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חֵרֵשׁ

𐤇𐤓𐤔

chêrêsh

H2795 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root 789 to be silent, to be deaf

Definition

A person who is unable to hear; one who is deaf. The term denotes a physical condition of loss or absence of hearing, with particular focus on the inability to respond to sound or spoken words. In some contexts, the word may be used metaphorically for one who does not or cannot heed warnings, commands, or moral instruction.

Semantic Range

deaf person, one unable to hear, unresponsive (metaphorically), one who does not heed or listen

Root / Etymology

From the root חרש (ḥ-r-sh), whose core sense is 'to be silent, to be deaf.' The noun חֵרֵשׁ derives from the idea of being silent due to an inability to hear, hence 'deaf.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֵרֵשׁ appears primarily in legal and prophetic texts (e.g., Leviticus 19:14, Psalm 58:5) to refer to individuals with physical deafness, often in social or ethical contexts, such as protection of the vulnerable. In some poetic or wisdom literature, the term expands metaphorically to describe those who deliberately refuse to listen or are unresponsive to guidance, though the primary use remains physical. Later Hebrew and rabbinic tradition further nuanced the term in legal contexts to also denote persons who, due to deafness, might have diminished legal agency, but this is post-biblical. English translations often render the term simply as 'deaf,' which generally captures its literal force, but may miss the metaphorical sense in some contexts. Related to but distinct from other terms like אִלֵּם (illem, 'mute'), as חֵרֵשׁ specifically emphasizes the auditory disability, not inability to speak.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָרַשׁ; deaf (whether literally or spiritual); deaf.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

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Root Family

חרש (ḥ-r-sh) — to be silent, to be deaf

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2758 חָרִישׁ ploughing season
H2759 חֲרִישִׁי sultry-still
H2776 חֶרֶס pottery shard
H2789 חֶרֶשׂ her pottery-shards
H2790 חָרַשׁ I will silence

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2795-01 חֵרֵ֔שׁ cheresh HAamsa deaf deaf man 3
H2795-03 הַ/חֵרְשִׁ֖ים hachereshim HTd/Aampa the deaf the deaf men 2
H2795-02 חֵרְשִׁ֖ים chereshim HAampa the deaf deaf ones 1
H2795-04 כְ֭/חֵרֵשׁ khecheresh HR/Aamsa like a deaf man deaf man 1
H2795-06 וְ/חֵרְשִׁ֖ים vechereshim HC/Aampa and the deaf deaf ones 1
H2795-05 וְ/חֵרֵ֖שׁ vecheresh HC/Aamsa or deaf deaf man 1

Occurrences in Scripture

9 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2795-01 Exodus 4:11 חֵרֵ֔שׁ cheresh HAamsa deaf deaf man
H2795-01 Leviticus 19:14 חֵרֵ֔שׁ cheresh HAamsa the deaf deaf man
H2795-03 Isaiah 29:18 הַ/חֵרְשִׁ֖ים hachereshim HTd/Aampa the deaf the deaf men
H2795-02 Isaiah 35:5 חֵרְשִׁ֖ים chereshim HAampa the deaf deaf ones
H2795-03 Isaiah 42:18 הַ/חֵרְשִׁ֖ים hachereshim HTd/Aampa you deaf ones the deaf men
H2795-05 Isaiah 42:19 וְ/חֵרֵ֖שׁ vecheresh HC/Aamsa or deaf deaf man
H2795-06 Isaiah 43:8 וְ/חֵרְשִׁ֖ים vechereshim HC/Aampa and the deaf deaf ones
H2795-04 Psalms 38:14 כְ֭/חֵרֵשׁ khecheresh HR/Aamsa like a deaf man deaf man
H2795-01 Psalms 58:5 חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁ cheresh HAamsa deaf deaf man
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