human ingenuity alone but by disclosure granted from above.
Canonical Distribution
Approximately thirty-one occurrences appear in the Old Testament—about thirty in the Aramaic chapters of Daniel (2–5) and one in Hebrew,Ecclesiastes 8:1. In every case the focus is on disclosing a mystery, dream, or enigmatic sentence.
Narrative Clusters in Daniel
1. The Colossus Dream (Daniel 2)
• Repeated use of פְשַׁר frames the entire episode (2:4–45). Pagan sages promise interpretation, yet fail. Daniel prays, receives the content and meaning, and concludes, “The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy” (Daniel 2:45).
2. The Great Tree Dream (Daniel 4)
• Nebuchadnezzar again seeks “the interpretation” (4:6). Daniel supplies both meaning and exhortation, revealing divine sovereignty over kings.
3. The Handwriting on the Wall (Daniel 5)
• The word occurs eight times in chapter 5. Daniel is summoned because “an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in him” (Daniel 5:12). The final declaration, “This is the interpretation of the matter” (5:26), seals Belshazzar’s doom and the rise of the Medo-Persian Empire.
In each cluster פְשַׁר functions as a literary signpost: the repeated term heightens tension, showcases the impotence of worldly wisdom, and magnifies the God who “reveals deep and hidden things” (Daniel 2:22).
Role in Wisdom Literature
Ecclesiastes 8:1 links interpretation to the transformative power of wisdom: “Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom brightens his face and changes its hard appearance”. Here פְשַׁר serves as the hallmark of true discernment that softens harshness and produces joy.
Key Theological Themes
• Divine Revelation: Interpretation is God-given, not humanly manufactured (Daniel 2:28).
• Sovereignty: Correct interpretation unveils God’s control of history—He installs and removes kings (2:21; 4:25).
• Exclusivity of True Wisdom: The failure of Babylonian experts contrasts with the success of a servant who depends on the covenant God.
• Eschatology: The unveiled mysteries culminate in an everlasting kingdom (2:44), foreshadowing later prophetic and New Testament expectations.
• Ethical Implications: Revelation calls for response—humility for Nebuchadnezzar, repentance ignored by Belshazzar, and shining countenance for the wise (Ecclesiastes 8:1).
Historical and Later Jewish Usage
At Qumran the term “pesher” became the label for inspired commentaries (e.g., Pesher Habakkuk), illustrating how the biblical concept of God-given interpretation shaped Jewish exegesis between the Testaments. The practice underscores continuity with Daniel’s conviction that meaning must come from God.
New Testament Resonance
Greek terms for “interpret” (hermēneuō, diermēneuō) echo פְשַׁר. Jesus “explained to them what was written about Himself in all the Scriptures” (Luke 24:27), and the Spirit promises guidance “into all truth” (John 16:13), carrying forward the biblical pattern: revelation leads to Spirit-enabled interpretation.
Ministry Applications
• Preaching and Teaching: Like Daniel, servants of God lean on divine illumination, not rhetorical prowess, to disclose Scripture’s meaning.
• Discipleship:Ecclesiastes 8:1 models the transformative effect of grasping God’s truth—understanding should radiate in demeanor and conduct.
• Apologetics: The fulfilled interpretations in Daniel—verified by subsequent history—offer a compelling case for the reliability of biblical prophecy.
Summary
פְשַׁר is more than a technical term; it is a theological witness. Every biblical occurrence insists that ultimate meaning originates with God, is granted to the faithful, and carries ethical and eschatological weight. From Daniel’s courts to the reflective wisdom of Ecclesiastes, interpretation is portrayed as a sacred trust that unveils God’s sovereign purposes and invites responsive obedience.
Forms and Transliterations
וּפְשַׁ֥ר וּפִשְׁרֵ֔הּ וּפִשְׁרֵ֖הּ וּפִשְׁרֵ֥הּ וּפִשְׁרֵֽהּ׃ וּפִשְׁרֵא֙ וּפִשְׁרֵהּ֙ וּפִשְׁרָ֖א וּפִשְׁרָ֥א וּפִשְׁרָ֥ה וּפִשְׁרֵ֖הּ ופשר ופשרא ופשרה ופשרה׃ פְּשַֽׁר־ פְשַׁ֥ר פִּשְׁרִ֛ין פִּשְׁרֵ֣א ׀ פִּשְׁרֵֽהּ׃ פִּשְׁרָא֙ פִשְׁרֵ֖הּ פִשְׁרָ֖א פִשְׁרָא֙ פשר פשר־ פשרא פשרה פשרה׃ פשרין feShar fishRa fishReh p̄ə·šar pə·šar- p̄əšar pəšar- peshar piš·rā p̄iš·rā piš·rê piš·rêh p̄iš·rêh piš·rîn pishRa pishRe pishReh pishRin pišrā p̄išrā pišrê pišrêh p̄išrêh pišrîn ū·p̄ə·šar ū·p̄iš·rā ū·p̄iš·rāh ū·p̄iš·rê ū·p̄iš·rêh ufeShar ufishRa ufishRah ufishRe ufishReh ūp̄əšar ūp̄išrā ūp̄išrāh ūp̄išrê ūp̄išrêh
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