עָרַר (a.rar)
a.rar
to strip
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb arar means to strip or make bare. It appears only three times in the Old Testament, primarily in the prophetic books of Isaiah and Jeremiah. The word describes the physical act of removing clothing or coverings, often serving as a metaphor for vulnerability or exposure.
In its most striking usage, the text employs derived stems to intensify the meaning. In Isaiah 32:11, the form poel is used to describe how enemies have "laid bare" the foundations of palaces, effectively destroying them by exposing their structural integrity. This usage moves beyond simple undressing to signify a thorough dismantling or ruin.
The word also appears in forms that emphasize total exposure. The hithpalpel stem conveys being utterly stripped, while the pilpel form suggests breaking or shattering. These variations highlight a progression from personal vulnerability to complete devastation, reflecting the prophets' warnings of judgment where security is removed and nothing remains hidden.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word arar describes the act of stripping away coverings to reveal what lies beneath. In the ancient world, this was not merely about clothing but about vulnerability and exposure. When prophets used this language, they spoke of a removal of protection, leaving people raw and defenseless before the reality of their situation.
In Isaiah 32:11, the call to "strip yourselves" marks a shift from comfort to mourning. It is an invitation to acknowledge brokenness openly rather than hiding behind social status or ease. This exposure is not meant to shame but to clear the path for genuine repentance and restoration.
When life feels like it is stripping away your security, remember that God sees what is hidden. He does not abandon us in our vulnerability. Instead, He meets us in our nakedness with grace, offering a hope that no external ruin can take away.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- utterly <demolish>1×
- they stripped bare1×
- it will be demolished1×
- and/ strip yourself1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִּתְעַרְעָ֔ר1×
- עֹרְרוּ֙1×
- עַרְעֵ֣ר1×
- וְ/עֹ֔רָה1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 32:11
Tremble, you women who are at ease! Be troubled, you careless ones! Strip yourselves, make yourselves naked, and put sackcloth on your waist.
This verse uses the command to strip as a metaphor for abandoning false security and embracing mourning in response to divine warning.
-
Isaiah 23:13
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans. This people didn’t exist. The Assyrians founded it for those who dwell in the wilderness. They set up their towers. They overthrew its palaces. They made it a ruin.
Here the related concept of making bare extends to cities, showing how judgment removes the structural foundations that provide human safety.
-
Jeremiah 51:58
Yahweh of Armies says: “The wide walls of Babylon will be utterly overthrown. Her high gates will be burned with fire. The peoples will labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they will be weary.”
The overthrow of walls illustrates the ultimate stripping of defense, where human labor yields nothing against God's sovereign purpose.