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חַרְשָׁא

𐤇𐤓𐤔𐤀

Charesha

H2797 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חרש to engrave, to craft, to devise, to be silent; (secondary, rare) to practice magic

Definition

Proper name: Charsha, a member or head of a family group among the Nethinim (temple servants) listed in post-exilic return lists. The word is used exclusively as a personal or clan name in the Hebrew Bible and does not directly denote 'magician' or a profession in its biblical occurrences.

Semantic Range

proper name (Charsha/Harsha); by root, potentially related to craftsman, artisan, or magician, though the name itself only functions as a personal or clan designation in the biblical text

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חֶרֶשׁ (cheresh), meaning 'craftsman, artisan' or, less commonly, 'magician, enchanter'; the form חַרְשָׁא appears as a personal or family name. The connection to craft or magic is not evident in its biblical usage but reflects a possible meaning of the root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חַרְשָׁא (Charsha) occurs only in Ezra 2:52 and Nehemiah 7:54, within lists of the Nethinim—temple servants who returned from exile. The name is most likely patronymic or clan-based rather than descriptive of the individual's profession or role. While the root חֶרֶשׁ elsewhere can refer to craftsmen or, in some cases, enchanters, there is no evidence that חַרְשָׁא in these texts carried the connotation of 'magician.' English translations sometimes render the name Harsha (following the vocalization) but do not clarify its etymological link for the modern reader. No theological or later religious significance is attached beyond its role as a genealogical marker in post-exilic Israelite society. The word offers insight into the composition and naming conventions among temple servant classes in the post-exilic community.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חֶרֶשׁ; magician; Charsha, one of the Nethinim; Harsha.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חרש (ḥ-r-š) — to engrave, to craft, to devise, to be silent

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2758 חָרִישׁ ploughing season
H2759 חֲרִישִׁי sultry-still
H2776 חֶרֶס pottery shard
H2789 חֶרֶשׂ her pottery-shards
H2790 חָרַשׁ I will silence

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2797-01 חַרְשָֽׁא charesha HNp Harsha Charsha 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2797-01 Ezra 2:52 חַרְשָֽׁא charesha HNp Harsha Charsha
H2797-01 Nehemiah 7:54 חַרְשָֽׁא charesha HNp Harsha Charsha
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