Word Study for H5628 (סָרַח) | Strong's Concordance

çârach /saw-rakh'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto extend (even to excess)

KJV usageexceeding, hand, spread, stretch self, banish.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çârach — 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 çârach, represented by H5628, is a primitive root meaning to extend, often to the point of excess. It appears 7 times in 7 unique verses in the Bible. Its definition encompasses concepts like spreading, stretching oneself, hanging over, or being excessive.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H5628 describes both literal and figurative extension. In a physical sense, it details the construction of the tabernacle, where curtains were to hang over its sides (Exodus 26:12, Exodus 26:13). It is also used to illustrate natural growth, as with a spreading vine Ezekiel 17:6. In a negative context, it portrays the self-indulgent who stretch themselves on couches Amos 6:4 or wear exceeding attire Ezekiel 23:15. Figuratively, it can denote something that has been exhausted or lost, as when the wisdom of Edom is said to have vanished Jeremiah 49:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the various applications of extension and excess:

H2451 chokmâh (wisdom): This term appears in the question of whether Edom's wisdom has vanished H5628, linking the concept of something extending to its limit and disappearing with the loss of prudence Jeremiah 49:7.
H7901 shâkab (to lie down): Used in parallel with stretching H5628, this word describes the indulgent posture of those who lie on beds of ivory, emphasizing a state of decadent ease Amos 6:4.
H398 ʼâkal (to eat): This word is also associated with the self-indulgence in Amos, where those who stretch themselves also eat lambs from the flock, illustrating the consumption that accompanies their excess Amos 6:4.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of H5628 often lies in the contrast between divinely appointed extension and sinful human excess.

Prescribed Boundaries: In the construction of the tabernacle, the word is used to describe how the curtains must hang over the structure. This demonstrates a proper and measured extension, ordained by God for a holy purpose (Exodus 26:12, Exodus 26:13).
Judgment on Excess: The prophets use H5628 to condemn pride and self-indulgence. Those who stretch themselves in luxury Amos 6:4 or adorn themselves with exceeding attire Ezekiel 23:15 face judgment, with their decadent feasts destined to be removed Amos 6:7.
The Transience of Earthly Wisdom: The word is used metaphorically to describe wisdom that has vanished from Edom. This suggests that human wisdom has limits and can be exhausted or taken away, contrasting with the enduring counsel of God Jeremiah 49:7.

Summary

In summary, H5628 carries a meaning that moves from simple physical extension to a moral and theological critique of excess. It can describe the precise dimensions of a sacred object like the tabernacle's curtains, the natural growth of a vine, or the decadent posture of the self-indulgent. Ultimately, the word çârach illustrates a key biblical principle: that while extension and growth can be good, extending beyond proper bounds into prideful excess leads to ruin and removal.

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 an adjective and a verb across 7 occurrences, inflected in 6 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.

סְרֻחִים
נִסְרְחָה
סְרוּחֵי
תִּסְרַח
סֹרַחַת
סָרוּחַ

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 7 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus, Ezekiel, and Amos (2 verses each); never once in the other 35.

Exodus

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Amos

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.