הָרָה (ha.rah)
ha.rah
pregnant
H:A-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 15 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective harah describes a woman who is pregnant. It appears fifteen times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Genesis, Judges, and Jeremiah. The word functions as a straightforward descriptor of physical condition, marking the state of carrying a child.
A related form, hariyyah, also means pregnant but is used differently. While harah stands alone as an adjective, hariyyah often appears as a substantive noun, referring to "pregnant women" as a group. This distinction allows translators to vary their phrasing depending on whether the text highlights the individual state or the collective group.
The term carries theological weight in prophetic literature. In Hosea 13:13, for example, it describes the tragic fate of pregnant women who will be torn apart by lions. This usage underscores the vulnerability of expectant mothers and the severity of judgment. The word anchors abstract concepts of loss in concrete, bodily reality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word harah simply means a woman is carrying a child. In the Old Testament, it marks a moment of profound change. For Hagar and Sarah, it brought tension; for Mary’s ancestors, it signaled God’s promise. It reminds us that life begins with a quiet, physical reality before it becomes a public story.
Yet the word also appears in verses of deep sorrow. Prophets describe harah women as victims of war, highlighting how conflict destroys the most vulnerable. This duality shows that pregnancy is not just a blessing but a state of vulnerability. It asks us to protect new life and care for those who carry it.
In your own life, this word invites you to see the sacred in ordinary beginnings. Whether you are waiting for a child or supporting someone who is, harah points to the preciousness of every stage of growth. It calls us to patience, protection, and hope in God’s timing.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 15 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [will be] pregnant3×
- [am] pregnant2×
- pregnant1×
- and/ pregnant [women]/ their1×
- a pregnant [woman]1×
- [was] pregnant of1×
- [was] pregnant1×
- [the] pregnant [women] of1×
- [the] pregnant1×
- [she is] pregnant1×
- [are] pregnant1×
- <the>/ pregnant [women]/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָרָה֙3×
- הָרָ֖ה3×
- הָרָ֥ה2×
- וְ/הָרֹתֵי/הֶ֖ם1×
- הָרָ֣ה1×
- הָרָ֜ה1×
- הָרָ֑ה1×
- הָר֣וֹת1×
- הֶ/הָ֥רוֹתֶ֖י/הָ1×
- הֲרַ֥ת1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 16:11
Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction.
The angel uses this word to confirm Hagar’s unexpected pregnancy, linking her physical state directly to God hearing her affliction.
-
Judges 13:5
for, behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son. No razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb. He shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
This verse identifies the mother of Samson as harah, marking the start of a Nazirite’s life set apart for God from the womb.
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Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
The prophecy uses this term to describe the virgin’s conception, serving as a sign of God’s presence (Immanuel) in a time of crisis.
-
Amos 1:13
Yahweh says: “For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead, that they may enlarge their border.
Here the word describes victims of war, showing how violence targets pregnant women to maximize terror and suffering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word harah mean?
How is harah different from its related form hariyyah?
Why does harah appear in verses about war and judgment?
Where does harah appear in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (15 verses across 9 books)
Genesis 3 verses
Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because…
Genesis 38:24About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold,…
Genesis 38:25When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man who owns these.” She also…