קֵרֵחַ
bald (on the back of the head)
Definition
The Hebrew noun קֵרֵחַ (qêrêach) specifically describes a person who is bald, particularly on the back of the head. This precise physical condition is the focus of its two biblical occurrences. In Leviticus 13:40, it is used in the context of the priestly purity laws, describing a natural state of baldness that is not considered ritually unclean. In 2 Kings 2:23, the term is used mockingly by a group of youths to insult the prophet Elisha, highlighting his baldness as a point of derision.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, in two distinct contexts. Its first use is in the legal, ritual context of the Levitical law (Leviticus 13:40), where it neutrally describes a physical condition. Its second, more famous use is in a narrative of prophetic confrontation and insult (2 Kings 2:23), where the youths' cry, 'Go up, you baldhead!' uses the term as a taunt against Elisha's authority and person.
Etymology
The noun קֵרֵחַ (qêrêach) is derived from the root verb קָרַח (qārach, H7139), which means 'to shave' or 'to make bald.' This root connection emphasizes the state of having a shaved or hairless scalp. The noun form specifies the resultant condition of being a bald person.
Semantic Range
While the word itself describes a physical trait, its usage in 2 Kings 2:23 carries significant theological weight. The youths' insult of Elisha as a 'baldhead' was not merely a comment on appearance but a direct challenge to his prophetic authority and the God he represented. Their subsequent judgment underscores the serious biblical principle of honoring God's anointed messengers. The contrast between the neutral use in Leviticus and the charged narrative in 2 Kings shows how a physical description can be weaponized in a spiritual conflict.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, baldness could be associated with mourning, disease, or shame. While Leviticus 13 treats natural baldness as clean, the insult in 2 Kings 2:23 likely intended to mock Elisha, possibly implying he was ritually unclean, cursed, or lacking in virility and dignity. The severity of the youths' punishment highlights that their taunt was a profound cultural and religious affront, not just childish teasing.
גִּבֵּחַ (gibbêach, H1372) — also means 'bald,' but specifically on the forehead or front of the head, creating a distinction from קֵרֵחַ's focus on the back.
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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