מֹהַר
a price (for a wife)
Definition
The Hebrew noun מֹהַר (môhar) refers specifically to the 'bride-price' or 'marriage payment' given by a groom or his family to the bride's father. This payment was a customary and essential part of the marriage arrangement in ancient Israel, signifying the formal acquisition of a wife and compensating the family for the loss of her labor. In Genesis 34:12, Shechem offers to pay any amount of mohar to marry Dinah, showing its role in negotiation. In Exodus 22:17, the law stipulates that a man who seduces an unbetrothed virgin must pay the mohar and marry her, making it a legal obligation. The term is not a dowry (property from the bride's family) but a price paid to her family.
Biblical Usage
The word is used only three times in the Old Testament, always in the context of marriage arrangements. It appears in narrative (Genesis 34:12), legal (Exodus 22:17), and royal-political contexts (1 Samuel 18:25). In 1 Samuel 18:25, King Saul treacherously sets the mohar for his daughter Michal at one hundred Philistine foreskins, intending to have David killed. The usage consistently involves a payment from the prospective husband to the bride's father, establishing or finalizing the marriage contract.
Etymology
Derived from the root מָהַר (māhar, H4117), meaning 'to acquire by paying a price' or 'to hire.' This root conveys the idea of a transaction or purchase. The noun מֹהַר specifically denotes the price paid in the context of marriage. Cognate words exist in other Semitic languages (like Ugaritic and Arabic) with similar meanings related to marriage payments, indicating a shared cultural and legal concept across the ancient Near East.
Semantic Range
The mohar provides insight into the biblical view of marriage as a sacred covenant with social and economic dimensions. While not a purchase of a person in a crude sense, it reflects the serious, binding nature of the marital bond and the husband's responsibility. It contrasts with modern romantic notions, highlighting marriage's role in family alliances and social stability. Understanding this term enriches reading of passages like 1 Samuel 18, revealing the depth of Saul's malice and David's peril, and frames the legal protections for women in Exodus 22:17.
In ancient Israelite and Near Eastern culture, the mohar was a standard practice, not a commercial sale but a formal compensation to the bride's family, recognizing the economic value of the woman and securing the marriage alliance. It was a sign of commitment and the groom's ability to provide. This differs significantly from a modern dowry and from Western concepts of marriage based solely on mutual affection. The payment solidified the transfer of the woman from her father's household to her husband's authority and protection.
כֶּסֶף (keseph, H3701) — general term for 'silver' or 'money', which could be used for a mohar but is not specific to it. נְדֻנָה (nᵊdunah, H5083) — 'dowry', property brought by the bride to the marriage, the opposite directional flow of wealth compared to mohar.
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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