Lexical Summary erom: Naked, bare Original Word: עֵירֹם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance naked ness Or merom {ay-rome'}; from aram; nudity -- naked(- ness). see HEBREW aram NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ur Definition naked, nakedness NASB Translation naked (9), nakedness (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs עֵירֹם, עֵרֹם adjective and noun [masculine] 1 naked; 2 nakedness (√ עור Ew423, 426 Ges§ 85t Sta§§ 295, 327 a; √ ערם (not Hebrew in this sense) BaNB § 27 g Köii. 84, 120); — absolute עֵירֹם Genesis 3:10,11 4t., עֵרֹם Ezekiel 16:7 2t. Ezekiel; plural עֵירֻמִּים) Genesis 3:7; — 1. adjective naked Genesis 3:7,10,11 (all predicate); as substantive concrete Ezekiel 18:7,16. 2. noun abstract nakedness Deuteronomy 28:48; וְעֶרְיָה ׳ע nakedness and bareness (= naked and bare, of personified Jerusalem), Ezekiel 16:7,22,39; Ezekiel 22:29. Topical Lexicon Entry: עֵירֹם (Strong’s Hebrew 5903) Naked, destitute of clothing; by extension, exposed, vulnerable, or shamed. Overview עֵירֹם appears ten times in the Hebrew Bible. The word describes literal lack of clothing, but every usage also carries a moral or theological weight—shame after sin, vulnerability under judgment, or the compassion owed to those in need. Its contexts span the Garden of Eden, covenant curses, and prophetic indictments, together forming a unified testimony that humanity’s self-made exposure is answered only by God’s gracious covering. Occurrences in Scripture • Genesis 3:7, 10, 11 – Adam and Eve’s sudden awareness of being “naked.” Shame Introduced by Sin (Genesis 3) “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). Before the Fall, nakedness posed no shame (Genesis 2:25). After disobedience, עֵירֹם signals fractured fellowship with God, fear, and the instinct to hide. The hand-sewn fig-leaf coverings present the first human attempt at self-righteousness, proving inadequate until the LORD Himself provides garments (Genesis 3:21), foreshadowing the necessity of divine covering for sin. Covenant Curse and National Vulnerability (Deuteronomy 28:48) Under the Mosaic covenant, disobedience leads Israel to “serve your enemies … in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and lacking everything.” עֵירֹם thus marks the humiliation of a nation stripped of protection and provision. The imagery reinforces that true security rests in covenant fidelity; apart from God, even clothing—the most basic shield—is lost. Prophetic Exposure of Apostasy (Ezekiel 16 and 23) Ezekiel portrays Jerusalem as an unfaithful woman whose lovers “strip you of your clothes, leaving you naked and bare” (Ezekiel 16:39). Here עֵירֹם functions as public disgrace. What Adam and Eve tried to hide privately is now displayed nationally: sin always culminates in exposure unless covered by grace. Righteous Compassion and Social Ethics (Ezekiel 18:7, 16) The prophet’s list of righteous deeds includes one who “gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked” (Ezekiel 18:7). Meeting עֵירֹם with practical mercy reflects God’s own concern for the vulnerable. Refusal to clothe the naked is equated with oppression, underscoring social justice as covenant duty, not optional charity. Theological Trajectory 1. Awareness – Sin awakens shame (Genesis 3). Historical and Cultural Background In the Ancient Near East, public nudity signified slavery, defeat, or scandal. Garments indicated status, honor, and covenant favor. Prophets exploited this cultural reality: stripping a city’s garments was a vivid picture of conquest and shame. Likewise, to clothe someone was to restore dignity and security. Ministry Implications • Preaching and Teaching: Use the Genesis narrative to illustrate humanity’s need for the gospel—only God can cover sin-induced shame. Conclusion עֵירֹם threads through Scripture as a solemn reminder of what sin strips away: innocence, security, and honor. Yet every appearance also hints at God’s resolve to clothe. From the animal skins in Eden to the white robes of Revelation, the movement from nakedness to covering proclaims the consistent message of redemption. Forms and Transliterations וְעֵירֹ֖ם וְעֵר֖וֹם וּבְעֵירֹ֖ם ובעירם ועירם וערום עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם עֵירֹ֖ם עֵירֹ֣ם עֵירֹ֥ם עֵרֹ֣ם עֵרֹ֥ם עירם עירמם ערם ‘ê·rōm ‘ê·rum·mim ‘êrōm ‘êrummim eiRom eirumMim eRom ū·ḇə·‘ê·rōm ūḇə‘êrōm uveeiRom veeiRom veeRom wə‘êrōm wə‘êrōwm wə·‘ê·rō·wm wə·‘ê·rōmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 3:7 HEB: וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַֽיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ NAS: and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed KJV: knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed INT: knew for were naked themselves sewed Genesis 3:10 Genesis 3:11 Deuteronomy 28:48 Ezekiel 16:7 Ezekiel 16:22 Ezekiel 16:39 Ezekiel 18:7 Ezekiel 18:16 Ezekiel 23:29 10 Occurrences |
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