Lexical Summary
harag: To kill, slay, destroy
Original Word:הָרַג
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:harag
Pronunciation:hah-rag
Phonetic Spelling:(haw-rag')
KJV: destroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), X surely
NASB:killed, kill, slain, slay, slew, killing, kills
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to smite with deadly intent
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
destroy, out of hand, kill, murderer, put to death, make slaughter, slayer, surely
A primitive root; to smite with deadly intent -- destroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), X surely.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto kill, slay
NASB Translationdestroyed (1), kill (44), kill me as you killed (1), kill me at once (1), killed (58), killing (3), kills (2), murdered (2), murderer (1), murderers (1), occurs (1), slain (16), slaughter (1), slay (14), slayer (2), slays (2), slew (11), smitten (1), surely kill (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Late Hebrew
id., MI (1 singular Imperfect consecutive); Arabic
fall into war, conflict, disorder, slaughter; Sabean
fight Os
4, l. 17,
kill SabDenkm
24. 25) —
Perfect3masculine singularJudges 9:24 4t.,2 Samuel 14:7 2t., consecutiveIsaiah 27:1; suffix consecutive1 Samuel 16:2 2t.;Genesis 4:25; etc.;ImperfectPsalm 10:8 4t.;Job 5:2;Exodus 13:15 14t.; suffixGenesis 4:14; 1singularAmos 2:3,Amos 9:1; cohortativeGenesis 27:41; suffix2 Samuel 4:10;2 Kings 10:9; 3masculine pluralPsalm 94:6;Ezekiel 23:47;Genesis 34:25 4t.; suffixGenesis 26:7, etc.;ImperativeJudges 8:20; suffixNumbers 11:15; pluralNumbers 25:5 2t.;Numbers 31:17;Infinitive absoluteNumbers 11:15 2t.;Esther 9:16;constructExodus 2:15 11t.;Ecclesiastes 3:8;Esther 7:4;suffixExodus 2:14;Exodus 5:21;1 Samuel 24:11;Genesis 27:42 2t.;Exodus 21:14;Participle activeGenesis 4:15 4t.;Ezekiel 21:16;Ezekiel 28:9;Jeremiah 4:31;2 Kings 17:25;passiveIsaiah 10:4 2t.;Isaiah 14:19; constructJeremiah 18:21;Isaiah 27:7;Isaiah 26:21;Proverbs 7:26; —
kill, slay, implying ruthless violence, especially private violenceGenesis 4:8,14,15,23,25;Genesis 12:12 (all J),Genesis 20:11 (E)Genesis 26:7;Genesis 27:41,42;Genesis 34:25,26;Genesis 37:20,26 (all J),Genesis 49:6 (poem in J),Exodus 2:14 (twice in verse);Exodus 2:15 (E),Exodus 5:21 (J)Exodus 21:14;Exodus 23:7 (both J E),Numbers 31:19 (P)Judges 9:5,18,24 (twice in verse);Judges 9:56;Judges 16:2;Judges 20:5;1 Samuel 16:2;1 Samuel 22:21;1 Samuel 24:11;1 Samuel 24:12;1 Samuel 24:18;2 Samuel 3:30;2 Samuel 4:10,11,12;2 Samuel 12:9;2 Samuel 14:7;2 Samuel 23:21;1 Kings 2:5,32;1 Kings 18:12,13,14;1 Kings 19:1,10,14;2 Kings 9:31;2 Kings 10:9;1 Chronicles 7:21;1 Chronicles 11:23; 2Chronicles 21:4,13; 22:8; 24:23,25; 25:3;Nehemiah 4:5;Nehemiah 6:10 (twice in verse);Zechariah 11:5;Psalm 10:8;Psalm 94:6 ("" ); compareJudges 8:18,19,20,21;Judges 9:54;1 Kings 12:27;Isaiah 14:20; 2Chronicles 22:1;Nehemiah 9:26; so of massacre of Jews planned by HamanEsther 3:13;Esther 7:4 (both ), and of slaughter of Jews' enemies in defence and revengeEsther 8:11 (same combination)Esther 9:6,10,12,15,16 compareEsther 9:11 (passive participlethe slain).
Numbers 31:7,8 (twice in verse);Numbers 31:17 (twice in verse) (all P),Joshua 8:24;Joshua 10:11 (both J E),Joshua 13:22 (P),Judges 7:25 (twice in verse);Judges 8:17;Judges 9:45;2 Samuel 10:18;1 Kings 9:16;1 Kings 11:24;2 Kings 8:12;1 Chronicles 19:18; 2Chronicles 28:6,7,9; 36:17;Ezekiel 26:8,11, compareJudges 9:26; passive participlethe slainIsaiah 10:4;Isaiah 14:19 compareEzekiel 23:10,47;Ezekiel 37:9;Jeremiah 18:21 ("" ); furtherHosea 9:13;Habakkuk 1:17;Jeremiah 4:31;Ezekiel 21:16;Ezekiel 28:9; also of slaughter in a revolt2 Kings 11:8 2Chronicles 23:17.
(stern and inscrutable),Genesis 20:4 (E),Exodus 4:23;Exodus 13:15;Exodus 22:23 (all J E),Amos 2:3;Amos 4:10;Amos 9:1,4;Lamentations 2:4,21;Lamentations 3:43;Psalm 59:12;Psalm 78:31;Psalm 78:34;Psalm 135:10;Psalm 136:18 compareNumbers 11:15 (twice in verse) (JE),Numbers 22:33 (J),Isaiah 14:30, 26:21 (passivethe slain, soIsaiah 27:7),Jeremiah 15:3; figurativeHosea 6:5 ("" ).
