מוֹרָה
𐤌𐤅𐤓𐤄
môwrâh
H4177 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A razor or sharp-edged cutting instrument, specifically a tool used for shaving, shearing, or cutting hair close to the skin. In biblical contexts, often refers to an implement for removing hair from the head or face, especially in ritual or legal scenarios.
Semantic Range
razor, shaving tool, cutting instrument for hair removal; sometimes the act of shaving (metonymic)
Root / Etymology
From the root מוּר (mor), which in extant Hebrew appears as 'to change, remove, or exchange.' The connection seems to lie in the sense of 'removing' (hair), though the exact development from the root meaning to the implement is debated. The noun מוֹרָה denotes the instrument itself rather than a verbal action.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מוֹרָה appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible. Its primary attestation is in Judges 16:17, referring to the razor used to cut Samson's hair—a narrative with ritual and social stakes. The word highlights the act of shaving associated with Nazirites, whose vows forbade the use of such an implement. Use of מוֹרָה in these legal and ritual contexts distinguishes it from more general terms for cutting implements like תַּעַר (taʿar). The translation 'razor' is adequate but does not capture the ritual significance the term sometimes bears (e.g., as in the Na rite text), nor the specific tool used in ancient Israelite culture. The English word 'razor' may evoke modern implements not directly analogous to those of the biblical period. No substantive evidence suggests מוֹרָה ever meant 'knife' or 'scissors.' Usage after the biblical period is extremely rare, and the term is largely replaced by other words in post-biblical Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מוּר in the sense of shearing; a razor; razor.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מור (m-w-r (mor)) — to remove, to change, to set aside
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4177-02 |
וּ/מוֹרָה֙ | umorah | HC/Ncmsa |
and razor | hair-removing razor | 2 |
H4177-01 |
מוֹרָה֙ | morah | HNcmsa |
a razor | hair-removing razor | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4177-02 |
Judges 13:5 | וּ/מוֹרָה֙ | umorah | HC/Ncmsa |
and razor | hair-removing razor |
H4177-01 |
Judges 16:17 | מוֹרָה֙ | morah | HNcmsa |
a razor | hair-removing razor |
H4177-02 |
1 Samuel 1:11 | וּ/מוֹרָ֖ה | umorah | HC/Ncmsa |
and razor | hair-removing razor |