What does עָרֵל (ʿārēl) mean in the Bible?
עָרֵל (ʿārēl): Uncircumcised: technically exterior/exposed condition marking covenant outsider status in Israel's identity theology.
Hebrew · H6189
עָרֵל
Properly, exposed , i.e. projecting loose (as to the prepuce); used only technically, uncircumcised (i.e. still having the prepuce uncurtailed)
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עָרֵלH6189
Pronunciationʿārēl
What does עָרֵל (ʿārēl) mean in the Bible?
עָרֵל (ʿārēl): Uncircumcised: technically exterior/exposed condition marking covenant outsider status in Israel's identity theology.
Full entry for עָרֵל (H6189) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6189?
The BSB source-word alignment has 35 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the uncircumcised (6), uncircumcised (6), of the uncircumcised (3), uncircumcised men (3), . . . (2).
Where does עָרֵל (ʿārēl) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 17:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (16), 1 Samuel (4), Exodus (3), 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 Itthe uncircumcised6×Isaiah 52:1, Ezekiel 31:18, Ezekiel 32:19, Ezekiel 32:28
uncircumcised6×1 Samuel 17:26, 1 Samuel 17:36, Ezekiel 32:24, Ezekiel 32:30
of the uncircumcised3×Judges 15:18, 2 Samuel 1:20, Ezekiel 28:10
uncircumcised men3×1 Samuel 14:6, 1 Samuel 31:4, 1 Chronicles 10:4
. . .2×Ezekiel 44:7, Ezekiel 44:9
am unskilled2×Exodus 6:12, Exodus 6:30
of them are uncircumcised2×Ezekiel 32:25, Ezekiel 32:26
-1×Genesis 17:14
[are] uncircumcised1×Jeremiah 9:26
are closed1×Jeremiah 6:10
forbidden1×Leviticus 19:23
if their uncircumcised1×Leviticus 26:41
is uncircumcised1×Jeremiah 9:26
of old1×Ezekiel 32:27
still uncircumcised1×Joshua 5:7
to the uncircumcised1×Judges 14:3
uncircumcised man1×Exodus 12:48
with the uncircumcised1×Ezekiel 32:21
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 17:14וְעָרֵ֣ל׀to-Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singularExodus 6:12עֲרַ֥לtoam unskilledAdjective - masculine singular constructExodus 6:30עֲרַ֣לtoam unskilledAdjective - masculine singular constructExodus 12:48עָרֵ֖לtouncircumcised manAdjective - masculine singularLeviticus 19:23עֲרֵלִ֖יםtoforbiddenAdjective - masculine pluralLeviticus 26:41הֶֽעָרֵ֔לtoif their uncircumcisedArticle | Adjective - masculine singularJoshua 5:7עֲרֵלִ֣יםtostill uncircumcisedAdjective - masculine pluralJudges 14:3הָעֲרֵלִ֑יםtoto the uncircumcisedArticle | Adjective - masculine pluralJudges 15:18הָעֲרֵלִֽים׃toof the uncircumcisedArticle | Adjective - masculine plural1 Samuel 14:6הָעֲרֵלִ֣יםtouncircumcised menArticle | Adjective - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 17:14
Aligned rows35
Books represented11
Genesis1Exodus3Leviticus2Joshua1Judges21 Samuel42 Samuel11 Chronicles1Isaiah1Jeremiah3Ezekiel16
Source forms
הָעֲרֵלִֽים׃2xhā·‘ă·rê·lîmJudges 15:18, 2 Samuel 1:20
עַרְלֵי־2x‘ar·lê-Jeremiah 9:26, Ezekiel 44:7
עֲרֵלִ֣ים2x‘ă·rê·lîmJoshua 5:7, Ezekiel 32:25
עֲרֵלִ֛ים2x‘ă·rê·lîmEzekiel 28:10, Ezekiel 32:28
עֲרֵלִים֙2x‘ă·rê·lîmEzekiel 32:26, Ezekiel 32:30
הֶֽעָרֵ֔ל1xhe·‘ā·rêlLeviticus 26:41
הֶֽעָרֵל֙1xhe·‘ā·rêl1 Samuel 17:26
הֶעָרֵ֤ל1xhe·‘ā·rêl1 Samuel 17:36
Parsing patterns
Adjective - masculine plural13xLeviticus 19:23, Joshua 5:7, Jeremiah 9:26, Ezekiel 28:10
Article | Adjective - masculine plural7xJudges 14:3, Judges 15:18, 1 Samuel 14:6, 1 Samuel 31:4
Adjective - masculine singular construct3xExodus 6:12, Exodus 6:30, Ezekiel 44:9
Article | Adjective - masculine singular3xLeviticus 26:41, 1 Samuel 17:26, 1 Samuel 17:36
Adjective - masculine plural construct2xJeremiah 9:26, Ezekiel 44:7
Adjective - masculine singular2xExodus 12:48, Isaiah 52:1
Adjective - feminine singular1xJeremiah 6:10
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural construct1xEzekiel 44:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Uncircumcised: technically exterior/exposed condition marking covenant outsider status in Israel's identity theology.
Source Gloss
properly, exposed , i.e. projecting loose (as to the prepuce); used only technically, uncircumcised (i.e. still having the prepuce uncurtailed)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Uncircumcised: technically exterior/exposed condition marking covenant outsider status in Israel's identity theology.
properly, exposed, i.e. projecting loose (as to the prepuce); used only technically, uncircumcised (i.e. still having the prepuce uncurtailed) BDB: having foreskin Usage: uncircumcised (person).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Moses describes himself as uncircumcised of lips, lacking eloquence
Israelites have uncircumcised ears, unable to hear Moses' words
Nations and Israel uncircumcised in heart, spiritually unrepentant
Fruit of newly planted trees treated as uncircumcised, forbidden for use
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 35 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עָרֵל is built from this root:
עָרֵלH6188
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.