What does חָרַשׁ (ḥāraš) mean in the Bible?
חָרַשׁ (ḥāraš): Core sense of making marks (engraving, ploughing) extends to crafting, scheming, and strategic silence or deafness.
Hebrew · H2790
חָרַשׁ
To scratch , i.e. (by implication) to engrave , plough ; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense); hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent , to let alone ; hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of dumbness)
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חָרַשׁ H2790
Pronunciation ḥāraš
What does חָרַשׁ (ḥāraš) mean in the Bible?
חָרַשׁ (ḥāraš): Core sense of making marks (engraving, ploughing) extends to crafting, scheming, and strategic silence or deafness.
Full entry for חָרַשׁ (H2790) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2790?
The BSB source-word alignment has 72 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Be silent (5), . . . (3), Be quiet (3), plow (3), but says nothing (2).
Where does חָרַשׁ (ḥāraš) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 24:21. Its strongest book concentrations include Job (11), Psalms (10), Proverbs (9), Numbers (6).
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 Be silent 5× Job 13:13, Job 33:31, Psalms 50:3, Isaiah 41:1
. . . 3× Numbers 30:14, Esther 4:14, Job 13:5
Be quiet 3× Judges 18:19, 2 Samuel 13:20, Job 33:33
plow 3× Deuteronomy 22:10, Proverbs 20:4, Isaiah 28:24
but says nothing 2× Numbers 30:7, Numbers 30:11
plowed 2× Judges 14:18, Psalms 129:3
says nothing 2× Numbers 30:4, Numbers 30:14
silent 2× Psalms 35:22, Psalms 109:1
will be plowed 2× Jeremiah 26:18, Micah 3:12
and I kept silent 1× Psalms 50:21
and others to plow 1× 1 Samuel 8:12
be deaf 1× Psalms 39:12
But [the people] remained silent 1× Isaiah 36:21
But they remained silent 1× Nehemiah 5:8
But those who plan 1× Proverbs 14:22
deaf 1× Psalms 28:1
Does one plow [the sea] 1× Amos 6:12
Does the plowman 1× Isaiah 28:24
engraved 1× Jeremiah 17:1
evil 1× Proverbs 3:29
he devises 1× Proverbs 6:14
he said nothing 1× Numbers 30:14
He will quiet [you] 1× Zephaniah 3:17
I have remained quiet 1× Isaiah 42:14
I kept silent 1× Psalms 32:3
I will be silent 1× Job 13:19
I would have remained silent 1× Esther 7:4
if he keeps silent 1× Proverbs 17:28
keep silent 1× Job 41:12
need only to be still 1× Exodus 14:14
of those who devise 1× Proverbs 12:20
plowing 1× Job 1:14
remained silent 1× 2 Kings 18:36
remained silent [about it] 1× Genesis 34:5
remains silent 1× Proverbs 11:12
say nothing 1× 2 Samuel 19:10
silent [about it] 1× 1 Samuel 10:27
silently 1× Genesis 24:21
So they said no more 1× Jeremiah 38:27
speechless 1× Psalms 83:1
stop 1× 1 Samuel 7:8
that devises 1× Proverbs 6:18
The plowmen 1× Psalms 129:3
They were quiet 1× Judges 16:2
those who contrive 1× Proverbs 14:22
those who plow 1× Job 4:8
to silence 1× Job 11:3
was plotting 1× 1 Samuel 23:9
was plowing 1× 1 Kings 19:19
when the plowman 1× Amos 9:13
Why are You silent 1× Habakkuk 1:13
will be silent 1× Job 6:24
will become deaf 1× Micah 7:16
will plow 1× Hosea 10:11
You have plowed 1× Hosea 10:13
you remain silent 1× Esther 4:14
you would remain silent 1× Job 13:5
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 24:21 מַחֲרִ֕ישׁ to silently Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular Genesis 34:5 וְהֶחֱרִ֥שׁ to remained silent [about it] Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 14:14 תַּחֲרִישֽׁוּן׃פ to need only to be still Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun Numbers 30:4 וְהֶחֱרִ֥ישׁ to says nothing Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 30:7 וְהֶחֱרִ֣ישׁ to but says nothing Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 30:11 וְהֶחֱרִ֣שׁ to but says nothing Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 30:14 הַחֲרֵשׁ֩ to says nothing Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute Numbers 30:14 יַחֲרִ֨ישׁ to . . . Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 30:14 הֶחֱרִ֥שׁ to he said nothing Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 22:10 תַחֲרֹ֥שׁ to plow Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 24:21
