Parah
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Topical Encyclopedia
Biblical References:
Parah is mentioned in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Joshua. The reference can be found in Joshua 18:23: "Avvim, Parah, Ophrah."

Historical and Geographical Context:
Parah is identified as one of the towns within the territory allotted to the tribe of Benjamin. The allocation of land to the tribes of Israel is a significant event in the biblical narrative, as it represents the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham regarding the land of Canaan. The town of Parah, along with others, was part of the inheritance given to Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

The exact location of Parah is not definitively known today, but it is generally believed to have been situated in the central region of ancient Israel, consistent with the territory of Benjamin. Some scholars suggest it may have been located near the Wadi Farah, northeast of Jerusalem, although archaeological evidence is limited.

Theological Significance:
The mention of Parah, though brief, contributes to the broader narrative of the Israelites' settlement in the Promised Land. Each town and city listed in the tribal allotments underscores the historical reality of Israel's occupation and the divine orchestration of their settlement. The division of the land among the tribes is a testament to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises.

The allocation of towns like Parah to the tribe of Benjamin also highlights the importance of land in the identity and heritage of the Israelite tribes. The land was not only a physical inheritance but also a spiritual one, symbolizing the relationship between God and His people.

Cultural and Religious Context:
In the ancient Near Eastern context, towns and cities were often small, fortified settlements that served as centers of agriculture, trade, and governance. The mention of Parah, along with other towns, reflects the organized structure of Israelite society as they transitioned from a nomadic lifestyle to a settled existence in Canaan.

The tribal system, with its division of land, played a crucial role in maintaining the social and religious order of the Israelites. Each tribe, including Benjamin, had specific responsibilities and roles within the larger community of Israel, and the land was integral to their identity and function.

Conclusion:
While Parah is a minor reference in the biblical text, its inclusion in the list of towns allotted to Benjamin serves as a reminder of the historical and theological dimensions of the Israelites' settlement in the Promised Land. The town's mention underscores the fulfillment of God's promises and the establishment of Israel as a nation under His covenant.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Parah

a cow; increasing

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Parah

(heifer-town) one of the cities in the territory allotted to Benjamin, named only in the lists of the conquest. (Joshua 18:23)

Easton's Bible Dictionary
The heifer, a town in Benjamin (Joshua 18:23), supposed to be identical with the ruins called Far'ah, about 6 miles north-east of Jerusalem, in the Wady Far'ah, which is a branch of the Wady Kelt.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PARAH

pa'-ra, par'-a (ha-parah; Codex Vaticanus Phara; Codex Alexandrinus Aphar): A city named as in the territory of Benjamin between Avvim and Ophrah (Joshua 18:23). It may with some confidence be identified with Farah on Wady Farah, which runs into Wady Suweinit, about 3 miles Northeast of `Anata.

Strong's Hebrew
6511. Parah -- a place in Benjamin
... 6510, 6511. Parah. 6512 . a place in Benjamin. Transliteration: Parah
Phonetic Spelling: (paw-raw') Short Definition: Parah. Word ...
/hebrew/6511.htm - 6k

6510. parah -- a heifer, cow
... 6509, 6510. parah. 6511 . a heifer, cow. Transliteration: parah Phonetic Spelling:
(paw-raw') Short Definition: cows. ... 6509, 6510. parah. 6511 . ...
/hebrew/6510.htm - 6k

6509. parah -- to bear fruit, be fruitful
... 6508, 6509. parah. 6510 . to bear fruit, be fruitful. Transliteration: parah
Phonetic Spelling: (paw-raw') Short Definition: fruitful. ... parah. 6510 . ...
/hebrew/6509.htm - 6k

672. Ephrath -- an Israelite woman, also the name of several ...
... Ephrath, Ephratah. Or mephrathah {ef-raw'-thaw}; from parah; fruitfulness; Ephrath,
another name for Bethlehem; once (Psa. ... see HEBREW parah. 671b, 672. ...
/hebrew/672.htm - 6k

6529. peri -- fruit
... Word Origin from parah Definition fruit NASB Word Usage earnings* (1), foliage
(1), fruit (84), fruitful (2), fruits (2), fruits* (1), offspring (11), price (1 ...
/hebrew/6529.htm - 6k

6500. para -- be fruitful
... para. 6501 . be fruitful. Transliteration: para Phonetic Spelling: (paw-raw')
Short Definition: fruitful. Word Origin the same as parah, qv. be fruitful ...
/hebrew/6500.htm - 5k

6513. Purah -- a servant of Gideon
... Word Origin from parah Definition a servant of Gideon NASB Word Usage Purah (2).
Phurah. For p'orah; foliage; Purah, an Israelite -- Phurah. see HEBREW p'orah. ...
/hebrew/6513.htm - 6k

