חֲרַב (cha.rav)
cha.rav
be wasted
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb ḥarav describes a state of being wasted or dried up. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Ezra 4:15, where it is used in the Hophal stem to mean "to be laid waste." This grammatical form indicates that the subject undergoes the action passively, rather than performing it actively.
In its single biblical occurrence, the word characterizes the condition of Jerusalem. The text uses it to describe how the city and its temple had fallen into ruin. The imagery connects physical desolation with a lack of life or vitality, suggesting a place stripped of its former purpose and habitation.
The root likely relates to dryness or aridity, extending metaphorically to any area that has become barren or uninhabited. Translators typically render this as "wasted" or "desolate," capturing the sense of a place left empty and ruined by external forces rather than natural decay alone.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word חֲרַב (H2718) paints a picture of profound emptiness, describing a place that has been laid waste and stripped of its former life. In Ezra 4:15, it is used to describe the ruined state of Jerusalem, highlighting how political conflict and rebellion can lead to physical desolation. This Hebrew term captures more than just broken stones; it speaks to a loss of purpose and vitality, leaving a community feeling abandoned and vulnerable.
For your faith journey, this word reminds us that even when circumstances seem barren or when we face the consequences of difficult choices, God remains sovereign over history. The desolation described here was not the final word for Jerusalem. By understanding the depth of this ruin, we can appreciate the hope of restoration. It invites us to trust in a God who can bring life and rebuilding out of what appears to be total loss.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it was laid waste1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָֽחָרְבַֽת\׃1×
Key Verses
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Ezra 4:15
that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed.
This verse uses the Hophal stem to declare that the city was passively destroyed, linking its physical ruin directly to its history of rebellion.