BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Peri (פְּרִי) — Fruit in the Bible
The Hebrew noun פְּרִי (pəriy, H6529) means fruit, used both for the literal produce of plants and, by extension, for visible outcomes of a person's life.
Meaning of the word
פְּרִי (pəriy) is a common Hebrew noun for the edible or reproductive produce of trees and plants. The lexicon entry defines it simply as 'fruit, literally or figuratively,' signaling that the word covers both the physical product of the ground and metaphorical results such as deeds or character.
In the early Genesis passages the term refers to the fruit of trees in the garden, the very item God permits humanity to eat (Gen 1:29; 3:2) and the one tree from which eating is forbidden (3:3). The noun is concrete here — a tangible object attached to a specific tree.
Usage in Scripture
In Genesis 1:11-12 the word appears in the third day of creation, where God commands the earth to bring forth vegetation including 'fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof.' The repetition emphasizes that each tree produces fruit containing its own seed, establishing fruit as part of the created order.
In Genesis 3 the fruit of the forbidden tree becomes the object of the first disobedience. The noun shifts from a neutral created thing to a tested boundary. Psalm 1:3 then carries the term into wisdom literature: the righteous person is 'like a tree… that bringeth forth its fruit in its season,' using פְּרִי as a metaphor for the steady, visible outcome of a godly life.
The word in detail
- H6529 Basic noun פְּרִי (pəriy), glossed 'fruit' — covers literal produce of plants (Gen 1:11-12, 29; 3:2-6) and figurative results such as the productive life of the righteous (Ps 1:3).
Example verses
- Genesis 1:11 First occurrence: fruit appears as part of God's creative command, with each tree bearing fruit 'after its kind'.
- Genesis 3:6 The fruit becomes the object of the first act of disobedience, shifting the word from created good to tested boundary.
- Psalms 1:3 Fruit used as a metaphor for the steady, in-season output of the godly person's life.
Common questions
Is פְּרִי only literal?
No. The lexicon entry marks it as 'fruit, literally or figuratively.' Literal uses dominate Genesis 1-3; Psalm 1:3 shows the figurative sense, where a person's life produces fruit.
Why is fruit emphasized on the third day of creation?
Genesis 1:11-12 repeats that each tree bears fruit 'after its kind' with seed in it, showing that reproduction and continuity are built into the created order from the start.
How does Psalm 1:3 connect to Genesis?
Both passages use פְּרִי of trees. Genesis establishes fruit within God's good creation; Psalm 1:3 borrows the same image to describe the visible, steady outcome of a life rooted in God's word.