Φαραώ (G5328) — Greek Lexicon

Φαραώ

Pharaṓ

G5328 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A proper noun referring to the title of the Egyptian sovereign or king. In the Greek Bible (Septuagint and New Testament), Φαραώ designates the monarch(s) of Egypt, functioning both as a personal title and sometimes as a name. The semantic range encompasses the specific pharaohs who interacted with Israelites in biblical narratives, as well as the generic office of Egypt's ruler.

Semantic Range

Pharaoh (as royal title), Egyptian monarch, the ruler of Egypt referenced in biblical history, generic title for Egypt's king

Root / Etymology

Borrowed from the Hebrew פַּרְעֹה (par‘ōh), which in turn derives from the Egyptian pr-‘3 (meaning 'great house'), referring initially to the royal palace and later to the king himself. The Greek Φαραώ is a direct transliteration of the Hebrew form.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The Greek Φαραώ appears in the Septuagint as the standard designation for Egypt’s king(s), following the Hebrew usage. In Egyptian, 'pr-‘3' originally meant 'great house' or 'palace,' and only in the New Kingdom became a title for the monarch. In both the Septuagint and New Testament (Romans 9:17; Acts 7:10, 13, 21), Φαραώ refers to the pharaoh(s) involved in scriptural narratives, especially the pharaoh of the Exodus. 'Pharaoh' is a title, not a personal name, though it often functions as such in biblical Greek. Standard English translations render Φαραώ as 'Pharaoh,' but this obscures its function as a royal title. The word did not carry additional ethnic or religious connotations beyond denoting the ruler of Egypt; it is distinct from other royal titles in Greek such as βασιλεύς (king). Φαραώ does not follow regular Greek declensional patterns and is treated as indeclinable in biblical Greek. The Greek word is rarely used outside scriptural texts, underscoring its status as a loanword specifically tied to the biblical and Egyptian contexts.

Translation Consistency

primary "Pharaoh" 5 occurrences

This lemma is a proper noun/title for the Egyptian ruler in biblical contexts. "Pharaoh" is the standard, natural English rendering used throughout translations for both specific monarchs and the generic office, so it ensures consistent, recognizable wording across all forms.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of foreign origin (פַּרְעֹה); Pharao (i.e. Pharoh), an Egyptian king:--Pharaoh.

Root Family

Φαραώ (Pharaō) — Egyptian king, ruler of Egypt, sovereign

Root φαραω Egyptian king, ruler of Egypt, sovereign

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G5328-01`	Φαραὼ	pharao	`N GEN M SG`	Pharaoh	of Pharaoh	Pharaoh	5

Occurrences in Scripture

5 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G5328-01`	Acts 7:10	Φαραὼ	pharao	`N GEN M SG`	Pharaoh	of Pharaoh	Pharaoh
`G5328-01`	Acts 7:13	Φαραὼ	pharao	`N DAT M SG`	Pharaoh	of Pharaoh	Pharaoh
`G5328-01`	Acts 7:21	Φαραὼ	pharao	`N GEN M SG`	of Pharaoh	of Pharaoh	of Pharaoh
`G5328-01`	Romans 9:17	Φαραὼ	pharao	`N DAT M SG`	Pharaoh	of Pharaoh	Pharaoh
`G5328-01`	Hebrews 11:24	Φαραώ	pharao	`N GEN M SG`	of Pharaoh	of Pharaoh	of Pharaoh

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