H6571b H6571b
Horseman or cavalryman; a mounted warrior, usually appearing in military contexts alongside chariotry.
A masculine noun designating a mounted soldier, almost always appearing in the plural (parashim) alongside rekev ('chariotry') in descriptions of ancient Near Eastern military forces. Egyptian cavalry escorts Jacob's funeral procession (Gen 50:9), and Pharaoh's horsemen pursue Israel through the Red Sea (Exod 14:9, 17-28; 15:19). The word recurs for Philistine cavalry (1 Sam 13:5), Aramean mounted troops (2 Sam 8:4; 10:18), and the armies of Assyria and Babylon. Nahum 3:3 paints a terrifying picture of the 'horseman charging' with flashing sword. The cognate Arabic faris and Ethiopic faras confirm the pan-Semitic link between this root and horse-riding. Spanish jinetes, French cavaliers, and German Reiter all capture the military equestrian sense.
Senses
1. horseman, cavalryman — A mounted warrior or cavalryman, typically appearing in plural alongside chariot forces in military narratives. Egyptian horsemen pursue Israel at the Sea (Exod 14:9, 17-28), Philistine parashim vastly outnumber Saul's forces (1 Sam 13:5), and Nahum 3:3 depicts the terrifying charge of Ninevite cavalry. The Arabic cognate faris and Ethiopic faras confirm the deep Semitic association of this root with horse-mounted combat. Cross-linguistic renderings -- Spanish jinetes, French cavaliers, German Reiter -- consistently reflect the military equestrian meaning rather than a civilian rider. 52×
AR["فارِساً", "فارِسٍ", "فَارِسًا", "فَارِسٍ", "فَارِسُونَ", "فُرْسَانٌ", "فُرْسَانٍ", "وَ-فُرْسانٍ", "وَ-فُرْسَانًا", "وَ-وَضَعَهُمْ", "وَفُرْسَانًا"]·ben["-মধ্যে", "অশ্বারোহী", "অশ্বারোহীদের", "অশ্বারোহীরা", "এবং-অশ্বারোহী", "এবং-অশ্বারোহীদের", "এবং-অশ্বারোহীদের-সঙ্গে", "ঘোড়া"]·DE["Reiter", "und-Reiter"]·EN["and-horsemen", "for", "horsemen"]·FR["[פרשים]", "cavalier", "cavaliers", "et-cavaliers"]·heb["ו-פרשים", "וּ-פָרָשִׁים", "פָּרָשִׁים", "פרשים"]·HI["और-नहीं", "और-सवार", "और-सवारों", "घुड़सवार", "सवार", "सवारीम", "सवारों", "सवारों-का", "सवारों-के"]·ID["dan-pasukan-berkuda", "dan-penunggang-kuda", "pasukan-berkuda", "penunggang-kuda", "ribu"]·IT["cavaliere", "cavalieri", "e-cavalieri", "horsemen"]·jav["jaranan", "lan-jaranan", "lan-prajurit-jaran", "lan-prajurit-jaranan", "para-prajurit-jaranan", "prajurit-jaran", "prajurit-jaranan", "prajurit-kapal", "prajurit-nunggang-kapal"]·KO["그리고-기병들과", "그리고-기병을", "그리고-기사들", "기병들", "기병들-로", "기병들-이", "기병들과", "기병들도", "기병들에", "기병들을", "기병들이다", "기병들이라", "기병들이요", "기병을"]·PT["cavaleiros", "e-cavaleiros"]·RU["всадники", "всадников", "едущих", "и-всадники", "и-всадников"]·ES["jinetes", "y-jinetes"]·SW["askari", "na-wapanda-farasi", "na-watu", "wapanda-farasi", "ya-wapanda-farasi"]·TR["atlilar", "atlı", "atlılar", "suvariler", "suvarilerin", "süvariler", "ve-atlılar", "ve-atlılarla"]·urd["اور-سوار", "اور-سواروں", "سوار", "سواروں", "سواروں-کا", "سواروں-کے"]
Gen 50:9, Exod 14:9, Exod 14:17, Exod 14:18, Exod 14:23, Exod 14:26, Exod 14:28, Exod 15:19, Josh 24:6, 1 Sam 13:5, 2 Sam 1:6, 2 Sam 8:4 (+38 more)
Related Senses
H4421 1. war, battle, armed conflict (319×)H0341 1. enemy, adversary, foe (284×)H3898a 1. Nifal: to fight, wage war (167×)H2026 1. kill, slay (active) (146×)H2451 1. wisdom, discernment (146×)H5483b 1. horse (the animal) (138×)H0006 1. to perish, be destroyed (105×)H7843 1. Hifil: destroy, annihilate (83×)H2491a 1. slain, fatally pierced (74×)H6862c 1. adversary, enemy, foe (69×)H8045 1. destroy, exterminate (69×)G0615 1. kill, put to death (60×)H8077a 1. desolation, waste (abstract state) (52×)G4678 1. of wisdom (51×)G4717 1. crucify, fasten to a cross (46×)H2763a 1. utterly destroy (Hifil active) (44×)G0622 1. perish, be destroyed (intransitive) (41×)H0006 2. to destroy, annihilate (Piel) (38×)H8074 1. be desolate, lie waste (36×)G2190 1. enemy / hostile one (32×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. פָּרָשׁ n.m. Na 3:3 horseman (i.e. parrâš, cf. Ges§ 84 b b; Arabic فَارِسٌ; Ethiopic ፈረስ; Aramaic פָּרָשׁ, ܦܰܪܳܫܳܐ );—abs. פ׳ Na 3:3 Je 4:29, also פָּרַשׁ Ez 26:10 (as if cstr. KöSynt. § 337 s); pl. פָּרָשָׁים Gn 50:9 +; sf. פָּרָשָׁיו Ex 14:9 +;—horseman, usually pl., especially + רֶכֶב chariotry: Egyptian Gn 50:9 (J), Jos 24:6 (E), Ex 14:9,17,18,23,26,28 (all P), 15:19 (song), Is 31:1; 2…