Library

Parables. (xiii, xviii-xx, xxxv. )
... Mesopotamia.(343) Yet within an hour from Anathoth lies the Wady Farah, a name which
corresponds to the Hebrew Perath or (by a slight change) Parah; and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/2 parables xiii xviii-xx xxxv.htm

List of Abbreviations Used in Reference to Rabbinic Writings ...
... with Leviticus 19:23. Par. The Talmudic Tractate Parah, on the Red Heifer
and purification by its ashes. Peah The Talmudic Tractate ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/list of abbreviations used in.htm

The Deputation from Jerusalem - the Three Sects of the Pharisees ...
... In general, it seems that the Pharisees were afraid of the satirical comments of
the Sadducees on their doings (comp. Parah iii. ... Par. [1555] Parah iii.; Tos. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ii the deputation from.htm

Chapter xxvi
... Rechobh??th means "wide places" and signifies in reference to the well more than
"room" (Meek), rather "plenty of room." "Be fruitful" (parah) can hardly be ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxvi.htm

Chapter xlix
... Porath is the feminine of the participle of parah, "to bear fruit" (GK80 g). As
a choice phrase the expression "shoot of a fruitful branch" is repeated with ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlix.htm

Second Journey through Galilee - the Healing of the Leper.
... to different kinds of impurity, being described in Miqv. i. 1-8). From
Parah viii. 10 we gather, that among other rivers even the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xv second journey through.htm

Footnotes
... 344 I visited it in 1901 and 1904, a most surprising oasis! 345 Perath or Parah =
Farah was first suggested by Ewald ("Prophets of the OT," Eng. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/footnotes.htm

In the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius C??sar and under the Pontificate ...
... The name occurs in the Mishnah as Kayaph [so, and not Kuph, correctly] (Parah iii.
5). Professor Delitzsch does not venture to explain its meaning. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xi in the fifteenth.htm

Thesaurus
Parah (5 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PARAH. ...Parah (5 Occurrences). Joshua 18:23 Avvim,
Parah, Ophrah, (WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/p/parah.htm - 8k

Kine (24 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Hebrews sing. parah, ie, "fruitful"), mentioned
in Pharaoh's dream (Genesis 41:18). Here the word denotes ...
/k/kine.htm - 16k

Ophrah (9 Occurrences)
... of'-ra (`ophrah; Codex Vaticanus Aphra; Codex Alexandrinus Iephratha, etc.): (1)
A town in the territory allotted to Benjamin named between Parah and Chephar ...
/o/ophrah.htm - 13k

Heifer (22 Occurrences)
... Hebrews parah (Genesis 41:2; Numbers 19:2). Bearing the yoke (Hosea 4:16); "heifers
of Bashan" (Amos 4:1), metaphorical for the voluptuous females of Samaria. ...
/h/heifer.htm - 30k

Parallel (6 Occurrences)

/p/parallel.htm - 10k

Red (124 Occurrences)
... consequence, it became virtually or altogether impossible to secure a proper animal,
and the Mishnic statement that only nine had ever been found (Parah, iii.5 ...
/r/red.htm - 77k

Uncovering (13 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 13:7 So I went to Parah and, uncovering the hole, took the band from the
place where I had put it away: and the band was damaged and of no use for ...
/u/uncovering.htm - 10k

Paradises (1 Occurrence)

/p/paradises.htm - 6k

Cow (32 Occurrences)
... kou, kin (baqar (compare Arabic baqar, "cow"); `eghlath baqar (Isaiah 7:21); parah
(compare Arabic furar, "young of a sheep, goat, or cow"); paroth `aloth (1 ...
/c/cow.htm - 18k

Crevice (1 Occurrence)
... Jeremiah 13:4 Take the band which you got for a price, which is round your body,
and go to Parah and put it in a secret place there in a hole of the rock. ...
/c/crevice.htm - 6k

Resources
Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Parah (5 Occurrences)

Joshua 18:23
Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 13:4
Take the band which you got for a price, which is round your body, and go to Parah and put it in a secret place there in a hole of the rock.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 13:5
So I went and put it in a secret place by Parah, as the Lord had said to me.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 13:6
Then after a long time, the Lord said to me, Up! go to Parah and get the band which I gave you orders to put there.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 13:7
So I went to Parah and, uncovering the hole, took the band from the place where I had put it away: and the band was damaged and of no use for anything.
(BBE)

Subtopics

Parah

Parah: A City in the Territory of the Tribe of Benjamin

Related Terms

Kine (24 Occurrences)

Ophrah (9 Occurrences)

Heifer (22 Occurrences)

Parallel (6 Occurrences)

Red (124 Occurrences)

Uncovering (13 Occurrences)

Paradises (1 Occurrence)

Cow (32 Occurrences)

Crevice (1 Occurrence)

Avvim (3 Occurrences)

Useless (47 Occurrences)

Damaged (44 Occurrences)

Talmud

Hole (88 Occurrences)

Paradoxes of the Christian Life
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