6569. peresh
Lexical Summary
peresh: Dung, refuse, excrement

Original Word: פֶרֶשׁ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: peresh
Pronunciation: peh'-resh
Phonetic Spelling: (peh'-resh)
KJV: dung
NASB: refuse
Word Origin: [from H6567 (פָּרָשׁ - To declare)]

1. excrement (as eliminated)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
dung

From parash; excrement (as eliminated) -- dung.

see HEBREW parash

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
fecal matter
NASB Translation
refuse (7).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מֶּ֫רֶשׁ noun [masculine] faecal matter found in intestines of victim; — ׳פ absolute Malachi 2:3; construct Malachi 2:3; suffix מִּרְשׁוֺ Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 4:11; Leviticus 8:17; מִּרְשָׁה Numbers 19:5; מִּרְשָׁם Leviticus 16:27 (all P).

Topical Lexicon
Semantic Scope and Symbolism

The noun פֶרֶשׁ designates the refuse contained within an animal—the undigested matter and accompanying offal removed during butchering. Scripture connects it with uncleanness, uselessness, and the necessity of removal from the sphere of worship.

Occurrences within the Sacrificial System

Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 4:11; 8:17; 16:27; Numbers 19:5

In each text the flesh, hide, and פֶרֶשׁ of a specified offering are carried “outside the camp” and burned. Whether in the inaugural consecration of priests, the regular sin offering, the Day of Atonement, or the red-heifer rite, the same demand applies: every residue linked with sin must be removed from holy space and destroyed.

Malachi 2:3 (doublet in the Masoretic division)

“See, I will rebuke your descendants, and I will spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you will be carried off with it.”

The refuse becomes an instrument of prophetic censure—priests who trivialize holiness will themselves share the shame of the refuse they mishandled.

Ritual Geography: Outside the Camp

The recurring destination of פֶרֶשׁ is outside the camp (later outside the city). This ash-heap location forms a boundary between the sanctuary of holiness and the realm of uncleanness. Hebrews 13:11–13 draws on this pattern, linking the burning of refuse to Messiah’s suffering “outside the camp,” where He bore sin and disgrace.

Theological Themes

• Holiness: God’s presence cannot coexist with defilement; refuse is separated and destroyed.
• Substitution and Removal: Blood secures atonement, while the transport of פֶרֶשׁ depicts complete eradication of guilt.
• Shame: Malachi’s oracle shows that careless worship invites public humiliation.

Historical and Cultural Background

Ancient Near-Eastern cults sometimes left offal on the altar for lesser deities. Israel’s instructions stand in deliberate contrast, underlining Yahweh’s unique demand for purity and safeguarding the camp from disease.

Practical Ministry Application

Ministers must heed Malachi’s warning: negligent worship turns the means of grace into shame. Faithful service removes moral filth rather than masking it. The constant disposal of פֶרֶשׁ urges believers to examine their hearts, confess sin, and maintain purity in corporate worship.

Christological and Typological Significance

Jesus Christ fulfilled the pattern by suffering “outside the gate” (Hebrews 13:12). The burning of פֶרֶשׁ foreshadowed His bearing of all human uncleanness. Though seldom mentioned, פֶרֶשׁ quietly supports the grand narrative of redemption—sin removed, holiness preserved, and God’s people invited to draw near.

Forms and Transliterations
וּפִרְשֽׁוֹ׃ ופרשו׃ פִּרְשָֽׁם׃ פִּרְשָׁ֖הּ פִּרְשׁ֔וֹ פֶ֙רֶשׁ֙ פֶּ֖רֶשׁ פרש פרשה פרשו פרשם׃ feresh pe·reš p̄e·reš pereš p̄ereš Peresh pir·šāh pir·šām pir·šōw piršāh piršām pirShah pirSham pirSho piršōw ū·p̄ir·šōw ufirSho ūp̄iršōw
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Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 29:14
HEB: עֹר֣וֹ וְאֶת־ פִּרְשׁ֔וֹ תִּשְׂרֹ֣ף בָּאֵ֔שׁ
NAS: and its hide and its refuse, you shall burn
KJV: and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn
INT: of the bull hide refuse shall burn fire

Leviticus 4:11
HEB: כְּרָעָ֑יו וְקִרְבּ֖וֹ וּפִרְשֽׁוֹ׃
NAS: and its entrails and its refuse,
KJV: and his inwards, and his dung,
INT: legs entrails refuse

Leviticus 8:17
HEB: בְּשָׂר֣וֹ וְאֶת־ פִּרְשׁ֔וֹ שָׂרַ֣ף בָּאֵ֔שׁ
NAS: and its flesh and its refuse he burned
KJV: his flesh, and his dung, he burnt
INT: hide flesh refuse burned the fire

Leviticus 16:27
HEB: בְּשָׂרָ֖ם וְאֶת־ פִּרְשָֽׁם׃
NAS: their flesh, and their refuse in the fire.
KJV: and their flesh, and their dung.
INT: their hides their flesh and their refuse

Numbers 19:5
HEB: דָּמָ֔הּ עַל־ פִּרְשָׁ֖הּ יִשְׂרֹֽף׃
NAS: and its blood, with its refuse, shall be burned.
KJV: and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:
INT: blood with refuse shall be burned

Malachi 2:3
HEB: הַזֶּ֔רַע וְזֵרִ֤יתִי פֶ֙רֶשׁ֙ עַל־ פְּנֵיכֶ֔ם
NAS: and I will spread refuse on your faces,
KJV: and spread dung upon your faces,
INT: your offspring will spread refuse on your faces

Malachi 2:3
HEB: עַל־ פְּנֵיכֶ֔ם פֶּ֖רֶשׁ חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְנָשָׂ֥א
NAS: on your faces, the refuse of your feasts;
KJV: upon your faces, [even] the dung of your solemn feasts;
INT: on your faces the refuse of your feasts will be taken

7 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6569
7 Occurrences


p̄e·reš — 1 Occ.
pe·reš — 1 Occ.
pir·šāh — 1 Occ.
pir·šām — 1 Occ.
pir·šōw — 2 Occ.
ū·p̄ir·šōw — 1 Occ.

6568
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