Lexical Summary eryah: Nakedness, exposure Original Word: עֶרְיָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bare, naked, quite For ervah; nudity -- bare, naked, X quite. see HEBREW ervah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom arah Definition nakedness NASB Translation bare (4), bare* (1), nakedness (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs עֶרְיָה6:00 AM noun feminine nakedness; — always absolute ׳ע; — בּֿשֶׁת׳ע Micah 1:11 (in) nakedness, (in) shame (figurative of town Shaphir); of Jerusalem ׳עֵרֹם וְע Ezekiel 16:7 3t. (see עֵרֹם below II. עור); of bow Habakkuk 3:9 (see עור). Topical Lexicon Hebrew Term and ImageryThe word עֶרְיָה conveys the state of being stripped of covering. It evokes vulnerability, exposure, and the forfeiture of protection or honor. Scripture employs the term both literally—being without clothing—and figuratively—being divested of security, dignity, or military readiness. Occurrences in the Prophets 1. Ezekiel 16:7; 16:22; 16:39 Each context is prophetic, underscoring divine indictment or intervention. Covenant Unfaithfulness Exposed (Ezekiel 16; 23) Ezekiel portrays Jerusalem as an adopted bride who has squandered covenant privileges. Three times the prophet repeats the description “naked and bare” (Ezekiel 16:7; 16:22; 16:39) to frame Israel’s history: • Childhood dependence — “but you were naked and bare” (16:7). In Ezekiel 23:29 the same verdict falls on Samaria and Jerusalem together: enemies “will take away everything you have worked for, and leave you naked and bare.” The repetition deepens the covenant lawsuit motif: what was once covered by Yahweh’s compassion is now uncovered in judgment. Communal Shame in Micah 1:11 Micah commands the inhabitants of Shaphir to “Depart in shame … naked and disgraced.” Cities that trusted in their own fortifications must parade defenseless before neighboring towns, dramatizing the shame that results from rejecting the Lord’s word (Micah 1:1–9). The stripping away of garments stands for the stripping away of pride and self–reliance. Military Disarmament in Habakkuk 3:9 Habakkuk’s theophany reverses the image: “You brandished Your bow” (literally, “Your bow was uncovered”). The warrior-God removes the covering from His weapon, unlike Judah whose nakedness is involuntary. Divine unveiling means impending victory; human unveiling means disgrace. The same term thus highlights the chasm between God’s power and human frailty. Theological Themes • Judgment proportional to privilege — The nation once clothed by grace is exposed when grace is despised. Historical Setting All six occurrences cluster in the eighth to sixth centuries B.C. Micah (pre-exilic Judah), Habakkuk (just before Babylon), and Ezekiel (exilic) confront Judah’s descent toward exile. The shared vocabulary reflects a shared reality: the Babylonian onslaught would literally and spiritually strip the nation. Ministry Significance 1. Preaching – The imagery of uncovered shame confronts complacency and underscores the seriousness of sin. Summary עֶרְיָה functions as a prophetic spotlight: when God’s people discard His covering, they stand exposed; when God Himself uncovers, He wields unstoppable power. The term therefore beckons readers to seek refuge in the One who alone can clothe the nakedness of sin. Forms and Transliterations וְעֶרְיָ֑ה וְעֶרְיָ֔ה וְעֶרְיָֽה׃ ועריה ועריה׃ עֶרְיָ֤ה עֶרְיָה־ עריה עריה־ ‘er·yāh ‘er·yāh- ‘eryāh ‘eryāh- eryah veerYah wə‘eryāh wə·‘er·yāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 16:7 HEB: וְאַ֖תְּ עֵרֹ֥ם וְעֶרְיָֽה׃ NAS: Yet you were naked and bare. KJV: whereas thou [wast] naked and bare. INT: you were naked and bare Ezekiel 16:22 Ezekiel 16:39 Ezekiel 23:29 Micah 1:11 Habakkuk 3:9 6 Occurrences |
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