What does חָרַד (ḥārad) mean in the Bible?
חָרַד (ḥārad): Fear manifested physically—trembling body reflects inner terror; anxiety-driven urgency in movement.
Hebrew · H2729
חָרַד
To shudder with terror; hence, to fear ; also to hasten (with anxiety)
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חָרַדH2729
Pronunciationḥārad
What does חָרַד (ḥārad) mean in the Bible?
חָרַד (ḥārad): Fear manifested physically—trembling body reflects inner terror; anxiety-driven urgency in movement.
Full entry for חָרַד (H2729) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2729?
The BSB source-word alignment has 39 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include tremble (3), to fear (2), to make him afraid (2), trembled (2), and trembled (1).
Where does חָרַד (ḥārad) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 27:33. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (6), 1 Samuel (5), Isaiah (5), Jeremiah (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Ittremble3×Isaiah 41:5, Ezekiel 26:18, Amos 3:6
to fear2×Leviticus 26:6, Isaiah 17:2
to make him afraid2×Jeremiah 30:10, Jeremiah 46:27
trembled2×Exodus 19:16, 1 Samuel 14:15
and trembled1×1 Samuel 28:5
and trembling1×Genesis 42:28
began to tremble violently1×Genesis 27:33
fear1×Job 11:19
he trembled1×1 Samuel 21:1
I will throw him into a panic1×2 Samuel 17:2
in terror1×1 Kings 1:49
one to frighten him1×Micah 4:4
one to frighten them1×Ezekiel 39:26
one to scare them away1×Deuteronomy 28:26
one will frighten them1×Ezekiel 34:28
pounds1×Job 37:1
quaked1×Exodus 19:18
routing1×Judges 8:12
Shudder1×Isaiah 32:11
they trembled1×1 Samuel 16:4
They will come trembling1×Hosea 11:11
They will tremble1×Isaiah 19:16
to frighten1×Ezekiel 30:9
to frighten them away1×Nahum 2:11
to make them tremble1×Zephaniah 3:13
to scare them away1×Jeremiah 7:33
to terrify1×Zechariah 1:21
trembles1×Isaiah 10:29
trembling1×Ezekiel 26:16
trouble1×2 Kings 4:13
was startled1×Ruth 3:8
were quaking in fear1×1 Samuel 13:7
will come trembling1×Hosea 11:10
will tremble1×Ezekiel 32:10
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 27:33וַיֶּחֱרַ֨דtobegan to tremble violentlyConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 42:28וַיֶּֽחֶרְד֞וּtoand tremblingConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralExodus 19:16וַיֶּחֱרַ֥דtotrembledConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularExodus 19:18וַיֶּחֱרַ֥דtoquakedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularLeviticus 26:6מַחֲרִ֑ידtoto fearVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:26מַחֲרִֽיד׃toone to scare them awayVerb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularJudges 8:12הֶחֱרִֽיד׃toroutingVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularRuth 3:8וַיֶּחֱרַ֥דtowas startledConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular1 Samuel 13:7חָרְד֥וּtowere quaking in fearVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural1 Samuel 14:15חָרְד֖וּtotrembledVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 27:33
Aligned rows39
Books represented20
Genesis2Exodus2Leviticus1Deuteronomy1Judges1Ruth11 Samuel52 Samuel11 Kings12 Kings1Job2Isaiah5Jeremiah3Ezekiel6Hosea2Amos1Micah1Nahum1Zephaniah1Zechariah1
Source forms
מַחֲרִֽיד׃7xma·ḥă·rîḏDeuteronomy 28:26, Isaiah 17:2, Jeremiah 7:33, Jeremiah 30:10
וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד4xway·ye·ḥĕ·raḏExodus 19:16, Exodus 19:18, Ruth 3:8, 1 Samuel 28:5
מַחֲרִ֑יד3xma·ḥă·rîḏLeviticus 26:6, Job 11:19, Micah 4:4
וַיֶּחֱרַ֨ד2xway·ye·ḥĕ·raḏGenesis 27:33, 1 Samuel 21:1
יֶחֱרָ֑דוּ2xye·ḥĕ·rā·ḏūIsaiah 41:5, Amos 3:6
מַחֲרִֽיד׃ס2xma·ḥă·rîḏJeremiah 46:27, Zephaniah 3:13
הֶחֱרִֽיד׃1xhe·ḥĕ·rîḏJudges 8:12
וְהַֽחֲרַדְתִּ֣י1xwə·ha·ḥă·raḏ·tî2 Samuel 17:2
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular12xLeviticus 26:6, Deuteronomy 28:26, Job 11:19, Isaiah 17:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular6xGenesis 27:33, Exodus 19:16, Exodus 19:18, Ruth 3:8
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural4xIsaiah 41:5, Ezekiel 26:18, Hosea 11:11, Amos 3:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural3xGenesis 42:28, 1 Samuel 16:4, 1 Kings 1:49
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural2xEzekiel 26:16, Ezekiel 32:10
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct2xEzekiel 30:9, Zechariah 1:21
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural2x1 Samuel 13:7, 1 Samuel 14:15
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular1x2 Samuel 17:2
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Fear manifested physically—trembling body reflects inner terror; anxiety-driven urgency in movement.
Strong'sH2729
Lexical occurrences39 versesWord forms2 forms23 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkHosea 11:8-11Source Gloss
to shudder with terror; hence, to fear ; also to hasten (with anxiety)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Fear manifested physically—trembling body reflects inner terror; anxiety-driven urgency in movement.
to shudder with terror; hence, to fear; also to hasten (with anxiety) BDB: tremble Usage: be (make) afraid, be careful, discomfit, fray (away), quake, tremble.
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 groups2Aligned forms23
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action13×
Participle activeDeut 28:26 · Ezek 34:28 · Ezek 39:26 · Isa 17:2 · Jer 7:33 · Jer 30:10 · Jer 46:27 · Job 11:19 · Lev 26:6 · Mic 4:4 · Nah 2:12 · Zeph 3:1312×
PerfectJudg 8:121×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense10×
ImperfectAmos 3:6 · Ezek 26:18 · Hos 11:11 · Isa 41:5 · Job 37:15×
Perfect1Sam 13:7 · 1Sam 14:15 · 2Kgs 4:13 · Isa 10:294×
Sequential imperfectIsa 32:111×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to tremble
To quake or be terrified.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 39 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָרַד is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The verb captures the emotional impact of divine intervention.Hosea 11:8-11
Reverent response of returning exiles.Isaiah 19:16-17