הָרַג (ha.rag)
ha.rag
to kill
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 140 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb harag denotes killing with decisive, often ruthless violence. While it can describe private homicide, as when Cain speaks of his brother in Genesis 4:8, it appears far more frequently in narratives of war and divine judgment. In Judges and Chronicles, the word describes the slaughter of enemies on the battlefield, emphasizing the finality and severity of the act rather than the legal status of the killer.
A notable feature of harag is its broad application beyond human conflict. The sources note that it is used to describe God’s judgment through pestilence in Jeremiah 18:21 or even the destruction of crops by hail in Psalm 78:47. This usage highlights a theological view where natural disasters and military defeats are seen as direct acts of divine power, stripping away any distinction between human violence and cosmic judgment.
Translators typically render harag as "kill," "slay," or "destroy." The choice often depends on context: "slay" appears in poetic or historical accounts of battle, while "destroy" fits passages where the object is not a person but a city or a crop. Unlike ratzach, which carries specific legal weight regarding murder, harag focuses on the physical act of putting to death, whether by sword, plague, or storm.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word harag describes killing with decisive force. It appears in stories of personal conflict, like Cain’s act against Abel, and in accounts of war or divine judgment. The term focuses on the physical reality of ending a life, whether by human hands or through acts attributed to God.
For believers today, this word highlights the seriousness of violence and the sanctity of life. It reminds us that taking a life is never a trivial matter. In passages where God judges nations, harag underscores His sovereignty over life and death, calling for reverence rather than fear.
Understanding this term helps us grasp the biblical view of justice and mercy. It invites reflection on how we treat others and trust in God’s ultimate authority. This knowledge encourages a heart that values peace and respects the gift of life given by the Creator.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 140 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he killed15×
- they killed11×
- to/ kill10×
- and/ they killed5×
- you killed4×
- they have killed4×
- kill4×
- he killed4×
- he had killed3×
- and/ he will kill/ me3×
- and/ he killed/ them3×
- and/ he killed/ him3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָרְג֖וּ5×
- וַ/יַּהֲרֹ֨ג4×
- הָרְג֣וּ4×
- הָרַ֣ג3×
- תַּהֲרֹ֔ג2×
- לַ/הֲרֹ֥ג2×
- לַ/הֲרֹ֣ג2×
- לְ/הָרְגֶֽ/ךָ\׃2×
- יַהֲרֹ֣ג2×
- וַֽ/יַּהֲרֹג֙2×
- וַֽ/יַּהֲרֹ֞ג2×
- וַֽ/יַּהֲרֹ֖ג2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 4:8
Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.
This verse marks the first use of harag, showing its application in intimate human violence and setting a tone for the gravity of taking a life.
-
Exodus 23:7
“Keep far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked.
Here harag is used in a legal context to forbid the execution of the innocent, emphasizing God’s concern for justice and the protection of the righteous.
-
Exodus 13:15
When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Yahweh killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
This occurrence shows harag applied to divine judgment through the death of Egypt's firstborn, illustrating its use beyond human agency to describe God's sovereign acts.
-
Genesis 4:15
Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.
God’s protection of Cain with a sevenfold vengeance for anyone who kills him demonstrates the severe consequences associated with harag even in a context of judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word harag mean?
How is harag different from ratsach?
Where does harag appear in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (140 verses across 25 books)
Genesis 16 verses
Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his…
Genesis 4:14Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a…
Genesis 4:15Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Yahweh appointed a sign…
Genesis 4:23Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a…
Genesis 4:25Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, saying, “for God has given me another child…
Genesis 12:12It will happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will…
Genesis 20:4Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?
Genesis 20:11Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’
Genesis 26:7The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife”, lest,…
Genesis 27:41Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of…
Genesis 27:42The words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him,…
Genesis 34:25On the third day, when they were sore, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword,…
Genesis 34:26They killed Hamor and Shechem, his son, with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went…
Genesis 37:20Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has…
Genesis 37:26Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
Genesis 49:6My soul, don’t come into their council. My glory, don’t be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed…