### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **chârêr**, represented by `{{H2788}}`, refers to an **arid; parched place**. Although it appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible, its single use provides a powerful image of desolation and barrenness. It describes a location that is dried out and devoid of life-sustaining qualities.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H2788}}` is in [[Jeremiah 17:6]], where it illustrates the state of a person who is cursed. Such a person "shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh." Instead, their fate is to "inhabit the **parched places** in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited" [[Jeremiah 17:6]]. Here, the parched place is not merely a physical location but a metaphor for a life of spiritual fruitlessness and isolation from blessing.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words found in the same context build upon the theme of desolation:
* `{{H4057}}` **midbâr** (wilderness): Defined as a pasture or desert, this term often describes vast, uncultivated regions. It is in the **wilderness** that God makes a way and provides for His people, a place of both testing and divine intervention ([[Isaiah 40:3]], [[Deuteronomy 8:2]]).
* `{{H4420}}` **mᵉlêchâh** (barrenness): This word describes a salted land, a desert. It symbolizes a state of fruitlessness that can be a result of wickedness, as seen when a fruitful land is turned into **barrenness** [[Psalms 107:34]].
* `{{H6160}}` **ʻărâbâh** (desert): This term for a sterile valley or desert is often used in prophecies of restoration, where God promises to make the **desert** rejoice and blossom [[Isaiah 35:1]] or to put streams in the **desert** [[Isaiah 35:6]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H2788}}` is concentrated in its powerful symbolic use in Jeremiah:
* **A Symbol of Cursedness:** Inhabiting the "parched places" is presented as a direct consequence of a spiritual condition. It is the dwelling for one who is like a destitute heath and cannot **see** `{{H7200}}` when **good** `{{H2896}}` arrives [[Jeremiah 17:6]].
* **An Uninhabitable State:** The description is intensified by being located in a **salt land** `{{H4420}}` that is **not inhabited** `{{H3427}}` [[Jeremiah 17:6]]. This points to a state of utter desolation and separation, a place incapable of supporting life, much like a life cut off from God's presence.
* **Blindness to Blessing:** The person who inhabits the parched places "shall not see when good cometh" [[Jeremiah 17:6]]. This contrasts sharply with the invitation to "taste and see that the LORD is **good**" `{{H2896}}` [[Psalms 34:8]], suggesting that the spiritual condition represented by the parched place includes a blindness to God's goodness.
### Summary
In summary, while **chârêr** `{{H2788}}` is a rare word, its context in scripture gives it significant weight. It is more than just a dry patch of ground; it serves as a potent metaphor for a life of spiritual barrenness. Its placement within a web of terms for wilderness, desert, and salt land paints a vivid picture of the ultimate state of one who is separated from divine blessing and unable to perceive the good that God provides.
TRV