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הַר

𐤄𐤓

har

H2022 noun

SILEX Entry

Root הרר to be high, to rise, to lift up

Definition

A natural elevation of the earth's surface rising prominently above its surroundings, larger and higher than a hill; a mountain or mount. It denotes significant geographic features, including individual mountains, mountain ranges, and elevated regions. In extended or metaphorical senses, it can refer to political power, centers of authority, or significant spiritual locations (e.g., 'the mountain of YHWH').

Semantic Range

mountain, mount, hill, elevated region, hill country, mountain range, elevated place (figurative), lofty place (figurative), seat of authority (figurative)

Root / Etymology

From the root הרר (harar), 'to be high, to rise up, to lift up.' The nominal form הַר (har) derives from this root and refers to a prominent or elevated landform. The connection with height and elevation underlies all its uses, whether literal (physical mountain) or metaphorical (exalted place, place of authority).

Historical & Contextual Notes

Used throughout the Hebrew Bible with high frequency, הַר designates central features of the landscape (e.g., Mount Sinai [הַר סִינַי], Mount Zion [הַר צִיּוֹן]). In the patriarchal and monarchic periods, mountains served as landmarks, religious sites (altars, shrines, temples), or political centers. The term can also denote regions ('hill country') distinct from coastal or plain areas (e.g., hill country of Ephraim, Judah). In metaphorical usage, mountains can symbolize power (Psalm 36:7), stability, or challenge. Later English translations sometimes render הַר as 'hill' or 'hill country' when the elevation is not mountainous by modern standards, but the Hebrew term remains consistent. Occasionally, later religious or eschatological traditions invest mountains with symbolic meaning (e.g., mount as seat of divine presence), but these are developments beyond original usage. The KJV idiom 'promotion' (Psalm 75:6) arises from misunderstanding the underlying Hebrew; here, 'mountains' more likely refers metaphorically to sources of help or authority.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a shortened form of הָרָר; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively); hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

הרר (h-r-r) — to be high, to rise, to lift up

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2033 הֲרוֹרִי the Harorite
H2042 הָרָר in mountains of
H2043 הֲרָרִי the mountain-dweller
H7311 רוּם mountains

Word Forms

30 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2022-08 הַ֥ר har HNcmsc mountain mountain of 118
H2022-06 הָ/הָ֥ר hahar HTd/Ncmsa the mountain the mountain 91
H2022-02 בְּ/הַ֥ר behar HR/Ncmsc in the hill country in mountain of 67
H2022-13 הָרִ֖ים harim HNcmpa the mountains mountains 57
H2022-14 הֶֽ/הָרִים֙ heharim HTd/Ncmpa the mountains the mountains 53
H2022-01 בָּ/הָ֗ר bahar HRd/Ncmsa in the mountain mountain 36
H2022-21 מֵ/הַ֥ר mehar HR/Ncmsc from the mountain from the mountain 25
H2022-12 הָרֵ֥י harey HNcmpc mountains mountains of 22
H2022-07 הָ/הָ֗רָ/ה haharah HTd/Ncmsa/Sd the mountain to the mountain 13
H2022-28 וְ/הַ֤ר vehar HC/Ncmsc and Mount mountain of 11

Occurrences in Scripture

547 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2022-14 Genesis 7:19 הֶֽ/הָרִים֙ heharim HTd/Ncmpa the mountains the mountains
H2022-14 Genesis 7:20 הֶ/הָרִֽים heharim HTd/Ncmpa the mountains the mountains
H2022-12 Genesis 8:4 הָרֵ֥י harey HNcmpc mountains mountains of
H2022-14 Genesis 8:5 הֶֽ/הָרִֽים heharim HTd/Ncmpa of the mountains the mountains
H2022-08 Genesis 10:30 הַ֥ר har HNcmsc the mountain mountain of
H2022-07 Genesis 12:8 הָ/הָ֗רָ/ה haharah HTd/Ncmsa/Sd the hill country to the mountain
H2022-03 Genesis 14:6 בְּ/הַרְרָ֣/ם behareram HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp in their hill country in their mountain
H2022-15 Genesis 14:10 הֶ֥רָ/ה herah HNcmsa/Sd mountain mountain
H2022-07 Genesis 19:17 הָ/הָ֥רָ/ה haharah HTd/Ncmsa/Sd the mountain to the mountain
H2022-07 Genesis 19:19 הָ/הָ֔רָ/ה haharah HTd/Ncmsa/Sd to the mountain to the mountain
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