עׇרְמָה
𐤏𐤓𐤌𐤄
ʻormâh
H6195 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
ʻOrmah refers to shrewdness, cleverness, or skill in dealing with situations or people. It denotes the ability to perceive circumstances clearly and act with strategic intelligence, whether the purpose is positive (prudence, astuteness) or negative (cunning, craftiness, guile). The context determines whether the nuance is commendable, neutral, or pejorative.
Semantic Range
shrewdness, cleverness, astuteness, prudence, craftiness, cunning, guile, practical wisdom
Root / Etymology
From the root ערם (ʿ-r-m), which carries the core idea of being shrewd or crafty. ערמה is the feminine noun form, similar in construction to other Hebrew abstract nouns derived from verbal roots. The root meaning is not inherently negative or positive, signifying keen perception and the ability to adapt one's conduct insightfully; the specific connotation (wise or cunning) depends on context.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, ערמה appears in both positive and negative connotations. For example, in Proverbs (1:4, 8:5, 12:23), the noun denotes prudence and wisdom—valuable traits for navigating life or avoiding folly. However, in texts like Genesis 3:1 (where the related adjective is used of the serpent), and in Joshua 9:4 (the Gibeonites acting 'with ormah'), it takes on a sense closer to craftiness or cunning. The semantic boundary between prudence and guile is often fluid in Biblical Hebrew, with context clarifying if the shrewdness is praiseworthy or blameworthy. English translations typically reflect this ambiguity, using 'prudence' or 'subtlety' in moral contexts and 'craftiness' or 'cunning' in negative ones. The distinction from related terms like חָכְמָה (wisdom) is significant: חָכְמָה has a broader range encompassing moral and spiritual insight, while ערמה focuses more narrowly on practical, situational intelligence, whether virtuous or deceptive. In postexilic and later Hebrew, the term continues with this spectrum of meaning, but may become more associated with cunning in rabbinic use.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of עֹרֶם; trickery; or (in a good sense) discretion; guile, prudence, subtilty, wilily, wisdom.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ערם (ʿ-r-m) — to be shrewd, be crafty, show cleverness
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4636 | מַעֲרֹם | their barenesses |
| H5903 | עֵירֹם | bare |
| H6174 | עָרוֹם | bare one |
| H6175 | עָרוּם | shrewd one |
| H6191 | עָרַם | shrewd (masculine singular) |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6195-01 |
עָרְמָ֑ה | aremah | HNcfsa |
prudence | shrewdness | 3 |
H6195-02 |
בְּ/עָרְמָ֔ה | bearemah | HR/Ncfsa |
with cunning | in shrewdness | 1 |
H6195-03 |
בְ/עָרְמָ֑ה | vearemah | HR/Ncfsa |
with guile | with shrewdness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6195-03 |
Exodus 21:14 | בְ/עָרְמָ֑ה | vearemah | HR/Ncfsa |
with guile | with shrewdness |
H6195-02 |
Joshua 9:4 | בְּ/עָרְמָ֔ה | bearemah | HR/Ncfsa |
with cunning | in shrewdness |
H6195-01 |
Proverbs 1:4 | עָרְמָ֑ה | aremah | HNcfsa |
prudence | shrewdness |
H6195-01 |
Proverbs 8:5 | עָרְמָ֑ה | aremah | HNcfsa |
prudence | shrewdness |
H6195-01 |
Proverbs 8:12 | עָרְמָ֑ה | aremah | HNcfsa |
with prudence | shrewdness |