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עֶרְיָה

𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤄

ʻeryâh

H6181 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ערה to make bare, to expose, to uncover

Definition

State of being uncovered or exposed, specifically referring to physical nakedness or the exposure of the body, with possible connotations of vulnerability or shame depending on context. Predominantly denotes bodily nudity, whether complete or partial, without secondary idiomatic meanings such as poverty or disgrace, which are sometimes implied in related words but not primary for this term.

Semantic Range

nakedness, state of being bare or unclothed, exposure (of the body), being without protective covering

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root ע-ר-ה (ערה), meaning 'to be bare, exposed.' The noun form עֶרְיָה serves as a direct nominalization from this root, designating 'nakedness' in the literal, physical sense.

Historical & Contextual Notes

עֶרְיָה is a relatively rare noun in the Hebrew Bible, less common than the closely related term עֶרְוָה (ʻervah), which often carries legal and moral implications in contexts concerning sexual exposure or illicit relationships, especially in Levitical law. By contrast, עֶרְיָה is generally descriptive rather than evaluative; its usage is more focused on the state of nakedness itself, such as when describing someone deprived of clothing (e.g., Job 24:10). The term does not inherently carry the legal or ritual connotations that עֶרְוָה does, nor is it used as an idiom for shame or humiliation, though physical exposure could imply vulnerability within a narrative. English translations may render it as 'naked,' 'bare,' or 'unclothed,' which is generally accurate to the Hebrew usage, although the fuller nuance of exposed vulnerability is only contextually implied. The word's rarity means that its range is determined in part by context and close association with other words sharing the ע-ר-ה root. There is no evidence of significant semantic shift through the biblical periods, and its use remains consistent in describing literal unclothedness or lack of covering.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

for עֶרְוָה; nudity; bare, naked, [idiom] quite.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ערה (ʿ-r-h) — to make bare, to expose, to uncover

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4626 מַעַר like the exposed part of
H4629 מַעֲרֶה from an exposed pasture
H4630 מַעֲרָה bare clearings of
H4631 מְעָרָה in the cave
H4632 מְעָרָה and Mearah

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6181-02 וְ/עֶרְיָֽה veereyah HC/Ncfsa and bare and nakedness 4
H6181-01 עֶרְיָה ereyah HNcfsa nakedness nakedness 2

Occurrences in Scripture

6 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6181-02 Ezekiel 16:7 וְ/עֶרְיָֽה veereyah HC/Ncfsa and-bare and nakedness
H6181-02 Ezekiel 16:22 וְ/עֶרְיָ֔ה veereyah HC/Ncfsa and bare and nakedness
H6181-02 Ezekiel 16:39 וְ/עֶרְיָֽה veereyah HC/Ncfsa and-bare and nakedness
H6181-02 Ezekiel 23:29 וְ/עֶרְיָ֑ה veereyah HC/Ncfsa and bare and nakedness
H6181-01 Micah 1:11 עֶרְיָה ereyah HNcfsa nakedness nakedness
H6181-01 Habakkuk 3:9 עֶרְיָ֤ה ereyah HNcfsa nakedness nakedness
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