H6590 H6590
to interpret, explain the meaning of dreams or mysteries
An Aramaic loanword found exclusively in Daniel's account of interpreting Belshazzar's vision, this verb means to explain or interpret mysterious revelations. Daniel is described as having the ability to interpret dreams, and he is summoned to interpret the handwriting on the wall. The word likely entered Hebrew from Persian court language, where dream interpretation was a prized skill among royal advisors. It shares roots with later Jewish interpretive traditions.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Both occurrences are in Daniel 5 (verses 12 and 16), describing Daniel's ability to interpret dreams and mysteries. The Aramaic form appears as both an infinitive ('to interpret') and a participle ('interpreting, one who interprets'). Across languages—English 'interpret,' Spanish 'interpretar,' French 'interprétation'—the meaning is remarkably consistent, reflecting a technical term for the specialized skill of explaining divine revelations. This word connects to the later Jewish practice of 'pesher' interpretation found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. 2×
AR["أَنْ-تُفَسِّرَ", "مُفَسِّرُ"]·ben["ব্যাখ্যা-করতে", "ব্যাখ্যাকারী"]·DE["[למפשר]", "[מפשר]"]·EN["interpreting", "to-interpret"]·FR["de-interprétation", "interpréter"]·heb["לפשר", "מפשר"]·HI["अर्थ-करने-में", "अर्थ-करनेवाला"]·ID["menafsirkan"]·IT["[למפשר]", "[מפשר]"]·jav["juru-nerangaken", "nerangaken"]·KO["해석하는-", "해석하며"]·PT["interpretando", "interpretar"]·RU["толковать", "толкующий"]·ES["interpretando", "interpretar"]·SW["kufasiri", "kutafsiri"]·TR["yorumlamayı", "yorumlayan"]·urd["تعبیر-کرنا", "تعبیر-کرنے-والا"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† פְּשַׁר vb. interpret (a dream) (𝔗 id., Syriac ܦܫܰܪ, perhaps EgyptianAramaic פשר Lzb355 SAC100 (Arabic فسّر loan-word, v. Frä263); Assyrian pašâru);— Pe. Inf. לְמִפְשַׁר Dn 5:16, acc. cogn. פִּשְׁרִין. Pa. Pt. act. מְפַשַּׁר Dn 5:12, acc. חֶלְמִין.