Lexical Summary charath: To engrave, inscribe, carve Original Word: חָרַת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance graven A primitive root; to engrave -- graven. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to grave, engrave NASB Translation engraved (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חָרַת] verb grave, engrave, only Qal Passive participle חָרוּת עַל הַלֻּחֹת Exodus 32:16 (E), engraved upon the tablets. (by finger of God), but from absence of "" in cognate languages (Arabic Topical Lexicon Scriptural SettingThe word appears in Exodus 32:16, embedded in the narrative that follows Israel’s covenant ceremony at Sinai. While Moses is still on the mountain, the people fall into idolatry with the golden calf (Exodus 32:1–6). During that rebellion, the text pauses to describe the divine origin of the stone tablets: “The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets” (Exodus 32:16). The placement of the term highlights a striking contrast—while the people fashion their own false god, the true God is simultaneously fashioning, by His own hand, the covenant stipulations that define genuine worship. Divine Authorship and Permanence Engraving into stone conveys durability and irrevocability. By emphasizing that the commandments were literally incised by God, the verse asserts the permanence of His moral law. The medium itself—stone—underscores the unchanging character of divine revelation (Psalm 119:89). Unlike ink on parchment, stone inscription resists erosion and alteration, symbolizing the abiding validity of God’s word in every generation (Matthew 5:18). Covenant Contrast: Sinaitic Stone and the Golden Calf The larger passage juxtaposes two forms of workmanship: God’s engraved covenant versus Israel’s self–made idol. Aaron “made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf” (Exodus 32:4), a human engraving that leads to judgment (Exodus 32:28). The divinely engraved tablets, by contrast, reveal the way of life and blessing (Deuteronomy 30:15–16). The single appearance of the word thus serves as a literary fulcrum, contrasting human rebellion with divine revelation. Foreshadowing the New Covenant Later prophets promise that the Lord will relocate His inscription from stone to the human heart: “I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). Paul echoes the idea, affirming that believers are “a letter from Christ … written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3). The Exodus engraving anticipates the Spirit’s work in regeneration, transforming external command into internal desire. Worship Implications 1. Authority: The verse affirms that Scripture’s authority derives from God Himself, not from human tradition (2 Timothy 3:16). Historical Resonance Ancient Near Eastern treaties were commonly inscribed on stone or metal to secure permanence and public witness. Israel’s covenant fits that milieu, yet Exodus 32:16 uniquely claims that the deity, not the vassal, performed the engraving. This inversion underscores Israel’s dependence on grace: the Lord initiates, defines, and maintains the covenant relationship. Pastoral and Discipleship Applications • Memorization and Meditation: As God engraved His word on stone, believers are exhorted to “bind them on your heart” (Proverbs 6:21). Summary Exodus 32:16’s solitary use of the term casts a brilliant light on the character of divine revelation—unalterable, authoritative, and graciously provided. It anchors the Old Covenant, anticipates the New, and summons every generation to submit to the God whose words are forever engraved. Forms and Transliterations חָר֖וּת חרות chaRut ḥā·rūṯ ḥārūṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 32:16 HEB: אֱלֹהִים֙ ה֔וּא חָר֖וּת עַל־ הַלֻּחֹֽת׃ NAS: writing engraved on the tablets. KJV: of God, graven upon the tables. INT: was God's he engraved on the tablets |
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is perforate, bore, slit) probably error for חָרוּשׁ (Jeremiah 17:1).