חָרַד (H2729) — Hebrew Lexicon

חָרַד

𐤇𐤓𐤃

chârad

H2729 verb

SILEX Entry

Root חרד to tremble, to shudder, to be agitated

Definition

To tremble or shudder with fear, horror, or reverential awe; to be intensely afraid or deeply moved with emotional agitation. In extension, to be in anxious haste, sometimes out of fear or concern. The term encompasses both physical trembling and an intense emotional state—fear, anxiety, or apprehension—often in response to danger, divine presence, or unexpected events. Can also indicate carefulness or caution arising from fear or concern.

Semantic Range

to tremble (physically or emotionally), to shudder (with fear or awe), to be afraid, to quake (with distress or reverence), to hasten anxiously, to act nervously or with fearful concern, to be careful out of apprehension

Root / Etymology

Root: חָרַד (חרד). The root carries the sense of physical or emotional shaking, trembling, or agitation, suggesting disruption of normal composure. The verb form חָרַד reflects this state of agitation; by extension, it is also used for anxious or fearful haste carried out under emotional duress.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָרַד appears primarily in contexts of fear or reverential awe, whether before human threat, supernatural events, or divine encounter (e.g., Gen 27:33; Isa 66:2, 5). The range includes both involuntary reaction (trembling, shaking) and conscious emotional states (apprehension, concern). In contrast to פחד (pāḥad, 'to fear' or 'to dread')—which often stresses looming danger or generalized fear—חרד usually highlights intense, sometimes involuntary emotional or physical response (such as shaking or agitation). In post-exilic and later Hebrew, derivatives may refer to the 'God-fearers' (חרדים) or those reverently attentive to divine instruction. Standard English translations (e.g., 'be afraid,' 'tremble,' 'quake') may obscure the physical aspect or nuance of reverent awe. The word is found in both early narrative and prophetic texts, sometimes with the sense of overwhelming emotion in response to revelation or crisis, and occasionally with the nuance of anxious carefulness. The connection to hasty, anxious activity appears in a few contexts but is secondary.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to shudder with terror; hence, to fear; also to hasten (with anxiety); be (make) afraid, be careful, discomfit, fray (away), quake, tremble.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חרד (ḥ-r-d) — to tremble, to shudder, to be agitated

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H2730	חָרֵד	trembling one
H2731	חֲרָדָה	trembling dread
H2732	חֲרָדָה	in Trembling-place
H2733	חֲרֹדִי	the Charodite

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H2729-07`	מַחֲרִ֑יד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	one to frighten	one who makes tremble	12
`H2729-08`	וַ/יֶּחֱרַ֨ד	vayecherad	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and trembled	and he trembled	6
`H2729-09`	וַ/יֶּֽחֶרְד֞וּ	vayecheredu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they trembled	and they trembled	3
`H2729-06`	לְ/הַחֲרִ֖יד	lehacharid	`HR/Vhc`	to terrify	to cause to tremble	2
`H2729-16`	יֶחְרְד֣וּ	yecheredu	`HVqi3mp`	they will tremble	they will tremble	2
`H2729-15`	יֶחֱרָ֑דוּ	yecheradu	`HVqi3mp`	tremble	they tremble	2
`H2729-03`	חָרְד֥וּ	charedu	`HVqp3cp`	they trembled	they trembled	2
`H2729-11`	וְ/חָֽרְדוּ֙	vecharedu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and they will tremble	and they trembled	2
`H2729-10`	וְ/חָרַ֣ד	vecharad	`HC/Vqp3ms`	and tremble	and he trembled	1
`H2729-01`	חָרַ֣דְתְּ	charadete	`HVqp2fs`	you have been careful	you trembled	1
`H2729-14`	יֶחֱרַ֣ד	yecherad	`HVqi3ms`	trembles	he will tremble	1
`H2729-13`	וְ/יֶחֶרְד֥וּ	veyecheredu	`HC/Vqi3mp`	and they will tremble	and they will tremble	1
`H2729-05`	הֶחֱרִֽיד	hecherid	`HVhp3ms`	he terrified	he caused to tremble	1
`H2729-12`	וְ/הַֽחֲרַדְתִּ֣י	vehacharadeti	`HC/Vhq1cs`	and I will terrify	and I caused to tremble	1
`H2729-04`	חִרְדוּ֙	chiredu	`HVqv2mp`	Tremble	Tremble, you men	1
`H2729-02`	חָֽרְדָה֙	charedah	`HVqp3fs`	trembles	she trembled	1

