קֵרֵחַ (qe.re.ach)
qe.re.ach
bald
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective qereach simply means bald or hairless. In the Old Testament, it appears only twice, yet each instance carries significant cultural weight. The word describes a physical condition where the scalp is completely bare, lacking hair entirely.
Its first occurrence is in Leviticus 13:40, where Moses outlines laws regarding skin diseases and bodily defects. Here, qereach identifies a man whose head is bald as part of a priestly examination to determine ritual purity. The second use appears in 2 Kings 2:23, when young boys mock the prophet Elisha by calling him "baldhead." In this context, the term likely served as an insult targeting Elisha’s appearance or perhaps implying he was unclean or cursed, reflecting how physical differences could be weaponized socially.
Though brief, these uses show that baldness was a visible marker in ancient Israel. It could signify a medical condition requiring priestly judgment or become a tool for ridicule against God’s servants. The word itself remains neutral, but its application reveals how deeply appearance intersected with identity and status.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qereach describes a state of being completely hairless, appearing only twice in the Hebrew Bible. In Leviticus, it serves as a clinical term for priestly examination, where baldness is noted as a physical condition that does not render a person unclean. This legal usage reminds us that God’s law distinguishes between ritual purity and natural bodily states, affirming that our physical appearance does not define our standing before Him.
In 2 Kings, the term takes on a different tone when youths use it to mock the prophet Elisha. Here, baldness becomes a target for ridicule, reflecting how society often uses visible differences to demean others. Yet Elisha’s response shows that God’s authority is not diminished by human insults or physical traits. The word itself remains neutral, but its context reveals how we might treat those who look different from us.
These two instances invite us to consider how we view ourselves and others. Whether in legal purity or social conflict, our value rests in God’s eyes, not in hair or appearance. We are called to respect every person, recognizing that physical differences do not diminish dignity or divine favor.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- O bald [man]2×
- [is] bald1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קֵרֵֽחַ\׃1×
- קֵרֵ֥חַ1×
- קֵרֵ֖חַ1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 13:40
“If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald. He is clean.
This verse establishes qereach as a neutral physical description in priestly law, showing that baldness alone does not indicate ritual impurity.
-
II Kings 2:23
He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldy!”
Here the term is used as an insult by youths to mock Elisha, revealing how physical traits could be weaponized to demean God’s servants.