What does חָרַם (ḥāram) mean in the Bible?
חָרַם (ḥāram): Religious devotion through complete destruction; God's exclusive claim on warfare spoils and idolatrous peoples.
Hebrew · H2763
חָרַם
To seclude ; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physical and reflexive, to be blunt as to the nose
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
חָרַםH2763
Pronunciationḥāram
What does חָרַם (ḥāram) mean in the Bible?
חָרַם (ḥāram): Religious devotion through complete destruction; God's exclusive claim on warfare spoils and idolatrous peoples.
Full entry for חָרַם (H2763) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2763?
The BSB source-word alignment has 52 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (3), devoting them to destruction (3), He devoted to destruction (3), and devote them to destruction (2), and devote to destruction (2).
Where does חָרַם (ḥāram) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 22:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Joshua (14), Deuteronomy (8), 1 Samuel (7), Jeremiah (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 It. . .3×Leviticus 27:28, Deuteronomy 7:2, Deuteronomy 20:17
devoting them to destruction3×2 Kings 19:11, 1 Chronicles 4:41, Isaiah 37:11
He devoted to destruction3×Joshua 10:28, Joshua 10:37, Joshua 10:40
and devote them to destruction2×Jeremiah 50:21, Daniel 11:44
and devote to destruction2×1 Samuel 15:3, 1 Samuel 15:18
and devoted to destruction2×Deuteronomy 2:34, Joshua 10:39
Devote to destruction2×Deuteronomy 13:15, Judges 21:11
[Israel] devoted1×Numbers 21:3
[Joshua] devoted to destruction1×Joshua 10:35
and devoted1×1 Samuel 15:20
and devoted [the city] to destruction1×Judges 1:17
and devoted it to destruction1×Joshua 10:1
but devoted1×1 Samuel 15:8
but they devoted to destruction1×1 Samuel 15:9
devote1×Jeremiah 51:3
Devote her to destruction1×Jeremiah 50:26
devoted them to destruction1×Joshua 11:21
devoted to destruction1×2 Chronicles 32:14
devoting [them] to destruction1×Joshua 11:11
devoting them1×2 Chronicles 20:23
disfigured1×Leviticus 21:18
He devoted them to destruction1×Joshua 11:12
he had devoted to destruction1×Joshua 8:26
he must be set apart for destruction1×Exodus 22:20
He will devote them to destruction1×Isaiah 34:2
set apart for destruction1×Leviticus 27:29
So I will devote them to destruction1×Jeremiah 25:9
so that they would be set apart for destruction1×Joshua 11:20
then you must devote them to complete destruction1×Deuteronomy 7:2
Then you will devote1×Micah 4:13
they devoted to destruction1×Joshua 6:21
to devote them to destruction1×1 Samuel 15:9
to devote to destruction1×1 Kings 9:21
utterly destroying1×Deuteronomy 3:6
We devoted them to destruction1×Deuteronomy 3:6
we devoted to destruction1×1 Samuel 15:15
we will devote1×Numbers 21:2
will devote to destruction1×Isaiah 11:15
would forfeit1×Ezra 10:8
you devoted to destruction1×Joshua 2:10
you must devote them to complete destruction1×Deuteronomy 20:17
you yourself be set apart for destruction1×Joshua 6:18
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 22:20יָֽחֳרָ֑םtohe must be set apart for destructionVerb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularLeviticus 21:18חָרֻ֖םtodisfiguredVerb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularLeviticus 27:28יַחֲרִם֩to. . .Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularLeviticus 27:29יָחֳרַ֛םtoset apart for destructionVerb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularNumbers 21:2וְהַֽחֲרַמְתִּ֖יtowe will devoteConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularNumbers 21:3וַיַּחֲרֵ֥םto[Israel] devotedConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 2:34וַֽנַּחֲרֵם֙toand devoted to destructionConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common pluralDeuteronomy 3:6וַנַּחֲרֵ֣םtoWe devoted them to destructionConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common pluralDeuteronomy 3:6הַחֲרֵם֙toutterly destroyingVerb - Hifil - Infinitive absoluteDeuteronomy 7:2הַחֲרֵ֤םtothen you must devote them to complete destructionVerb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 22:20
Aligned rows52
Books represented16
Exodus1Leviticus3Numbers2Deuteronomy8Joshua14Judges21 Samuel71 Kings12 Kings11 Chronicles12 Chronicles2Ezra1Isaiah3Jeremiah4Daniel1Micah1
Source forms
הֶחֱרִ֔ים2xhe·ḥĕ·rîmJoshua 8:26, Joshua 10:40
וַֽיַּחֲרִ֙ימוּ֙2xway·ya·ḥă·rî·mūJoshua 6:21, Joshua 10:39
הֶחֱרִ֑ים1xhe·ḥĕ·rîmJoshua 10:35
הֶחֱרִ֣ים1xhe·ḥĕ·rîmJoshua 11:12
הֶחֱרִ֥ים1xhe·ḥĕ·rîm1 Samuel 15:8
הֶחֱרִ֣ימוּ1xhe·ḥĕ·rî·mū2 Chronicles 32:14
הַחֲרִ֖ימוּ1xha·ḥă·rî·mūJeremiah 51:3
הֶחֱרִֽימוּ׃פ1xhe·ḥĕ·rî·mū1 Samuel 15:9
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular6xJoshua 8:26, Joshua 10:28, Joshua 10:35, Joshua 10:40
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute4xDeuteronomy 3:6, Deuteronomy 7:2, Deuteronomy 20:17, Joshua 11:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural3xJoshua 6:21, Joshua 10:39, Judges 1:17
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural3x1 Kings 9:21, 2 Kings 19:11, Isaiah 37:11
Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular3xExodus 22:20, Leviticus 27:29, Ezra 10:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular2xNumbers 21:2, Micah 4:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural2xDeuteronomy 2:34, Deuteronomy 3:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular2xNumbers 21:3, Joshua 10:37
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Religious devotion through complete destruction; God's exclusive claim on warfare spoils and idolatrous peoples.
Source Gloss
to seclude ; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physical and reflexive, to be blunt as to the nose
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Religious devotion through complete destruction; God's exclusive claim on warfare spoils and idolatrous peoples.
to seclude; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physical and reflexive, to be blunt as to the nose BDB: ban Usage: make accursed, consecrate, (utterly) destroy, devote, forfeit, have a flat nose, utterly (slay, make away).
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 groups3Aligned forms25
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action21×
Perfect1Sam 15:8 · Josh 8:26 · Josh 10:28 · Josh 10:35 · Josh 10:40 · Josh 11:12 · 1Sam 15:9 · 2Chr 32:14 · 1Sam 15:15 · 1Sam 15:20 · Josh 2:1011×
Infinitive absoluteDeut 3:6 · Deut 7:2 · Deut 13:16 · Deut 20:17 · Josh 11:115×
ImperfectJosh 6:18 · Judg 21:11 · Deut 7:2 · Lev 27:284×
Sequential imperfectJer 51:31×
Hophalcausative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action3×
ImperfectExod 22:19 · Ezra 10:8 · Lev 27:293×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense1×
Participle passiveLev 21:181×
Word Origins
חָרַם 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.