קָרַח (qa.rach)
qa.rach
to make bald
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb qaraḥ means to shave off hair, specifically creating a bald spot or patch. In the Old Testament, this act is rarely about grooming; it is primarily a physical expression of intense mourning for the dead. The sources indicate that mourners would deliberately remove hair from their heads as a visible sign of grief and loss.
This practice appears in laws prohibiting Israelites from cutting themselves or shaving their heads for the deceased (Leviticus 19:27, 21:5), highlighting a boundary between pagan mourning rituals and covenant faithfulness. Jeremiah also references this custom when describing the shame brought upon Judah, noting that even the head of the king would be made bald as a consequence of their actions (Jeremiah 47:5). Micah similarly uses the image to depict national humiliation.
The word’s force lies in its starkness. Unlike general hair loss, qaraḥ often implies a deliberate, painful removal of hair to mark a specific event. Translators typically render it as "make bald" or "shave," capturing the intentional nature of the act. This physical marking served as an unambiguous public testimony of sorrow, setting apart those who followed Yahweh from surrounding cultures that practiced such rites.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The verb qaraḥ describes the deliberate act of shaving one’s head to signal deep mourning or shame. In ancient Israel, this was a stark physical marker of grief, setting covenant faithfulness apart from pagan customs that demanded such extreme displays for the dead. When Leviticus 21:5 forbids priests from making themselves bald, it establishes a boundary: their wholeness reflects God’s order, not the chaos of loss.
Yet this word also carries a heavy weight in prophecy. In Micah 1:16, the command to shave heads and enlarge baldness like a vulture’s head depicts national humiliation and captivity. It reminds us that sin has real, visible consequences. But even in these dark images, God’s people are called to trust His justice rather than succumb to despair.
Today, we do not shave our heads for the dead, but the heart behind qaraḥ still speaks to us. Grief is real, and shame is heavy. Yet Christ bears our sorrow so we do not have to wear it as a badge of defeat. In your pain, look to His resurrection—the ultimate victory over death and shame.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they will make bald1×
- make bald1×
- anyone will make himself bald1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קָרְחִ֣י1×
- יִקָּרֵ֖חַ1×
- יִקְרְח֤וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 21:5
“‘They shall not shave their heads or shave off the corners of their beards or make any cuttings in their flesh.
This verse establishes the priestly boundary by explicitly forbidding the act of shaving heads, linking physical wholeness to covenant holiness.
-
Jeremiah 16:6
Both great and small will die in this land. They will not be buried. Men won’t lament for them, cut themselves, or make themselves bald for them.
Here the word highlights the severity of judgment, noting that even mourning rituals like making oneself bald will be denied to those who die in exile.
-
Micah 1:16
Shave your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture, for they have gone into captivity from you!
Micah uses the imagery of enlarged baldness to vividly portray the national shame and humiliation resulting from Judah’s captivity.