Strong's Lexicon charab: To be dry, to be desolate, to lay waste, to destroy Original Word: חָרַב Word Origin: A primitive root Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Greek equivalent often used in the Septuagint for "charab" is ἐρημόω (erēmoō), which also means to lay waste or make desolate. Usage: The Hebrew verb "charab" primarily conveys the idea of dryness or desolation. It is often used in the context of land becoming dry or desolate, cities being laid waste, or destruction occurring. The term can describe both physical desolation, such as a drought-stricken land, and metaphorical desolation, such as spiritual barrenness or judgment. Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient Near East, the concept of desolation was significant due to the region's reliance on agriculture and water sources. A land becoming "charab" could mean famine, economic hardship, and divine judgment. The Israelites understood desolation as a consequence of turning away from God, often depicted in prophetic literature as a warning of impending judgment if the people did not repent. Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [חָרֵב] verb be dry, dried up (compare יָבֵשׁ) (Aramaic חֲרוֺב be dry, חוּרְבָּא drought); — Qal Perfect3plural חָֽרְבוּ Genesis 8:13 (twice in verse), Isaiah 19:6; Imperfect3masculine singular יֶחֱרַב Hosea 13:15 2t., וַיֶּחֱרָ֑ב Psalm 106:9; Imperative feminine singular חֳרָ֑בִי Isaiah 44:27; — be dry, dried up: 1 of ground, be freed from waters of flood מְּנֵי חָאֲדָמָה ׳ח Genesis 8:13b (J). 2 of waters, be dried up, taken away; of waters of flood Genesis 8:13 a (P); of Nile וְנָהָר יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵשׁ Isaiah 19:5 ("" וְנִשְּׁתוּמַֿיִם מֵהַיָּם), see same combination Job 14:11 ("" אָֽזְלו מַיִם מִנִּייָֿם); Isaiah 19:6 ("" דָּֽלֲלוּ) Isaiah 44:27 ("" הוֺבִישׁ); of Red Sea Psalm 106:9; figurative of Ephraim's freshness and vigour Hosea 13:15. Pu`al Perfect3plural לֹא חֹרָ֑בוּ Judges 16:7,8, of fresh bow-strings (of gut, see Bla). Hiph`il Perfect הֶחֱרִיב Nahum 1:4, of ׳י's drying up rivers ("" וַיַּבְּשֵׁהוּ), perhaps also Isaiah 11:15 (for ᵑ0 החרים) see ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 ᵑ7; וְהַחֲרַבְתִּ֫י the Euphrates Jeremiah 51:36 ("" הוֺבַשְׁתִּי); Imperfect אַחֲרִיב יָם Isaiah 50:2, subject ׳י, I dry up a sea ("" אָשִׂים נְהָרוֺת מִדְבָּר); אַחְרִב Isaiah 37:25 = אַחֲרִב 2 Kings 19:24, of king of Assyria drying up rivers of Egypt; Participle feminine singular הַמַּחֲרֶבֶת Isaiah 51:10 of ׳י's arm drying up (Red) Sea. II. [חָרֵב] be waste, desolate (Late Hebrew חָרֵב