עֶרְיָה (er.yah)
er.yah
nakedness
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun eryah simply denotes nakedness or nudity. It appears only twice in the entire Old Testament, both within the prophetic books of Micah and Habakkuk. In these contexts, it describes a state of exposure that is central to the prophets’ messages about shame and judgment.
In Micah 1:7, the word illustrates the total stripping away of Jerusalem’s wealth and glory, leaving the city bare and vulnerable. Similarly, Habakkuk 2:15 uses eryah metaphorically to describe the humiliation of one who forces another to drink, resulting in disgrace and nakedness. The term carries no sexual connotation here but rather emphasizes vulnerability, shame, and the loss of dignity.
Though rare, its usage highlights how physical nakedness serves as a powerful image for spiritual or social ruin in prophetic literature. Translators typically render it as "nakedness" or "shame," capturing the raw exposure that accompanies divine judgment. The word’s brevity underscores the starkness of the situation it describes.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word eryah appears only twice in the Old Testament, always paired with shame or exposure. In Micah 1:11, it describes the stripping away of Jerusalem’s protection, leaving the city bare before its enemies. This image reminds us that human strength is fragile and that our security often rests on things that can be taken away.
When we feel exposed or vulnerable, this word offers a strange comfort. It acknowledges that shame is real, but it does not have the final say. God sees our nakedness without judgment. He meets us in our weakness, offering dignity where the world offers only ruin. We are never truly alone in our moments of exposure.
Even in Habakkuk 3:9, though the word itself is not present, the theme of divine power overcoming human shame remains. God’s strength is not diminished by our vulnerability; rather, He uses it to reveal His glory. Trust that your worth is not defined by what you hide or what you lose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- nakedness1×
- bareness1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֶרְיָה\־1×
- עֶרְיָ֤ה1×
Key Verses
-
Micah 1:11
Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.
This verse uses the word to describe the total stripping of Jerusalem's protection, turning a city into a symbol of exposed vulnerability and shame.
-
Habakkuk 3:9
You uncovered your bow. You called for your sworn arrows. Selah. You split the earth with rivers.
While this verse does not contain the word eryah, it is included in the candidate list to show the broader prophetic context of divine power versus human exposure, though it is not a direct occurrence.