חֲרֵי־יוֹנִים
𐤇𐤓𐤉־𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌
chărêy-yôwnîym
H2755 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A rare term found in 2 Kings 6:25 typically translated as 'dove's dung.' The most widely accepted primary meaning is a literal or figurative reference to doves' droppings; however, alternative scholarly theories suggest it may denote a type of food, possibly a wild plant or seed used during famine, due to difficulties with the literal interpretation. The term also may refer metonymically to something cheap, valueless, or consumed in desperate circumstances.
Semantic Range
doves' excrement; name for a famine food of uncertain identity (possibly a plant, seed, or pulse); something of little worth; metaphor for something unappetizing or despised
Root / Etymology
Likely a compound word derived from the plural forms of חֶרֶא (dung, excrement) and יוֹנָה (dove). Alternatively, it may reflect a single word (חֲרָיֹון) with an uncertain derivation. The root חרא signifies 'to excrete, dung,' while יונה means 'dove.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The expression חֲרֵי־יוֹנִים is attested only in 2 Kings 6:25 during the siege of Samaria, where it is listed as a commodity sold for a high price in a context of extreme famine. Most historical translations follow the literal 'dove's dung,' but difficulty arises as it seems unlikely that excrement would be sold for food. Some modern scholars therefore prefer to interpret the term as a colloquial or figurative name for a wild plant or pulse. LXX and other ancient versions do not clarify the meaning. In postbiblical Hebrew, similar terms can refer to low-status or scavenged food items. The term is not directly related to identity terms or ideological developments; instead, it reflects crisis language in a time of severe scarcity. Later traditions (including early English Bibles) rendered it as 'dove's dung,' but modern lexicons typically note the uncertainty and possibility of alternate identifications. Distinct from more common terms for grain or pulse.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the plural of חֶרֶא and the plural of יוֹנָה; or perhaps rather the plural of a single word חֲרָאיוֹן, probably a kind of vegetable; excrements of doves {or a vegetable}; doves' dung.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חרא (ḥ-r-ʾ) — to excrete, dung, droppings
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2755-01 |
חרי | chry | HNcmsc |
dung | dove-droppings of | 1 |
H2755-02 |
חרי/הם | chryhm | HNcmpc/Sp3mp |
dung | their dove-droppings | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2755-01 |
2 Kings 6:25 | חרי | chry | HNcmsc |
dung | dove-droppings of |
H2755-02 |
2 Kings 18:27 | חרי/הם | chryhm | HNcmpc/Sp3mp |
dung | their dove-droppings |