English · KJV
H2787

חָרַר

chârar /khaw-rar'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto glow, i.e. literally (to melt, burn, dry up) or figuratively (to show or incite passion)
KJV usagebe angry, burn, dry, kindle.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chârar — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word chârar, represented by H2787, is a primitive root meaning to glow. It is used to describe literal effects like melting, burning, or drying up, as well as figurative ones like showing or inciting passion. This word appears 11 times in 11 unique verses, conveying a sense of intense heat or dryness.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H2787 is used to illustrate several conditions. It can describe the literal process of being consumed by fire, as seen when the inhabitants of the earth are burned under a curse Isaiah 24:6, or when a worthless vine is cast into the fire and its middle is burned (Ezekiel 15:4, Ezekiel 15:5). The word also expresses intense personal suffering, as when the psalmist's throat is dried from crying out Psalms 69:3 or when Job's bones are burned with heat from his affliction Job 30:30. Figuratively, it can depict human passion, such as when the children of the bride's mother were angry with her Song of Solomon 1:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concepts of heat, fire, and their effects:

  • H1513 gechel (ember, coal): This word often denotes the source of the heat. It is used in tandem with H2787 in the prophetic imagery of a pot being set on the coals so that it may burn and be purified Ezekiel 24:11.
  • H2721 chôreb (drought, heat): This term describes the condition of intense heat or dryness. It is directly linked with H2787 in Job's lament, where his bones are burned with heat Job 30:30.
  • H1814 dâlaq (to flame, kindle): This root verb relates to the act of setting something on fire. It can be used figuratively for inflaming passions with wine Isaiah 5:11 or literally to kindle a fire Obadiah 1:18.
  • H784 'êsh (fire): This is the general term for fire. It is often the agent that causes something to be burned H2787, as when a vine is cast into the fire for fuel Ezekiel 15:4.

Theological Significance

The thematic weight of H2787 is significant, often associated with judgment, suffering, and conflict.

  • Divine Judgment and Purification: The word is used to portray the purifying and destructive power of God's judgment. In Ezekiel's prophecy, an empty pot is heated so it may burn, melting its filthiness and consuming its scum Ezekiel 24:11. Similarly, the inhabitants of the earth are burned as a consequence of a curse Isaiah 24:6.
  • Intense Personal Suffering: H2787 vividly captures the physical and emotional toll of deep distress. The psalmist's bones are burned as if in a hearth Psalms 102:3, and his throat is dried from exhaustive prayer Psalms 69:3.
  • The Kindling of Strife: The word's figurative use extends to human conflict. A contentious person is compared to coals and wood, serving to kindle strife just as fuel kindles a fire Proverbs 26:21.

Summary

In summary, H2787 provides a powerful and versatile depiction of intense heat. It moves beyond a simple definition of burning to encompass the physical anguish of a body afflicted by sickness Job 30:30, the emotional heat of anger Song of Solomon 1:6, and the destructive fire of divine judgment Isaiah 24:6. Its usage illustrates how a single concept can be applied to literal fire, the effects of human passion, and the actions of God.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 11 occurrences, inflected in 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • נָחַר
  • יֵּחָר
  • יֵחָרוּ
  • נִחָרוּ
  • חַרְחַר
  • נִחֲרוּ
  • חָרָה
  • חָרוּ
  • חָרָה

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1513 גֶּחֶל or (feminine) גַּחֶלֶת; from an unused root meaning to glow or kindle; an ember; (burning) coal. H2721 חֹרֶב a collaterally form of חֶרֶב; drought or desolation; desolation, drought, dry, heat, [idiom] utterly, waste. H1814 דָּלַק a primitive root; to flame (literally or figuratively); burning, chase, inflame, kindle, persecute(-or), pursue hotly. H784 אֵשׁ a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively); burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 11 verses across 7 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezekiel (4 verses); never once in the other 32.

1
Job
2
Psalms
1
Proverbs
1
Song of Solomon
1
Isaiah
1
Jeremiah
4
Ezekiel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.