חַרְחֻר
𐤇𐤓𐤇𐤓
charchur
H2746 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A condition of intense heat within the body; severe burning sensation, usually referring to physical fever, but may extend metaphorically to experiences of burning or extreme internal heat.
Semantic Range
intense physical fever, burning fever, severe internal heat, metaphorical burning (affliction)
Root / Etymology
From the root חָרַר meaning 'to burn, be hot.' The noun pattern חַרְחֻר likely intensifies or particularizes the core idea of burning, resulting in a noun for an intense or burning fever.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חַרְחֻר is a rare term in the Hebrew Bible, occurring in poetic or prophetic contexts (e.g., Deuteronomy 32:24) to describe an affliction of severe fever or burning sent as a form of disease or punishment. The term stands alongside other words for disease, but emphasizes the sensation of burning heat, distinct from more general terms for illness. English translations sometimes render it simply as 'burning' or 'fever,' but the Hebrew term more vividly communicates the searing nature of the affliction. In biblical contexts, חַרְחֻר does not specify medical causes (such as infection or inflammation) but denotes the experiential intensity of the condition. The word does not seem to persist into later Hebrew, and there is no evidence of specialized or cultic usage. Its occurrence helps illustrate ancient perceptions of sickness as acts of physical extremity, associated with divine judgment or catastrophe. Compared to other Hebrew words like קַדַּחַת (fever) or שְׁחִין (boil), חַרְחֻר is particularly focused on the aspect of burning internal heat.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָרַר; fever (as hot); extreme burning.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חרר (ḥ-r-r) — to burn, be hot, kindle
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2715 | חֹר | nobles of |
| H2771 | חָרָן | in Haran |
| H2787 | חָרַר | they burned |
| H2788 | חָרֵר | scorched regions |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2746-01 |
וּ/בַֽ/חַרְחֻר֙ | uvacharechur | HC/Rd/Ncmsa |
and with burning heat | burning fever | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2746-01 |
Deuteronomy 28:22 | וּ/בַֽ/חַרְחֻר֙ | uvacharechur | HC/Rd/Ncmsa |
and with burning heat | burning fever |