מְרוֹחַ (me.ro.ach)
me.ro.ach
crushed
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew term me.ro.ach appears only once in the Old Testament, specifically in Leviticus 21:20. It describes a physical condition that disqualifies a male descendant of Aaron from serving as a priest on the altar. The word is generally understood to mean "bruised" or "crushed," referring to damage sustained through pressure or impact.
Lexical sources note some uncertainty regarding its precise etymology. One possibility links it to a root meaning "to rub," suggesting an injury caused by friction or grinding. Another view connects it to a word for being "roomy" or "enlarged," which might imply swelling or distortion of the tissue. Despite this ambiguity, the context clearly points to a physical defect resulting from trauma.
This single usage highlights the ancient Israelites' concern for ritual purity and physical wholeness in worship. The restriction was not about moral failing but about maintaining a symbolic representation of perfection in the sanctuary. Translators typically render it as "bruised" or "crushed," capturing the sense of bodily harm without needing to resolve the linguistic debate.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word מְרוֹחַ (me.ro.ach) appears only once in Scripture, in Leviticus 21:20. It describes a man who is crushed or bruised, specifically referring to damage sustained through pressure or impact. In the context of ancient Israel, this physical condition disqualified a male descendant of Aaron from serving as a priest on the altar.
This restriction was not about moral failing but about maintaining a symbolic representation of perfection in the sanctuary. The ancient Israelites were concerned with ritual purity and physical wholeness in worship. While we do not serve under the same ceremonial laws, the underlying principle remains: God values integrity and wholeness in those who draw near to Him.
For your faith today, this word reminds us that our bodies and lives are temples of the Holy Spirit. Just as the priests were called to be without blemish, we are called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. Your physical and emotional well-being matters deeply to God. He sees your struggles and invites you into His presence with honesty and hope.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a [man] crushed of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְר֥וֹחַ1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 21:20
or hunchbacked, or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye, or an itching disease, or scabs, or who has damaged testicles.
This is the only occurrence of מְרוֹחַ in the Old Testament, where it specifies a physical defect that disqualified Aaronic priests from altar service.