What does חֵרֵשׁ (ḥērēš) mean in the Bible?
חֵרֵשׁ (ḥērēš): Deafness ranges from physical inability to hear through spiritual refusal to listen—often covenantal disobedience in prophetic contexts
Hebrew · H2795
חֵרֵשׁ
חֵרֵשׁ (ḥērēš): Deafness ranges from physical inability to hear through spiritual refusal to listen—often covenantal disobedience in prophetic contexts
Reading a lexicon entry
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חֵרֵשׁH2795
Pronunciationḥērēš
What does חֵרֵשׁ (ḥērēš) mean in the Bible?
Full entry for חֵרֵשׁ (H2795) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2795?
The BSB source-word alignment has 9 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the deaf (3), but are deaf (1), But like a deaf man (1), of the deaf (1), or deaf (1).
Where does חֵרֵשׁ (ḥērēš) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 4:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (5), Psalms (2), Exodus (1), Leviticus (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe deaf3×Exodus 4:11, Leviticus 19:14, Isaiah 29:18
but are deaf1×Isaiah 43:8
But like a deaf man1×Psalms 38:13
of the deaf1×Isaiah 35:5
or deaf1×Isaiah 42:19
that shuts1×Psalms 58:4
you deaf [ones]1×Isaiah 42:18
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 4:11חֵרֵ֔שׁtothe deafAdjective - masculine singularLeviticus 19:14חֵרֵ֔שׁtothe deafAdjective - masculine singularPsalms 38:13כְ֭חֵרֵשׁtoBut like a deaf manPreposition-k | Adjective - masculine singularPsalms 58:4חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁtothat shutsAdjective - masculine singularIsaiah 29:18הַחֵרְשִׁ֖יםtothe deafArticle | Adjective - masculine pluralIsaiah 35:5חֵרְשִׁ֖יםtoof the deafAdjective - masculine pluralIsaiah 42:18הַחֵרְשִׁ֖יםtoyou deaf [ones]Article | Adjective - masculine pluralIsaiah 42:19וְחֵרֵ֖שׁtoor deafConjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singularIsaiah 43:8וְחֵרְשִׁ֖יםtobut are deafConjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 4:11
Aligned rows9
Books represented4
Exodus1Leviticus1Psalms2Isaiah5
Source forms
הַחֵרְשִׁ֖ים2xha·ḥê·rə·šîmIsaiah 29:18, Isaiah 42:18
חֵרֵ֔שׁ2xḥê·rêšExodus 4:11, Leviticus 19:14
וְחֵרֵ֖שׁ1xwə·ḥê·rêšIsaiah 42:19
וְחֵרְשִׁ֖ים1xwə·ḥê·rə·šîmIsaiah 43:8
חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁ1xḥê·rêšPsalms 58:4
חֵרְשִׁ֖ים1xḥê·rə·šîmIsaiah 35:5
כְ֭חֵרֵשׁ1xḵə·ḥê·rêšPsalms 38:13
Parsing patterns
Adjective - masculine singular3xExodus 4:11, Leviticus 19:14, Psalms 58:4
Article | Adjective - masculine plural2xIsaiah 29:18, Isaiah 42:18
Adjective - masculine plural1xIsaiah 35:5
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural1xIsaiah 43:8
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular1xIsaiah 42:19
Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singular1xPsalms 38:13
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Deafness ranges from physical inability to hear through spiritual refusal to listen—often covenantal disobedience in prophetic contexts
Source Gloss
deaf (whether literally or spiritual)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Deafness ranges from physical inability to hear through spiritual refusal to listen—often covenantal disobedience in prophetic contexts
deaf (whether literally or spiritual) BDB: deaf Usage: deaf.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Spiritual deafness, inability to hear God's message and warnings
Showing 1 selected witness from 9 lexical occurrence verses.