Occurrences in Scripture

39 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H2729-08`	Genesis 27:33	וַ/יֶּחֱרַ֨ד	vayecherad	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and he trembled	and he trembled
`H2729-09`	Genesis 42:28	וַ/יֶּֽחֶרְד֞וּ	vayecheredu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they trembled	and they trembled
`H2729-08`	Exodus 19:16	וַ/יֶּחֱרַ֥ד	vayecherad	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and trembled	and he trembled
`H2729-08`	Exodus 19:18	וַ/יֶּחֱרַ֥ד	vayecherad	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and trembled	and he trembled
`H2729-07`	Leviticus 26:6	מַחֲרִ֑יד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	shall make you afraid	one who makes tremble
`H2729-07`	Deuteronomy 28:26	מַחֲרִֽיד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	one to frighten	one who makes tremble
`H2729-05`	Judges 8:12	הֶחֱרִֽיד	hecherid	`HVhp3ms`	he terrified	he caused to tremble
`H2729-03`	1 Samuel 13:7	חָרְד֥וּ	charedu	`HVqp3cp`	trembled	they trembled
`H2729-03`	1 Samuel 14:15	חָרְד֖וּ	charedu	`HVqp3cp`	they trembled	they trembled
`H2729-09`	1 Samuel 16:4	וַ/יֶּחֶרְד֞וּ	vayecheredu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	And they trembled	and they trembled
`H2729-08`	1 Samuel 21:2	וַ/יֶּחֱרַ֨ד	vayecherad	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and-trembled	and he trembled
`H2729-08`	1 Samuel 28:5	וַ/יֶּחֱרַ֥ד	vayecherad	`HC/Vqw3ms`	and trembled	and he trembled
`H2729-12`	2 Samuel 17:2	וְ/הַֽחֲרַדְתִּ֣י	vehacharadeti	`HC/Vhq1cs`	and I will terrify	and I caused to tremble
`H2729-09`	1 Kings 1:49	וַ/יֶּֽחֶרְדוּ֙	vayecheredu	`HC/Vqw3mp`	and they trembled	and they trembled
`H2729-01`	2 Kings 4:13	חָרַ֣דְתְּ	charadete	`HVqp2fs`	you have been careful	you trembled
`H2729-02`	Isaiah 10:29	חָֽרְדָה֙	charedah	`HVqp3fs`	trembles	she trembled
`H2729-07`	Isaiah 17:2	מַחֲרִֽיד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	one to frighten	one who makes tremble
`H2729-10`	Isaiah 19:16	וְ/חָרַ֣ד	vecharad	`HC/Vqp3ms`	and tremble	and he trembled
`H2729-04`	Isaiah 32:11	חִרְדוּ֙	chiredu	`HVqv2mp`	Tremble	Tremble, you men
`H2729-15`	Isaiah 41:5	יֶחֱרָ֑דוּ	yecheradu	`HVqi3mp`	tremble	they tremble
`H2729-07`	Jeremiah 7:33	מַחֲרִֽיד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	one to frighten	one who makes tremble
`H2729-07`	Jeremiah 30:10	מַחֲרִֽיד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	frightening	one who makes tremble
`H2729-07`	Jeremiah 46:27	מַחֲרִֽיד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	shall terrify	one who makes tremble
`H2729-11`	Ezekiel 26:16	וְ/חָֽרְדוּ֙	vecharedu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and they will tremble	and they trembled
`H2729-16`	Ezekiel 26:18	יֶחְרְד֣וּ	yecheredu	`HVqi3mp`	will tremble	they will tremble
`H2729-06`	Ezekiel 30:9	לְ/הַחֲרִ֖יד	lehacharid	`HR/Vhc`	to terrify	to cause to tremble
`H2729-11`	Ezekiel 32:10	וְ/חָרְד֤וּ	vecharedu	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and they will tremble	and they trembled
`H2729-07`	Ezekiel 34:28	מַחֲרִֽיד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	shall terrify	one who makes tremble
`H2729-07`	Ezekiel 39:26	מַחֲרִֽיד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	terrifying	one who makes tremble
`H2729-13`	Hosea 11:10	וְ/יֶחֶרְד֥וּ	veyecheredu	`HC/Vqi3mp`	and they will tremble	and they will tremble
`H2729-16`	Hosea 11:11	יֶחֶרְד֤וּ	yecheredu	`HVqi3mp`	they will tremble	they will tremble
`H2729-15`	Amos 3:6	יֶחֱרָ֑דוּ	yecheradu	`HVqi3mp`	tremble	they tremble
`H2729-07`	Micah 4:4	מַחֲרִ֑יד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	one-to-terrify	one who makes tremble
`H2729-07`	Nahum 2:12	מַחֲרִֽיד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	terrifying	one who makes tremble
`H2729-07`	Zephaniah 3:13	מַחֲרִֽיד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	one terrifying	one who makes tremble
`H2729-06`	Zechariah 2:4	לְ/הַחֲרִ֣יד	lehacharid	`HR/Vhc`	to terrify	to cause to tremble
`H2729-07`	Job 11:19	מַחֲרִ֑יד	macharid	`HVhrmsa`	to terrify you	one who makes tremble
`H2729-14`	Job 37:1	יֶחֱרַ֣ד	yecherad	`HVqi3ms`	trembles	he will tremble
`H2729-08`	Ruth 3:8	וַ/יֶּחֱרַ֥ד	vayecherad	`HC/Vqw3ms`	the man was startled	and he trembled

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