← H6174 H6176 →

עָרוּם

𐤏𐤓𐤅𐤌

ʻârûwm

H6175 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root ערם to be bare, to be smooth, to be cunning

Definition

Possessing shrewdness, cunning, or cleverness in perception or action, often in a way that implies skillful judgment and awareness of circumstances. Most commonly conveys astuteness or craftiness, and depending on context may suggest positive prudence or negative deceitfulness. The word is a descriptive participle that can be applied to both humans and animals, indicating their ability to perceive and act with subtlety or guile.

Semantic Range

shrewd, crafty, cunning, prudent, clever, circumspect, subtle, sensible, sly, skillfully perceptive

Root / Etymology

From the root עָרַם (ʻ-r-m), meaning 'to be bare, to be smooth.' The participle form עָרוּם derives from this root and conveys the secondary nuance of being 'bare' or 'smooth' in intellect or action, thus 'shrewd, crafty.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, עָרוּם appears in different contexts with either positive or negative connotations. In Genesis 3:1, the serpent is described as עָרוּם, highlighting its shrewdness or craftiness; the term here arguably carries a negative overtone, associated with deceit. However, in Proverbs (e.g., Proverbs 12:16, 23; 13:16; 14:8,15,18; 22:3; 27:12), עָרוּם refers positively to prudent, cautious, or sensible individuals who act with foresight and discretion. This demonstrates a semantic flexibility: the word points to keen perception and the ability to negotiate complex situations, valued positively as prudence and negatively as trickery or guile, depending on context. Contrast with פֶּתִי (peti), meaning 'simple' or 'naïve,' emphasizing the spectrum from gullibility to shrewd discernment in wisdom literature. Standard English translations like 'crafty,' 'cunning,' or 'prudent' often reflect only one aspect and do not capture the full semantic nuance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

passive participle of עָרַם; cunning (usually in a bad sense); crafty, prudent, subtil.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

ערם (ʿ-r-m) — to be bare, to be smooth, to be cunning

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4636 מַעֲרֹם their barenesses
H5903 עֵירֹם bare
H6174 עָרוֹם bare one
H6191 עָרַם shrewd (masculine singular)
H6192 עָרַם were heaped up

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6175-01 עָר֔וּם arum HAamsa prudent man shrewd one 7
H6175-02 עֲרוּמִ֑ים arumim HAampa of the crafty shrewd ones 2
H6175-04 וְ֝/עָר֗וּם vearum HC/Aamsa but the prudent and a shrewd one 1
H6175-03 וַֽ֝/עֲרוּמִ֗ים vaarumim HC/Aampa but the prudent shrewd ones 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6175-01 Genesis 3:1 עָר֔וּם arum HAamsa more crafty shrewd one
H6175-01 Proverbs 12:16 עָרֽוּם arum HAamsa prudent man shrewd one
H6175-01 Proverbs 12:23 עָ֭רוּם arum HAamsa prudent shrewd one
H6175-01 Proverbs 13:16 עָ֭רוּם arum HAamsa prudent man shrewd one
H6175-01 Proverbs 14:8 עָ֭רוּם arum HAamsa the prudent shrewd one
H6175-04 Proverbs 14:15 וְ֝/עָר֗וּם vearum HC/Aamsa but the prudent and a shrewd one
H6175-03 Proverbs 14:18 וַֽ֝/עֲרוּמִ֗ים vaarumim HC/Aampa but the prudent shrewd ones
H6175-01 Proverbs 22:3 עָר֤וּם arum HAamsa prudent shrewd one
H6175-01 Proverbs 27:12 עָר֤וּם arum HAamsa prudent man shrewd one
H6175-02 Job 5:12 עֲרוּמִ֑ים arumim HAampa of the crafty shrewd ones
← H6174 Hebrew Lexicon H6176 →