חֶרֶת
𐤇𐤓𐤕
Cheret
H2802 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A specific woodland area or forest, particularly a thicket or wooded region, most notably the 'Forest of Hereth' mentioned in the account of David's flight (1 Samuel 22:5). The term primarily refers to a identifiable geographical location characterized by dense wood or forestation, rather than a generic forest.
Semantic Range
named forest or woodland area (especially 'Forest of Hereth'); thicket; wooded locality (as a toponym)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root חרת, possibly meaning 'to engrave, inscribe, cut into,' or alternatively etymologically equivalent to חֹרֶשׁ (ḥōresh, 'forest, thicket'). The precise derivation is debated, but it appears to function as a toponym (place-name) for a dense woodland. Some suggest metathesis or confusion with the root חָרַשׁ ('to plow, engrave'), but the meaning is anchored in a specific location ('Hereth'). Root etymology remains uncertain, but the association is with wooded places.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֶרֶת appears uniquely as a place name in 1 Samuel 22:5, designating a forest or thicket south of Adullam in the territory associated with Judah. While Strong suggested relation to חָרַת and equivalence to חֹרֶשׁ, the word functions in the biblical text primarily as a local toponym rather than a generic noun for 'forest.' In context, it is a safe wooded refuge for David and his followers. Later translation traditions transliterate rather than translate, producing forms like 'Hereth.' The association with woodland as a geographical feature fits the topography of the Shephelah. The lexical nuance lies in its specificity: חֶרֶת is not just any forest, but the named woodland ('Forest of Hereth'); thus, English translations that treat it as a generic 'forest' miss the place-name aspect. No evidence connects the term after the early monarchy.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָרַת (but equivalent to חֹרֶשׁ); forest; Chereth, a thicket in Palestine; Hereth.
Bantu Hebrew
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חרת (ḥ-r-t) — to cut, engrave, inscribe; wooded place, thicket
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2802-01 |
חָֽרֶת | charet | HNp |
of Hereth | Hereth Woodland | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2802-01 |
1 Samuel 22:5 | חָֽרֶת | charet | HNp |
of Hereth | Hereth Woodland |