עׇרְלָה (or.lah)
or.lah
(Gilgal)-haaraloth
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 15 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun `orlah` refers to the foreskin or, by extension, the state of being uncircumcised. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears in fifteen verses, with significant occurrences in Genesis and Leviticus where it marks a physical boundary between Israel and other nations. The term is concrete and biological, describing the tissue removed in the covenant sign given to Abraham.
Its most distinctive usage arises in Joshua 5:9, where God declares that He has "rolled away" the `orlah` of the Israelites in Gilgal. Here, the word plays on the name of the place, Gilgal (from gilgal, meaning "circle" or "rolling"). The text suggests a dual meaning: the physical removal of foreskins and the metaphorical removal of the shame or reproach associated with their time in Egypt. This pun links bodily identity with national history.
Translators typically render `orlah` simply as "foreskin," but the context often carries theological weight. To be "uncircumcised" was not just a medical status but a marker of being outside the covenant community. The word thus serves as a sharp divider in the narrative, distinguishing those bound by God’s promise from those who are not.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word orlah describes the foreskin, but its presence in Scripture points to something deeper than biology. It marks a boundary between those inside God’s covenant and those outside it. In Genesis, this physical sign was given to Abraham as a token of promise. To be uncircumcised meant living outside that specific relationship with the Lord.
Yet the Bible also uses this concrete term metaphorically. In Deuteronomy and Jeremiah, the prophets urge the people to remove the orlah of their hearts. This calls for an inner change—turning away from stubbornness and hardness toward God. It reminds us that external rituals must reflect a genuine, humble spirit.
This duality offers comfort. God sees both our outward steps and our inward condition. He invites us to live in alignment with His promises, not just in form, but in truth. This understanding encourages a faith that is whole, involving both body and soul in devotion to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 15 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- foreskin/ his4×
- foreskins of2×
- [the] foreskin of2×
- foreskins/ their1×
- foreskin/ your1×
- foreskin/ their1×
- foreskin/ its1×
- a foreskin1×
- [the] foreskins of1×
- <the>/ foreskins1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עָרְלָתֽ/וֹ\׃3×
- עָרְלַ֣ת2×
- עָרְל֣וֹת2×
- עָרְלֹ֣תֵי/הֶ֔ם1×
- עָרְלָתָ֗/ם1×
- עָרְלָת֖/וֹ1×
- עָרְלָת֔/וֹ1×
- עָרְלָ֑ה1×
- עָרְלַתְ/כֶ֑ם1×
- עָרְל֥וֹת1×
- הָ/עֲרָלֽוֹת\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 17:11
You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.
This verse establishes the foreskin as the physical token of the covenant between God and Abraham.
-
Deuteronomy 10:16
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.
Here the term shifts from physical tissue to a metaphor for removing spiritual stubbornness and pride.
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Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
The prophet uses this word to warn Judah that ritual without inner repentance invites God’s wrath.
-
Exodus 4:25
Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”
Zipporah’s act highlights the urgent seriousness of the covenant sign, even in a moment of crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word orlah mean?
Why is orlah used metaphorically in Jeremiah?
How many times does this word appear in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (15 verses across 8 books)
Genesis 6 verses
You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.
Genesis 17:14The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people.…
Genesis 17:23Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money: every male among…
Genesis 17:24Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
Genesis 17:25Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
Genesis 34:14and said to them, “We can’t do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised; for that is a reproach to us.