חֲרַךְ
𐤇𐤓𐤊
chărak
H2761 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To scorch or singe, especially as the result of burning or high heat exposure. In Aramaic usage, typically refers to the act of burning the surface or singeing, rather than incinerating completely.
Semantic Range
to scorch, to singe (by fire or heat), to be superficially burned (the surface affected without full combustion), to char
Root / Etymology
Root: חרך. The Hebrew root חרך refers to burning, scorching, or singeing through exposure to heat or flame. The Aramaic verb חֲרַךְ preserves this core meaning, with a focus on light burning or superficial charring. The root is related to other Northwest Semitic forms indicating burning or heat damage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֲרַךְ occurs in Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Daniel 3:27) within a narrative recounting survival from the fiery furnace. The word is used specifically to denote damage caused by fire that does not result in complete destruction but rather superficial scorching. Its meaning is both narrower and more precise than more general words for 'to burn' (e.g., Aramaic יקד, Hebrew בער). English translations often render the term as 'scorched,' 'singed,' or more loosely as 'burned,' but the original conveys a sense of limited or surface burning. The distinction is important given Aramaic narrative context, where the degree of damage is in focus. In Hebrew, the non-Aramaic root חרך appears less frequently with similar meanings; in other Semitic languages, cognates carry the notion of burning or heat-damage to a lesser degree.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) a root probably allied to the equivalent of חָרַר; to scorch; singe.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חרך (ḥ-r-k) — to scorch, to singe, to burn superficially
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2761-01 |
הִתְחָרַ֔ךְ | hitecharakhe | AVMp3ms |
was singed | he singed himself | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2761-01 |
Daniel 3:27 | הִתְחָרַ֔ךְ | hitecharakhe | AVMp3ms |
was singed | he singed himself |