id.; Aramaic חֲרוֺב Qal Imperfect3feminine singular תֶּחֱרַ֔ב Jeremiah 26:9, תֶּחֱרָ֔ב Isaiah 34:10; 3masculine plural יֶחֶרְבוּ Ezekiel 6:6, יֶחֱרָ֑בוּ Amos 7:9; Isaiah 60:12; 3feminine plural תֶּחֱרַבְנָה Ezekiel 6:6; Ezekiel 12:20; Imperative חָרְבוּ (so, not חָֽרְבוּ — Theile — see van d. H Hahn Köi. 244) Jeremiah 2:12; Infinitive absolute חָרֹב Isaiah 60:12; — be waste, desolate; of sanctuaries of Israel Amos 7:9 ("" נָשַׁמּוּ), of altars Ezekiel 6:6; of cities Jeremiah 26:9; Ezekiel 6:6; Ezekiel 12:20 ("" שׁמם); of nations Isaiah 34:10, חָרֹב יֶחֱרָ֑בוּ Isaiah 60:12 ("" יאֹבֵדוּ); figurative, in address to the heavens חָרְבוּ מְאֹד Jeremiah 2:12 — ("" שֹׁמּוּ, וְשַׂעֲרוּ), be very desolate (at sins of Israel); others, be amazed, astounded (on relation of meanings see שׁמם). Niph`al Participle feminine נֶחֱרֶבֶת Ezekiel 26:19 as adjective, desolate city, i.e. uninhabited, see context; נַחֲרָבוֺת Ezekiel 30:17 of desolate countries ("" נָשַׁמּוּ). Hiph`il Perfect הֶחֱרִיב Ezekiel 19:17; 1singular הֶחֱרַבְתִּי Zephaniah 3:6; 3plural הֶחֱרִיבוּ Isaiah 37:18; 2 Kings 19:17; Imperfect1singular אַחֲרִיב Isaiah 42:15; Participle מַחֲרִיב Judges 16:24; plural with suffix מַחֲרִיבַיִךְ Isaiah 49:17; — lay waste, make desolate, human subject; nations and lands Isaiah 37:18 = 2 Kings 19:17; Isaiah 42:15, compare participle Isaiah 49:17 ("" מְהָֽרְסַיִךְ); add probably with We Amos 4:9 (הֶחֱרַבְתִּי for the untranslateable הַרְבּוֺת) I have devastated your gardens and vineyards; participle Judges 16:24 desolater of our country ("" הִרְבָּה אֶתחֲֿלָלֵנ֑וּ); object cities Ezekiel 19:7; streets Zephaniah 3:6 ("" נָשַׁמּוּ). Hoph`al Perfect3feminine singular הָחֳרָ֑בָה Ezekiel 26:2 she is laid waste, of a city; Participle מָחֳרָבוֺת Ezekiel 29:12 laid waste, of cities ("" שׁמם). III. [חָרַב] verb (Aramaic and rare) attack, smite down (compare Arabic Qal Imperative masculine singular חֲרֹב Jeremiah 50:21 attack (+ וְהַחֲרֵם אַחֲרֵיהֶם); masculine plural חִרְבוּ Jeremiah 50:27 object כָּלמָּֿרֶיהָ, figurative of men of Babylon. Niph`al Perfect3plural נֶחֶרְבוּ המלכים (see Hoph`al) הָחֳרֵב 2 Kings 3:23 the kings have attacked one another, fought together ("" וַיַּכּוּ אִישׁ אֶתרֵֿעֵהוּ). Hoph`al Infinitive absolute 2 Kings 3:23, see Niph`al, but read perhaps הֵחָרֵב, compare Dr Leviticus 19:20, note. [חֲרַב] verb be waste (see Biblical Hebrew II. חרב); — Hoph`al Perfect הָחָרְבַ֑ת Ezra 4:15 city was laid waste. