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קׇרְחָה

𐤒𐤓𐤇𐤄

qorchâh

H7144 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קרח to be bald, to make bald, to lay bare

Definition

A patch of baldness, especially one that appears as a bare or denuded spot on the scalp. In extended usage, it refers to the state or condition of baldness, often in the context of mourning practices or as a sign of devastation or shame.

Semantic Range

bare spot, bald patch, act or condition of baldness (especially in mourning), place denuded of hair, symbolic state of ruin or humiliation

Root / Etymology

From the root קָרַח (qarach), meaning 'to be bald, make bald, lay bare.' קׇרְחָה (qorchâh) is a feminine noun formation indicating the result or place where baldness occurs—a bald patch or spot.

Historical & Contextual Notes

קׇרְחָה is used rarely in the Hebrew Bible, with clearest occurrences in contexts describing mourning rituals or metaphoric language of devastation. In Ezekiel 27:31 and Isaiah 3:24, cutting or creating a bald patch is cited as a mourning custom or symbolic act, often associated with grief, humiliation, or judgment. The act of making a bald spot (often on the scalp or forehead) was sometimes a forbidden mourning practice (cf. Deuteronomy 14:1, where a different form and related word is used). The term does not refer to natural baldness due to age, but specifically to a discrete, noticeable bare spot, typically produced ritually or by affliction. Early Israelite mourning rites, as depicted, sometimes included self-inflicted baldness as an outward sign of distress or severe loss—contrasting with normative Israelite custom, which discouraged such practices. In post-exilic and later periods, the nuance could broaden to denote total devastation or humiliation. Standard English translations, such as “baldness” or “bald patch,” often capture the literal meaning but may miss the ritual or symbolic connotation present in ancient Israelite contexts. The term is distinct from other Hebrew words relating to hair loss or baldness, such as קֵרֵחַ (qēreaḥ, 'bald man'), which is a personal description rather than a ritual or physical spot.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or קׇרְחָא; (Ezekiel 27:31), from קָרַח; baldness; bald(-ness), [idiom] utterly.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קרח (q-r-ḥ) — to be bald, make bald, lay bare

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7139 קָרַח one made bald
H7140 קֶרַח the ice
H7141 קֹרַח like Qorach
H7142 קֵרֵחַ bald-headed man
H7143 קָרֵחַ Bald-one

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7144-01 קָרְחָה֙ qarechah HNcfsa baldness bald patch 9
H7144-03 וּ/לְ/קָרְחָ֖ה uleqarechah HC/R/Ncfsa and to baldness and to a bald patch 1
H7144-02 קָרְחָתֵ/ךְ֙ qarechatekhe HNcfsc/Sp2fs your baldness your bald patch 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7144-01 Leviticus 21:5 קָרְחָה֙ qarechah HNcfsa baldness bald patch
H7144-01 Deuteronomy 14:1 קָרְחָ֛ה qarechah HNcfsa baldness bald patch
H7144-01 Isaiah 3:24 קָרְחָ֔ה qarechah HNcfsa baldness bald patch
H7144-01 Isaiah 15:2 קָרְחָ֔ה qarechah HNcfsa baldness bald patch
H7144-03 Isaiah 22:12 וּ/לְ/קָרְחָ֖ה uleqarechah HC/R/Ncfsa and to baldness and to a bald patch
H7144-01 Jeremiah 47:5 קָרְחָה֙ qarechah HNcfsa Baldness bald patch
H7144-01 Jeremiah 48:37 קָרְחָ֔ה qarechah HNcfsa is bald bald patch
H7144-01 Ezekiel 7:18 קָרְחָֽה qarechah HNcfsa baldness bald patch
H7144-01 Ezekiel 27:31 קָרְחָ֔ה qarechah HNcfsa baldness bald patch
H7144-01 Amos 8:10 קָרְחָ֑ה qarechah HNcfsa baldness bald patch
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