Lexical Summary charchur: Strife, contention Original Word: חַרְחֻר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fever From charar; fever (as hot); -extreme burning. see HEBREW charar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom charar Definition violent heat, fever NASB Translation fiery heat (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חַרְחֻר noun masculine violent heat, fever (see BaNB 206) — ׳ובחרב וגו ׳בַּשַּׁחֶפֶת וּבַקַּדַּחַת וּבַדַּלֶּקֶת וּבַח Deuteronomy 28:22. Topical Lexicon Overview חַרְחֻר (Strong’s Hebrew 2746) designates a burning or scorching fever set by the LORD among the covenant curses announced on Mount Ebal and Gerizim. Its solitary appearance in Deuteronomy 28:22 locates it squarely within the warnings directed toward Israel should the nation abandon the commandments of God. Biblical Context—Deuteronomy 28:22 “The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew; these will pursue you until you perish.” (Berean Standard Bible) Placed third in a chain of six afflictions, ḥarḥur intensifies the picture of relentless physical distress. Unlike the chronic “wasting disease” and the more general “inflammation” that precede it, ḥarḥur conveys an acute, burning fever that debilitates swiftly. The subsequent curse elements—drought, blight, and mildew—parallel the body’s fever with ecological “fevers,” showing that sin’s reach is both personal and communal. Covenant Theology and Divine Judgment 1. Retributive Justice: The curse section (Deuteronomy 28:15–68) balances the earlier blessings (28:1–14). Ḥarḥur operates as a judicial counter-measure to covenant violation, underscoring that disobedience reverses Edenic order and invites decay (compare Leviticus 26:16). Historical and Cultural Background In the ancient Near East, febrile illnesses were often attributed to the anger of deities. Deuteronomy sharply corrects this worldview: the fever originates from the covenant LORD, not capricious gods, and its purpose is morally intelligible. Medical texts from Egypt and Mesopotamia describe similar high fevers leading to rapid dehydration—conditions that match the “scorching heat” imagery. Theological Themes and Redemptive Trajectory 1. Human Frailty: Ḥarḥur reminds readers that physical health is contingent upon the sustaining word of God (Deuteronomy 8:3). Pastoral and Ministry Implications • Preaching: Ḥarḥur serves as an arresting illustration of sin’s tangible consequences. Expositors can connect Deuteronomy 28 to contemporary realities—pandemics, environmental crises, personal health—in order to call for covenant fidelity through Christ. Summary Though mentioned only once, חַרְחֻר stands as a vivid emblem of divine discipline. It warns the unfaithful, tests the faithful, and ultimately drives all who experience weakness to the One who “himself bore our sicknesses” (Matthew 8:17). Forms and Transliterations וּבַֽחַרְחֻר֙ ובחרחר ū·ḇa·ḥar·ḥur ūḇaḥarḥur uvacharChurLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 28:22 HEB: וּבַקַּדַּ֜חַת וּבַדַּלֶּ֗קֶת וּבַֽחַרְחֻר֙ וּבַחֶ֔רֶב וּבַשִּׁדָּפ֖וֹן NAS: and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword KJV: and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, INT: fever inflammation fiery the sword blight 1 Occurrence |
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