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חֲרָשִׁים

𐤇𐤓𐤔𐤉𐤌

Charashim

H2798 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חרשׁ to carve, engrave, craft, devise

Definition

A term denoting 'craftsmen' or 'artisans,' typically those skilled in working with wood, metal, or stone. In some contexts, it functions as a place name: the Valley of Charashim, designating an area associated with craftsmen or artisan guilds. The plural indicates either a collective group of skilled workers or a community defined by this trade.

Semantic Range

craftsmen, artisans, skilled workers; valley or area inhabited by craftsmen (place name: Valley of Charashim), collective designation for craft guilds or artisan communities

Root / Etymology

From the root חָרָשׁ (charash), meaning 'to cut in, engrave, craft.' The form חֲרָשִׁים is a masculine plural noun derived by adding the -ִים (-im) plural ending to the singular חָרָשׁ. While the root broadly means 'to carve, engrave, plow, scratch,' in nominal form it commonly denotes skilled artisans.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, חֲרָשִׁים refers most directly to communities or groups of craftsmen, particularly in the context of post-exilic Jerusalem (e.g., Nehemiah 11:35). The Valley of Charashim (Valley of the Craftsmen) is named as a locality inhabited or set aside for artisan guilds, implying a social and perhaps administrative significance for craftspeople especially during the Persian period. English translations sometimes render the term as 'Valley of Craftsmen' or transliterate as 'Charashim,' but 'craftsmen' best encapsulates the core meaning. The presence of a specific valley name indicates the professional organization of artisan classes, a feature of the later Second Temple period, and contrasts with other collectivizing terms such as חֹרְשֵׁי עֵצִים ('woodworkers'), which specify materials or crafts. The term does not have a theological connotation, and usage outside place names pertains directly to skilled workers. In translation traditions, 'craftsmen' is standard though sometimes 'mechanics' or 'artisans' are used; the sense is distinct from laborers or unskilled workers.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

plural of חָרָשׁ; mechanics, the name of a valley in Jerusalem; Charashim, craftsmen.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חרשׁ (ḥ-r-sh) — to carve, engrave, craft, devise

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2792 חֶרֶשׁ Craftsman
H2794 חֹרֵשׁ crafting artisan of
H2796 חָרָשׁ craftsman of
H2799 חֲרֹשֶׁת and in the workshop-of
H2800 חֲרֹשֶׁת in Woodland-Craftstead

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2798-01 חֲרָשִׁ֔ים charashim HNp of Craftsmen craftsmen 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2798-01 1 Chronicles 4:14 חֲרָשִׁ֔ים charashim HNp of Craftsmen craftsmen
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