What does חָרַב (ḥārab) mean in the Bible?
חָרַב (ḥārab): Devastation through deprivation: drought imagery extends to destruction of land, cities, and life itself.
Hebrew · H2717
חָרַב
To parch (through drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate , destroy , kill
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חָרַבH2717
Pronunciationḥārab
What does חָרַב (ḥārab) mean in the Bible?
חָרַב (ḥārab): Devastation through deprivation: drought imagery extends to destruction of land, cities, and life itself.
Full entry for חָרַב (H2717) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2717?
The BSB source-word alignment has 40 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include will be laid waste (4), . . . (2), been dried (2), have laid waste (2), I have dried up (2).
Where does חָרַב (ḥārab) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 8:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (12), Ezekiel (8), Jeremiah (5), 2 Kings (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itwill be laid waste4×Ezekiel 6:6, Ezekiel 12:20, Amos 7:9
. . .2×2 Kings 3:23, Isaiah 60:12
been dried2×Judges 16:7, Judges 16:8
have laid waste2×2 Kings 19:17, Isaiah 37:18
I have dried up2×2 Kings 19:24, Isaiah 37:25
a desolate1×Ezekiel 26:19
and deserted1×Jeremiah 26:9
and devastated1×Ezekiel 19:7
and dry up1×Isaiah 19:6
and it dried up1×Psalms 106:9
and wreckers1×Isaiah 49:17
appalled1×Jeremiah 2:12
Be dry1×Isaiah 44:27
becomes parched1×Job 14:11
dries up1×Isaiah 50:2
had dried up1×Genesis 8:13
have clashed swords1×2 Kings 3:23
I have made1×Zephaniah 3:6
I will dry up1×Jeremiah 51:36
I will lay waste1×Isaiah 42:15
it will lie desolate1×Isaiah 34:10
Kill1×Jeremiah 50:27
Kill them1×Jeremiah 50:21
now that she lies in ruins1×Ezekiel 26:2
ruined1×Ezekiel 30:7
run dry1×Nahum 1:4
the ruined1×Ezekiel 29:12
was dry1×Genesis 8:13
who destroyed1×Judges 16:24
who dried up1×Isaiah 51:10
will be parched1×Isaiah 19:5
will be utterly destroyed1×Isaiah 60:12
will run dry1×Hosea 13:15
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 8:13חָֽרְב֥וּtohad dried upVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralGenesis 8:13חָֽרְב֖וּtowas dryVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralJudges 16:7חֹרָ֑בוּtobeen driedVerb - Pual - Perfect - third person common pluralJudges 16:8חֹרָ֑בוּtobeen driedVerb - Pual - Perfect - third person common pluralJudges 16:24מַחֲרִ֣יבtowho destroyedVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct2 Kings 3:23הָחֳרֵ֤בto. . .Verb - Hofal - Infinitive absolute2 Kings 3:23נֶֽחֶרְבוּ֙tohave clashed swordsVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural2 Kings 19:17הֶחֱרִ֜יבוּtohave laid wasteVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural2 Kings 19:24וְאַחְרִב֙toI have dried upConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singularJob 14:11יֶחֱרַ֥בtobecomes parchedVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 8:13
Aligned rows40
Books represented12
Genesis2Judges32 Kings4Job1Psalms1Isaiah12Jeremiah5Ezekiel8Hosea1Amos1Nahum1Zephaniah1
Source forms
הֶחֱרִ֜יבוּ2xhe·ḥĕ·rî·ḇū2 Kings 19:17, Isaiah 37:18
וְאַחְרִב֙2xwə·’aḥ·riḇ2 Kings 19:24, Isaiah 37:25
יֶחֱרַ֥ב2xye·ḥĕ·raḇJob 14:11, Isaiah 19:5
תֶּחֱרַ֔בְנָה2xte·ḥĕ·raḇ·nāhEzekiel 6:6, Ezekiel 12:20
אַחֲרִ֤יב1x’a·ḥă·rîḇIsaiah 42:15
אַחֲרִ֣יב1x’a·ḥă·rîḇIsaiah 50:2
הָחֳרֵ֤ב1xhā·ḥo·rêḇ2 Kings 3:23
הָחֳרָֽבָה׃1xhā·ḥo·rā·ḇāhEzekiel 26:2
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural3xIsaiah 60:12, Ezekiel 6:6, Amos 7:9
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular2x2 Kings 19:24, Isaiah 37:25
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular2xIsaiah 42:15, Isaiah 50:2
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural2x2 Kings 19:17, Isaiah 37:18
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular2xEzekiel 19:7, Nahum 1:4
Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural2xJudges 16:7, Judges 16:8
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural2xJeremiah 2:12, Jeremiah 50:27
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural2xEzekiel 6:6, Ezekiel 12:20
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Devastation through deprivation: drought imagery extends to destruction of land, cities, and life itself.
Source Gloss
to parch (through drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate , destroy , kill
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Devastation through deprivation: drought imagery extends to destruction of land, cities, and life itself.
to parch (through drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill BDB: be waste Usage: decay, (be) desolate, destroy(-er), (be) dry (up), slay, × surely, (lay, lie, make) waste.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups5Aligned forms34
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense16×
ImperfectAmos 7:9 · Ezek 6:6 · Isa 60:12 · Ezek 12:20 · Isa 19:5 · Job 14:11 · Isa 34:10 · Jer 26:99×
Sequential imperfectJer 2:12 · Jer 50:27 · Isa 44:27 · Jer 50:214×
PerfectGen 8:132×
Infinitive absoluteIsa 60:121×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action8×
Perfect2Kgs 19:17 · Isa 37:18 · Ezek 19:7 · Nah 1:4 · Zeph 3:65×
ImperfectIsa 42:15 · Isa 50:22×
Participle activeJudg 16:241×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action3×
Participle passiveEzek 26:19 · Ezek 30:72×
Perfect2Kgs 3:231×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject2×
PerfectJudg 16:7 · Judg 16:82×
Hophalcausative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action3×
Infinitive absolute2Kgs 3:231×
PerfectEzek 26:21×
Participle passiveEzek 29:121×
Word Origins
חָרַב is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.