Aligned rows 72
Books represented 21
Genesis 2 Exodus 1 Numbers 6 Deuteronomy 1 Judges 3 1 Samuel 4 2 Samuel 2 1 Kings 1 2 Kings 1 Nehemiah 1 Esther 3 Job 11 Psalms 10 Proverbs 9 Isaiah 5 Jeremiah 4 Hosea 2 Amos 2 Micah 2 Habakkuk 1 Zephaniah 1
Source forms
חֹ֣רְשֵׁי 4x ḥō·rə·šê Job 4:8, Proverbs 12:20, Proverbs 14:22
אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ 2x ’a·ḥă·rîš Job 6:24, Jeremiah 4:19
הַחֲרֵ֣שׁ 2x ha·ḥă·rêš Esther 4:14, Job 13:5
הַ֝חֲרֵ֗שׁ 2x ha·ḥă·rêš Job 33:31, Job 33:33
אַחֲרִ֣ישׁ 1x ’a·ḥă·rîš Job 13:19
אַחֲרִ֥ישׁ 1x ’a·ḥă·rîš Job 41:12
אַחֲרִ֖ישׁ 1x ’a·ḥă·rîš Isaiah 42:14
הַחֲרִ֣ישׁוּ 1x ha·ḥă·rî·šū Job 13:13
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 7x Deuteronomy 22:10, Psalms 28:1, Psalms 35:22, Psalms 39:12
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular 5x Job 6:24, Job 13:19, Job 41:12, Isaiah 42:14
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 5x Psalms 50:3, Proverbs 20:4, Isaiah 28:24, Hosea 10:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 4x Genesis 34:5, Numbers 30:4, Numbers 30:7, Numbers 30:11
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct 4x Job 4:8, Proverbs 12:20, Proverbs 14:22
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 4x 1 Kings 19:19, Proverbs 6:14, Proverbs 6:18, Amos 9:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 3x Nehemiah 5:8, Isaiah 36:21, Jeremiah 38:27
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular 3x Judges 18:19, Job 33:31, Job 33:33
Hebrew word. Core sense of making marks (engraving, ploughing) extends to crafting, scheming, and strategic silence or deafness.
Strong's H2790
Lexical occurrences 72 verses Word forms 3 forms 57 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 36:11-22 Source Gloss
to scratch , i.e. (by implication) to engrave , plough ; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense); hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent , to let alone ; hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of dumbness)
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 groups 3 Aligned forms 57
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 27×
Participle active 1Kgs 19:19 · Amos 9:13 · Job 1:14 · Job 4:8 · Prov 6:14 · Prov 6:18 · Prov 12:20 · Prov 14:22 · Ps 129:3 10×
Jussive Prov 3:29 · Ps 28:1 · Ps 35:22 · Ps 39:13 · Ps 83:2 · Ps 109:1 · Ps 50:3 7×
Imperfect Amos 6:12 · Hos 10:11 · Isa 28:24 · Prov 20:4 · Deut 22:10 · Mic 7:16 6×
Perfect Hos 10:13 · Judg 14:18 · Ps 129:3 3×
Participle passive Jer 17:1 1×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 28×
Imperfect Isa 42:14 · Jer 4:19 · Job 6:24 · Job 13:19 · Job 41:4 · Num 30:15 · Prov 11:12 · Zeph 3:17 · Esth 4:14 · Hab 1:13 · Job 11:3 11×
Sequential imperfect Job 33:31 · Job 33:33 · Judg 18:19 · Isa 41:1 · Job 13:13 · 2Sam 13:20 6×
Participle active 1Sam 23:9 · 2Sam 19:11 · Gen 24:21 · Prov 17:28 4×
Infinitive absolute Esth 4:14 · Job 13:5 · Num 30:15 3×
Perfect Esth 7:4 · Ps 32:3 · Num 30:15 3×
Jussive 1Sam 7:8 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 2×
Imperfect Jer 26:18 · Mic 3:12 2×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To be silent or keep quiet.
to be silent, hold one's peace, or restrain speech
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 72 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
חָרַשׁ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Silence here represents disciplined wisdom rather than ignorance. Isaiah 36:11-22
Demonstrates restrained trust amid provocation. Proverbs 11:12
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain