What does עׇרְלָה (ʿorĕlāh) mean in the Bible?
עׇרְלָה (ʿorĕlāh): Marks covenant membership and spiritual readiness; uncircumcised status signifies exclusion from Abrahamic covenant community
Hebrew · H6190
עׇרְלָה
The prepuce
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עׇרְלָהH6190
Pronunciationʿorĕlāh
What does עׇרְלָה (ʿorĕlāh) mean in the Bible?
עׇרְלָה (ʿorĕlāh): Marks covenant membership and spiritual readiness; uncircumcised status signifies exclusion from Abrahamic covenant community
Full entry for עׇרְלָה (H6190) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6190?
The BSB source-word alignment has 16 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (3), - (2), foreskins (2), an uncircumcised man (1), as forbidden (1).
Where does עׇרְלָה (ʿorĕlāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 17:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (6), 1 Samuel (2), Jeremiah (2), Leviticus (2).
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×Genesis 17:14, Genesis 17:23, Joshua 5:3
-2×Genesis 17:25, Deuteronomy 10:16
foreskins2×1 Samuel 18:25, 2 Samuel 3:14
an uncircumcised man1×Genesis 34:14
as forbidden1×Leviticus 19:23
foreskin1×Exodus 4:25
of [the boy’s] foreskin1×Leviticus 12:3
of your foreskin1×Genesis 17:11
only in the flesh1×Jeremiah 9:25
the foreskins1×Jeremiah 4:4
their foreskins1×1 Samuel 18:27
vvv1×Genesis 17:24
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 17:11עָרְלַתְכֶ֑םtoof your foreskinNoun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine pluralGenesis 17:14עָרְלָת֔וֹto. . .Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularGenesis 17:23עָרְלָתָ֗םto. . .Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralGenesis 17:24עָרְלָתֽוֹ׃tovvvNoun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularGenesis 17:25עָרְלָתֽוֹ׃to-Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularGenesis 34:14עָרְלָ֑הtoan uncircumcised manNoun - feminine singularExodus 4:25עָרְלַ֣תtoforeskinNoun - feminine singular constructLeviticus 12:3עָרְלָתֽוֹ׃toof [the boy’s] foreskinNoun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularLeviticus 19:23עָרְלָת֖וֹtoas forbiddenNoun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 10:16עָרְלַ֣תto-Noun - feminine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 17:11
Aligned rows16
Books represented8
Genesis6Exodus1Leviticus2Deuteronomy1Joshua11 Samuel22 Samuel1Jeremiah2
Source forms
עָרְלָתֽוֹ׃3x‘ā·rə·lā·ṯōwGenesis 17:24, Genesis 17:25, Leviticus 12:3
עָרְל֣וֹת2x‘ā·rə·lō·wṯ1 Samuel 18:25, Jeremiah 4:4
עָרְלַ֣ת2x‘ā·rə·laṯExodus 4:25, Deuteronomy 10:16
בְּעָרְלָֽה׃1xbə·‘ā·rə·lāhJeremiah 9:25
הָעֲרָלֽוֹת׃1xhā·‘ă·rā·lō·wṯJoshua 5:3
עָרְלָ֑ה1x‘ā·rə·lāhGenesis 34:14
עָרְל֥וֹת1x‘ā·rə·lō·wṯ2 Samuel 3:14
עָרְלָת֔וֹ1x‘ā·rə·lā·ṯōwGenesis 17:14
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular5xGenesis 17:14, Genesis 17:24, Genesis 17:25, Leviticus 12:3
Noun - feminine plural construct3x1 Samuel 18:25, 2 Samuel 3:14, Jeremiah 4:4
Noun - feminine singular construct2xExodus 4:25, Deuteronomy 10:16
Article | Noun - feminine plural1xJoshua 5:3
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural1x1 Samuel 18:27
Noun - feminine singular1xGenesis 34:14
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural1xGenesis 17:11
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural1xGenesis 17:23
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Marks covenant membership and spiritual readiness; uncircumcised status signifies exclusion from Abrahamic covenant community
Source Gloss
the prepuce
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Marks covenant membership and spiritual readiness; uncircumcised status signifies exclusion from Abrahamic covenant community
the prepuce BDB: foreskin Usage: foreskin, uncircumcised.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
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.