שְׁחַרְחֹר (she.char.cho.ret)
she.char.cho.ret
blackish
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective shecharchor describes a dark, blackish hue and appears only once in the entire Bible, in Song of Solomon 1:6. In this verse, the speaker uses it to describe her own skin, which has been darkened by the sun while tending vineyards.
This single occurrence highlights how the word captures a specific visual quality rather than a moral or spiritual state. It is a straightforward descriptor of color, likely referring to the deep bronze or black tone resulting from prolonged outdoor labor. The brevity of its usage in Scripture means it functions as a precise, descriptive term within the poetic imagery of the Song.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shecharchor appears only once in Scripture, describing a darkened complexion in Song of Solomon 1:6. The speaker explains that her skin has taken on this blackish hue because she has been working hard in the sun, tending vineyards for others. This is not a metaphor for sin or shame, but a honest acknowledgment of physical labor and its visible marks.
In our own lives, we often carry signs of our efforts, struggles, or seasons of hardship. These marks do not define our worth or God’s love for us. Instead, they can tell the story of our perseverance and faithfulness. Recognizing this helps us see our bodies and experiences as part of a whole person, valued by the Creator regardless of outward appearance.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [am] blackish1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שְׁחַרְחֹ֔רֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Song of Solomon 1:6
Don’t stare at me because I am dark, because the sun has scorched me. My mother’s sons were angry with me. They made me keeper of the vineyards. I haven’t kept my own vineyard.
This verse uses the term to describe skin darkened by sun exposure due to forced labor, grounding the word in physical reality rather than spiritual symbolism.