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance decay, be desolate, destroyer, be dry up, slay, surely, lay, lie, Or chareb {khaw-rabe'}; a primitive root; to parch (through drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill -- decay, (be) desolate, destroy(-er), (be) dry (up), slay, X surely, (lay, lie, make) waste. Forms and Transliterations אַחֲרִ֣יב אַחֲרִ֤יב אחריב הֶֽחֱרִ֑יב הֶחֱרִ֑יב הֶחֱרִ֜יבוּ הֶחֱרַ֥בְתִּי הַמַּחֲרֶ֣בֶת הָחֳרֵ֤ב הָחֳרָֽבָה׃ החרב החרבה׃ החרבתי החריב החריבו המחרבת וְאַחְרִב֙ וְהַחֲרַבְתִּי֙ וְחָרְב֖וּ וְיֶחֱרַ֣ב וַֽיֶּחֱרָ֑ב וּמַחֲרִבַ֖יִךְ ואחרב והחרבתי וחרבו ויחרב ומחרביך חֲרֵבָ֔ה חֲרֹ֨ב חֳרָ֑בִי חִרְבוּ֙ חָֽרְב֖וּ חָֽרְב֥וּ חָרְב֥וּ חָרֹ֥ב חֹרָ֑בוּ חרב חרבה חרבו חרבי יֶחֱרַ֥ב יֶחֱרָ֑בוּ יֶחֱרָֽבוּ׃ יֶחֶרְב֨וּ יחרב יחרבו יחרבו׃ מַחֲרִ֣יב מָֽחֳרָבוֹת֙ מחרבות מחריב נֶֽחֶרְבוּ֙ נֶחֱרֶ֔בֶת נַחֲרָב֖וֹת נחרבו נחרבות נחרבת תֶּחֱרַ֔בְנָה תֶּחֱרַ֖ב תֶּחֱרָ֔ב תחרב תחרבנה ’a·ḥă·rîḇ ’aḥărîḇ achaRiv chareVah chareVu chaRo chirVu choRavi choRavu hā·ḥo·rā·ḇāh hā·ḥo·rêḇ ḥă·rê·ḇāh ḥā·rə·ḇū ḥă·rōḇ ḥā·rōḇ hāḥorāḇāh hāḥorêḇ ham·ma·ḥă·re·ḇeṯ hammachaRevet hammaḥăreḇeṯ ḥărêḇāh ḥārəḇū ḥărōḇ ḥārōḇ he·ḥĕ·raḇ·tî he·ḥĕ·rî·ḇū he·ḥĕ·rîḇ hecheRavti hecheRiv hecheRivu heḥĕraḇtî heḥĕrîḇ heḥĕrîḇū ḥir·ḇū ḥirḇū ḥo·rā·ḇî ḥō·rā·ḇū hochoRavah hochoRev ḥorāḇî ḥōrāḇū ma·ḥă·rîḇ mā·ḥo·rā·ḇō·wṯ machaRiv maḥărîḇ māḥorāḇōwṯ mochoraVot na·ḥă·rā·ḇō·wṯ nacharaVot naḥărāḇōwṯ ne·ḥĕ·re·ḇeṯ ne·ḥer·ḇū necheRevet necherVu neḥerḇū neḥĕreḇeṯ te·ḥĕ·raḇ te·ḥĕ·rāḇ te·ḥĕ·raḇ·nāh techeRav techeRavnah teḥĕraḇ teḥĕrāḇ teḥĕraḇnāh ū·ma·ḥă·ri·ḇa·yiḵ umachariVayich ūmaḥăriḇayiḵ vaiyecheRav veachRiv vechareVu vehacharavTi veyecheRav way·ye·ḥĕ·rāḇ wayyeḥĕrāḇ wə’aḥriḇ wə·’aḥ·riḇ wə·ha·ḥă·raḇ·tî wə·ḥā·rə·ḇū wə·ye·ḥĕ·raḇ wəhaḥăraḇtî wəḥārəḇū wəyeḥĕraḇ ye·ḥĕ·rā·ḇū ye·ḥĕ·raḇ ye·ḥer·ḇū yecheRav yecheRavu yecherVu yeḥĕraḇ yeḥĕrāḇū yeḥerḇūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 8:13 HEB: בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ חָֽרְב֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מֵעַ֣ל NAS: the water was dried up from the earth. KJV: the waters were dried up from off the earth: INT: the first of the month was dried the water from Genesis 8:13 Judges 16:7 Judges 16:8 Judges 16:24 2 Kings 3:23 2 Kings 3:23 2 Kings 19:17 2 Kings 19:24 Nehemiah 2:3 Nehemiah 2:17 Job 14:11 Psalm 106:9 Isaiah 19:5 Isaiah 19:6 Isaiah 34:10 Isaiah 37:18 Isaiah 37:25 Isaiah 42:15 Isaiah 44:27 Isaiah 49:17 Isaiah 50:2 Isaiah 51:10 Isaiah 60:12 Isaiah 60:12 42 Occurrences |
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be laid waste; Zinjirli חרב adjective; Arabic 
be in ruins, waste, depopulated; Assyrian —arâbu, be waste, DlPr 175, —uribtu, desert, LotzTP); — 
plunder, III. wage war with, VI. fight together, 
war, battle; Syriac 
smite, slay) — 
