### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **chârâbâh**, represented by `{{H2724}}`, refers to a **desert** or **dry (ground, land)**. It appears **8 times** across **7 unique verses** in scripture. This term is consistently used to describe a state of dryness, particularly in contexts where water has been supernaturally removed, making it a powerful symbol of divine intervention.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H2724}}` is most famously associated with God's miraculous works. During the Exodus, the LORD turned the sea into **dry** land, allowing the Israelites to escape the Egyptian army [[Exodus 14:21]]. A similar event occurred when the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant stood on **dry ground** in the middle of the Jordan River, enabling the people to cross into the Promised Land [[Joshua 3:17]]. The term also describes the state of the earth after the great flood, where all life on the **dry** land perished [[Genesis 7:22]]. In prophecy, it signifies both judgment, as when the LORD makes rivers **dry** [[Ezekiel 30:12]], and a part of the created order that God will shake [[Haggai 2:6]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context by highlighting what is being made dry or the environment in which dryness occurs:
* `{{H4325}}` **mayim** (water): This word for water is often in direct opposition to **chârâbâh**. Miracles involving `{{H2724}}` typically begin with the division or removal of **mayim**, as when Elijah smote the **waters** to cross on dry ground [[2 Kings 2:8]].
* `{{H3220}}` **yâm** (a sea or large body of water): This term is frequently the subject that is transformed into **chârâbâh**. God's power is shown when he turns the **sea** into dry land [[Exodus 14:21]] or when he declares he will shake both the **sea** and the dry land [[Haggai 2:6]].
* `{{H776}}` **'erets** (the earth or a land): As a specific state of land, **chârâbâh** is a condition that can affect the **'erets**. In God's judgment, he can make the **land** waste [[Ezekiel 30:12]], and in the creation account, life that died in the flood was that which was on the dry land [[Genesis 7:22]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H2724}}` is demonstrated through its consistent usage in key events.
* **Divine Sovereignty:** The ability to turn a sea or river into dry ground is a clear demonstration of God's absolute power over the natural world, a power he wields for his purposes [[Exodus 14:21]].
* **A Path of Salvation:** The dry ground created by God serves as a pathway for the deliverance of His people, whether from bondage in Egypt or into the land of their inheritance [[Joshua 3:17]].
* **A Sphere of Judgment:** The term is also linked to divine judgment. It is used to describe the land cleansed by the flood [[Genesis 7:22]] and in prophecies of desolation where God makes rivers dry as part of a judgment against nations [[Ezekiel 30:12]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2724}}` is a term that carries significant weight beyond its literal definition of dry ground. It functions as a powerful illustration of God's authority over creation. Whether creating a path for salvation or executing judgment, the transformation of water into **chârâbâh** serves as a recurring testament to the power and purpose of God in the biblical narrative.
TRV