עָקָר
sterile (as if extirpated in the generative organs)
Definition
The Hebrew word עָקָר (ʻâqâr) primarily means 'barren' or 'sterile,' describing a person, typically a woman, who is unable to conceive or bear children. It denotes a state of childlessness, often viewed as a significant lack or affliction in the biblical world. While most frequently applied to women (e.g., Sarah in Genesis 11:30, Rebekah in Genesis 25:21), the term can also describe a state of general fruitlessness or unproductiveness, as seen in its use for a 'barren' womb in Exodus 23:26. The word carries a sense of being 'uprooted' or 'plucked up' from the line of generational continuity.
Biblical Usage
This word is used 11 times in the Old Testament, predominantly in narrative contexts within the Pentateuch and historical books. It consistently describes the condition of barrenness in key matriarchs and figures, highlighting a recurring theme where God later intervenes to open the womb. For example, it is used for Sarah (Genesis 11:30), Rebekah (Genesis 25:21), Rachel (Genesis 29:31), and the mother of Samson (Judges 13:2-3). It also appears in legal blessings, as in Deuteronomy 7:14 and Exodus 23:26, where God promises to remove barrenness from His faithful people.
Etymology
The noun עָקָר (ʻâqâr) is derived from the root verb עָקַר (ʻâqar, H6131), which means 'to pluck up' or 'to uproot.' This etymological connection vividly portrays barrenness as a state of being 'uprooted' from the normal process of reproduction and family lineage. The imagery suggests a tearing away from fertility and generative life.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it often sets the stage for divine intervention and the demonstration of God's covenant faithfulness. Barrenness (עָקָר) is repeatedly presented as a human impossibility that God sovereignly overcomes, as with Sarah, Rebekah, and Hannah (1 Samuel 2:5), showing that the promised lineage and blessing depend on His power, not human fertility. It underscores themes of God's grace in reversing shame and fulfilling His promises against all odds, enriching our understanding of stories of waiting and miraculous birth.
In ancient Israelite culture, barrenness was a source of profound grief, social shame, and potential economic insecurity, as children were seen as a divine blessing and essential for the family's legacy and support. A barren woman (עֲקָרָה) was often viewed as incomplete or under divine disfavor (e.g., Genesis 16:2, 1 Samuel 1:6-7). This starkly contrasts with modern, more individualistic perspectives on family and childlessness, making the biblical narratives of God 'opening the womb' powerful statements of social and spiritual restoration.
שָׁכֹל (shakol, H7921) — emphasizes bereavement or loss of children, rather than inability to conceive. יָבֵשׁ (yavesh, H3001) — means 'dry' or 'withered,' sometimes used figuratively for barrenness (e.g., 'dry breast' in Hosea 9:14).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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