Word Study for H2791 (חֶרֶשׁ)

cheresh /kheh'-resh/ Ask about this word

Meaningmagical craft; also silence

KJV usagecunning, secretly.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of cheresh — 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 cheresh, represented by H2791, carries a dual meaning related to both secrecy and craftsmanship. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. Derived from a root associated with magical craft, its definitions include silence, cunning, and secretly, pointing to actions or skills that are specialized and not common knowledge.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H2791 is used in two primary contexts. It describes an action performed with stealth, as when Joshua sent two men to spy secretly on the land of Jericho Joshua 2:1. It also identifies a person with a specific skill, translated as artificer or craftsmen. This is seen in Isaiah's list of key societal figures, which includes the "cunning artificer" Isaiah 3:3. This meaning is further established in genealogical and geographical records that refer to a community of craftsmen 1 Chronicles 4:14 and the "valley of craftsmen" Nehemiah 11:35.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of H2791:

H2450 châkâm: This term for wise, skilful, or cunning appears alongside H2791 in Isaiah 3:3 to describe the "cunning artificer," emphasizing the intelligence and artful skill associated with the craft.
H2798 Chărâshîym: Defined as mechanics or craftsmen, this word is used as the proper name for the "valley of craftsmen" Nehemiah 11:35. This place is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:14, where its founder is noted and its inhabitants are identified as craftsmen H2791.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of H2791 is twofold, reflecting its different applications:

Cunning and Secrecy: The use of the word to describe the spies' mission in Jericho highlights the theme of strategic concealment Joshua 2:1. It denotes an action intentionally hidden from view, a necessary component of espionage and military intelligence.
The Role of the Artisan: The term designates a valued societal role. An artificer H2791 was considered a significant figure, listed among captains, counselors, and orators Isaiah 3:3. The existence of a "valley of craftsmen" Nehemiah 11:35 suggests that these skills were important enough to define a community's identity and location.

Summary

In summary, H2791 is a specific term that encapsulates both the concept of secrecy and the identity of a skilled artisan. While seemingly distinct, these meanings are connected by the idea of specialized knowledge—whether in the execution of a covert mission or the practice of a particular craft. Its limited but precise appearances in scripture offer a glimpse into both the tactical use of stealth and the valued place of craftsmen within ancient Israelite society.

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 noun across 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

חֲרָשִׁים
חֲרָשִׁים
חֶרֶשׁ

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 4 verses across 4 of the 39 books. 4 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 35.

Joshua

1 Chronicles

Nehemiah

Isaiah

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.