קׇרְחָה
baldness
Definition
The Hebrew noun 'qorchâh' refers to a state of baldness, specifically the shaving or removal of hair from the head. In the Old Testament, it most often describes a physical sign of intense mourning, grief, or national calamity, as seen in Isaiah 15:2 and Jeremiah 48:37 where the Moabites lament. In a distinct, ritual context, it denotes a prohibited mourning practice for priests (Leviticus 21:5) and a forbidden imitation of pagan customs for all Israelites (Deuteronomy 14:1). The word can also symbolize utter devastation or judgment, as in Isaiah 22:12 where it is paired with sackcloth.
Biblical Usage
The word is used 11 times, primarily in prophetic books (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) and legal texts (Leviticus, Deuteronomy). Its usage consistently falls into two main patterns: 1) As a literal, culturally recognized sign of profound mourning or distress over judgment (e.g., Jeremiah 47:5, Ezekiel 7:18). 2) As a prohibited ritual act within Israel's covenant law, distinguishing them from surrounding nations. It is never used in a neutral or positive sense.
Etymology
Derived from the root verb 'qārach' (H7139), meaning 'to shave (the head) or make bald.' The noun form 'qorchâh' indicates the resulting state or condition of being shaved bald. A related Aramaic-influenced form, 'qorchâ', appears in Ezekiel 27:31.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it marks a boundary between holy and profane mourning. God forbids it for His people (Lev. 21:5; Deut. 14:1) to separate them from pagan death rituals and to protect the symbolic wholeness and consecration of the priest, who ministers before a God of life. Its prophetic use connects physical disfigurement directly to spiritual and national rebellion, showing that covenant-breaking leads to a degradation mirrored in the body and society (Isa. 3:24).
In the ancient Near East, shaving the head was a widespread, dramatic expression of grief and submission to fate or deities. For Israelites, it was a powerful, visible sign of lament. However, God's law transformed its meaning; for His set-apart people, such extreme, imitative mourning practices were prohibited, redefining how they were to express grief within the context of their faith in Yahweh.
gilach (גִּלַּח, H1548) — a verb meaning 'to shave,' focusing on the action rather than the state. qereach (קֵרֵחַ, H7146) — an adjective describing a person as 'bald.'
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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