2032. heron or herayon

Lexical Summary

heron or herayon: Pregnancy, conception

Original Word: הֵרוֹן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: herown
Pronunciation: heh-rah-YONE
Phonetic Spelling: (hay-rone')
KJV: conception
NASB: childbirth, conceive, conception
Word Origin: [from H2029 (הָרָה - conceived)]

1. pregnancy

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

conception

Or herayown {hay-raw-yone'}; from harah; pregnancy -- conception.

see HEBREW harah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from harah
Definition
conception, pregnancy
NASB Translation
childbirth (1), conceive (1), conception (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

הֵרָיוֺן noun [masculine] conception, pregnancy; — ׳ה absolute Hosea 9:11; Ruth 4:13; suffix הֵרֹנֵךְ Genesis 3:16, either contracted, so Ew^{§ 214 a}, or erroneous for הריונך which stands in ⅏ compare Di; — conception, in combination מִלֵּדָה וּמִבֶּטֶן וּמֵהֵרָי֑וֺן Hosea 9:11; וַתֵּלֶד ׳לָהּ ה ׳וַיִּתֵּן י Ruth 4:13; עִצְּבוֺנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ Genesis 3:16 ("" תֵּלְדִי).

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Scope

The noun הֵרָיֹון (Strong’s Hebrew 2032) denotes the state of pregnancy or conception. Scripture uses the term both literally—to describe the physical condition of an expectant mother—and figuratively, to portray blessing or judgment upon a people.

Occurrences in Scripture

• Genesis 3:16—the first mention follows the Fall, linking pregnancy with the woman’s increased pain in childbirth, yet also preserving the promise of life that will continue through her offspring.
• Ruth 4:13—in the redemption narrative of Ruth and Boaz, “the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son,” underscoring divine sovereignty in opening the womb and forwarding the messianic lineage through Obed.
• Hosea 9:11—in a pronouncement of judgment on Ephraim, the prophet laments, “no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception,” reversing the blessing and signaling national barrenness due to persistent unfaithfulness.

Theological Significance

1. Divine prerogative: Conception is repeatedly portrayed as a gift granted or withheld by the LORD (compare Genesis 30:22; 1 Samuel 1:19–20). The term therefore highlights God’s intimate involvement in human life from its earliest moment.
2. Continuity of the promise: From Genesis 3:15–16 onward, pregnancy serves as the channel through which the Seed will come. Each subsequent occurrence, including Ruth 4:13, advances that redemptive thread culminating in the incarnation (Matthew 1:18–23; Galatians 4:4).
3. Covenant blessing or curse: Fertility was a tangible sign of covenant favor (Deuteronomy 7:13–14). Conversely, Hosea’s “no pregnancy” illustrates covenant curse for rebellion (Deuteronomy 28:18). The same term thus operates as both a herald of hope and a warning of judgment.

Symbolism and Prophetic Implications

• National destiny: Pregnancy imagery frequently depicts the birth pains preceding divine deliverance or judgment (Isaiah 26:17; Micah 4:10). Hosea’s use joins this prophetic tradition, announcing imminent exile.
• Messianic foreshadowing: Ruth’s conception leads directly to David, and ultimately to “the Christ, the Son of David” (Matthew 1:1). The individual pregnancy of Ruth carries corporate, eschatological significance.

Practical Ministry Application

• Sanctity of life: Recognition that conception is God-given grounds Christian advocacy for the unborn and compassionate support for expectant mothers.
• Shepherding the infertile: Acknowledging God’s sovereignty in conception encourages pastoral sensitivity toward couples facing infertility, pointing them to narratives where the LORD’s timing proved perfect.
• Teaching about suffering and hope: Genesis 3:16 frames pregnancy within both pain and promise, offering a paradigm for addressing trials—real pain met by unfailing divine purpose.

Intertestamental and New Testament Reflection

The Septuagint renders the term as σύλληψις, taken up in the New Testament (Luke 1:31; James 1:15). Mary’s miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit fulfills the pattern: pregnancy granted by God to advance salvation history. Every biblical mention of pregnancy thus anticipates the climactic birth of Jesus Christ.

Related Terms and Concepts

• Childbirth (ילדה) – the act following pregnancy.
• Open/close the womb (פתח/סגר רחם) – divine actions regulating fertility.
• Seed (זרע) – the covenant line transmitted through conception.

Forms and Transliterations

הֵרָי֖וֹן הריון וְהֵֽרֹנֵ֔ךְ וּמֵהֵרָיֽוֹן׃ והרנך ומהריון׃ hê·rā·yō·wn heraYon hêrāyōwn ū·mê·hê·rā·yō·wn umeheraYon ūmêhêrāyōwn veheroNech wə·hê·rō·nêḵ wəhêrōnêḵ

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 3:16
HEB: אַרְבֶּה֙ עִצְּבוֹנֵ֣ךְ וְהֵֽרֹנֵ֔ךְ בְּעֶ֖צֶב תֵּֽלְדִ֣י
NAS: Your pain in childbirth, In pain
KJV: thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow
INT: multiply your pain childbirth pain will bring

Ruth 4:13
HEB: יְהוָ֥ה לָ֛הּ הֵרָי֖וֹן וַתֵּ֥לֶד בֵּֽן׃
NAS: enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth
KJV: gave her conception, and she bare
INT: enabled to her and the LORD conceive gave to a son

Hosea 9:11
HEB: מִלֵּדָ֥ה וּמִבֶּ֖טֶן וּמֵהֵרָיֽוֹן׃
NAS: pregnancy and no conception!
KJV: and from the womb, and from the conception.
INT: birth pregnancy conception

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2032
3 Occurrences

hê·rā·yō·wn — 1 Occ.
ū·mê·hê·rā·yō·wn — 1 Occ.
wə·hê·rō·nêḵ — 1 Occ.