English · KJV
H6194

עָרֵם

ʻârêm /aw-rame'/ Ask about this word
Meaning(Jeremiah 50:26) or (feminine) עֲרֵמָה; from עָרַם; a heap; specifically, a sheaf
KJV usageheap (of corn), sheaf.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻârêm — 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 ʻârêm, represented by H6194, refers to a heap and is also used specifically for a sheaf of grain. It is derived from the word עָרַם and appears 11 times across 10 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning is strongly tied to agriculture and the gathering of harvested materials, such as corn or tithes.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, H6194 is used to describe both agricultural abundance and desolation. It appears in the context of harvest, such as the sheaves being improperly brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath Nehemiah 13:15 and the heap of corn where Boaz rested after the harvest Ruth 3:7. In a display of faithful giving, the people of Israel under Hezekiah brought tithes and "laid them by heaps" 2 Chronicles 31:6. Conversely, the word is used metaphorically for judgment, as when God commands that Babylon be cast up "as heaps" for utter destruction Jeremiah 50:26. It also signifies lack, as when a farmer comes to a heap expecting twenty measures but finds only ten Haggai 2:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help illustrate the context of gathering and piling associated with H6194:

  • H2406 chiṭṭâh (wheat): This is the grain that often constitutes the heap. The connection is direct in Song of Solomon 7:2, which poetically describes a belly "like an heap of wheat".
  • H4643 maʻăsêr (tithe): The heaps in 2 Chronicles 31 are composed of the people's offerings, linking the physical pile to an act of worship and obedience. The people "brought in the tithe... and laid them by heaps" 2 Chronicles 31:6.
  • H5549 çâlal (to mound up... cast up): This verb describes the action of creating a heap. In the prophecy against Babylon, the command is to "cast her up as heaps," directly linking the action to the resulting pile of ruin Jeremiah 50:26.
  • H6006 ʻâmaç (to load): This term is used in the context of transporting the harvest. In Nehemiah 13:15, the people were lading asses with sheaves, connecting the heap of grain to the labor of moving it.

Theological Significance

The use of H6194 carries significant thematic weight, often representing the tangible results of spiritual conditions.

  • Abundance and Faithfulness: In 2 Chronicles 31, the immense heaps of tithes serve as a visible symbol of God's blessing and the people's obedience. When Hezekiah saw the heaps, he "blessed the LORD, and his people Israel" 2 Chronicles 31:8.
  • Judgment and Desolation: The word becomes a powerful metaphor for destruction. The command to cast Babylon up "as heaps" signifies a complete overthrow, turning a city into piles of rubble Jeremiah 50:26. Similarly, enemies mocked the Jews by asking if they could revive stones from the "heaps of the rubbish" Nehemiah 4:2.
  • Provision and Labor: The term is rooted in the harvest cycle. It points to the outcome of agricultural work, whether it is the sheaves gathered from the field Nehemiah 13:15 or the disappointing heap that signifies a poor harvest Haggai 2:16.

Summary

In summary, H6194 is a tangible term that moves from the literal farm to the metaphorical battlefield. As a heap or sheaf, it represents the outcome of human action and divine response. Whether signifying the abundant blessings that follow obedience or the piles of ruin that result from judgment, ʻârêm demonstrates how a simple agricultural image can convey profound spiritual truths about provision, faithfulness, and destruction.

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 11 occurrences, inflected in 5 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.

  • עֲרֵמוֹת
  • עֲרֵמַת
  • עֲרֵמוֹת
  • עֲרֵמִים
  • עֲרֵמָה

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.

H2406 חִטָּה of uncertain derivation; wheat, whether the grain or the plant; wheat(-en). H4643 מַעֲשֵׂר or מַעֲשַׂר; and (in plural) feminine מַעַשְׂרָה; from עָשָׂר; a tenth; especially a tithe; tenth (part), tithe(-ing). H5549 סָלַל a primitive root; to mound up (especially a turnpike); figurative, to exalt; reflexively, to oppose (as by a dam); cast H6006 עָמַס or עָמַשׂ; a primitive root; to load, i.e. impose aburden (or figuratively, infliction); be borne, (heavy) burden (self)

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 10 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 2 Chronicles (4 verses); never once in the other 33.

1
Ruth
4
2 Chronicles
2
Nehemiah
1
Song of Solomon
1
Jeremiah
1
Haggai

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.