(at God's command),Exodus 32:27 (JE),Leviticus 20:15,16 (H),Numbers 25:5 (JE),Deuteronomy 13:10 (twice in verse) compareEzekiel 9:6 .
,Numbers 22:29 (J; Balaam's ass),Leviticus 20:15 compare above,Isaiah 22:13 (oxen; "" ),Isaiah 27:1; also of killing vines, by hailPsalm 78:47.
2 Kings 17:25, viperJob 20:16.
Ecclesiastes 3:3.
destroy, ruinJob 5:2;Proverbs 1:32; also of those ruined by shameless womanProverbs 7:26. — Regular construction is with accusative; object sometimes omitted, asLamentations 2:21; used absoluteHosea 9:13;Jeremiah 4:31;Jeremiah 15:3;Lamentations 3:43;Ezekiel 21:16;Ecclesiastes 3:3; followed byslay among, i.e. some of,2 Kings 17:25; 2Chronicles 28:6,9;Psalm 78:31; followed by (part of), + accusative,1 Chronicles 19:18; followed by direct object with2 Samuel 3:30;Job 5:2;Psalm 135:11 =Psalm 136:19;Psalm 136:20 (but in last 3 first object is accusative).
Imperfect passive of ,Lamentations 2:20shall priest and prophet be slain in the sanctuary? passive of , 3 feminine pluralEzekiel 26:6; alsoEzekiel 26:15 ( = ), but Co .
Perfect3masculine singularIsaiah 27:7be slain (passive of ); compare 1 pluralPsalm 44:23 ("" ).
Topical Lexicon
Scope and Range of Meaningהָרַג consistently denotes the deliberate taking of life—whether human or animal—by violent means. The verb embraces homicide, military execution, judicial capital punishment, and divinely enacted judgment. Because it always involves an intentional act, it stands apart from מות (“to die”), which can describe death generally, and from נכה (“to strike”), which can indicate injury without specifying fatal outcome. Throughout its approximately 167 appearances, הָרַג marks moments where life is actively, often forcefully, removed.
Foundational Narratives
Genesis 4:8 inaugurates the term when “Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.” The very first recorded homicide frames הָרַג as an act violating both brotherhood and creation order. This foundational usage reverberates through later passages, as Genesis repeatedly links murder with divine accountability (Genesis 4:15;Genesis 9:6). InGenesis 34, the sons of Jacob “killed every male” of Shechem, illustrating the term’s role in vengeance narratives and setting the stage for later legal boundaries.
Torah Legislation and Judicial Execution
In the Pentateuch, הָרַג frequently describes sanctioned executions.Exodus 21:12: “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies must surely be put to death.”Numbers 35 elaborates on the avenger of blood, distinguishing premeditated killing (הָרַג) from accidental manslaughter.Deuteronomy 17:12–13 prescribes capital punishment for high-handed rebellion. These legal occurrences show Israel’s judicial system holding life sacred while demanding retribution for intentional bloodshed.
Holy War and National Deliverance
From Joshua through 2 Chronicles the verb dominates battle accounts.Joshua 10:26 recounts the conquest kings “killed and hung on five trees.” Judges repeatedly narrates deliverers who “killed” oppressors: Ehud (Judges 3:29), Samson (Judges 15:8, 15:15). In1 Samuel 17:51 David “ran and stood over the Philistine, seized his sword, drew it from its sheath, and killed him.” The chronicling of warfare assumes divine sanction when aligned with covenant obedience, yet condemns bloodshed undertaken for self-exaltation (2 Samuel 11:15).
Poetic and Wisdom Literature
Psalms employs הָרַג both lamentingly and confidently.Psalm 44:22: “Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”Psalm 78:31 recalls wilderness rebellion: “God’s anger rose against them, and He killed their strongest men.” Proverbs warns against murderous schemes (Proverbs 1:32) and presents murder as self-destruction (Proverbs 8:36). The poetic usage often sets human violence against divine justice.
Prophetic Oracles
Prophets indict Israel and the nations for murder that violates covenant fidelity and social justice.Isaiah 14:20 censures Babylon’s king: “You have destroyed your land and killed your people.”Hosea 6:9 likens priests to “bands of robbers lying in wait, murdering on the road to Shechem.”Jeremiah 7:6 lists murder alongside idolatry as grounds for exile. Conversely, prophetic hope anticipates an era when swords are beaten into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4), implicitly ending הָרַג among men.
Divine Judgment and Sovereignty
Multiple texts attribute הָרַג directly to the Lord, underscoring His sovereignty over life.Exodus 12:29 records the plague of the firstborn.2 Samuel 6:7 recounts Uzzah: “God struck him dead.” Such episodes affirm that ultimate authority over life and death belongs to God alone.
Messianic and Typological Resonances
While הָרַג does not appear in the famous Servant Song, its theology underliesIsaiah 53:8, where the Servant is “cut off out of the land of the living.” The unjust killing of the righteous prefigures the crucifixion.Acts 7:52 cites this pattern: “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One.” The cross, though achieved through human hands, fulfills divine purpose, turning the gravest misuse of הָרַג into redemptive victory.
Pastoral and Ethical Implications
1. Sanctity of life: Because God alone rightly gives and takes life, deliberate killing outside His explicit warrant constitutes grave sin.
2. Justice and restraint: Civil authorities bear the sword to punish evil (Romans 13:4), echoing Old Testament judicial killing while limiting private vengeance.
3. Gospel witness: Christ’s own unjust death models patient suffering and offers forgiveness even to those who “killed the Author of life” (Acts 3:15), transforming murderers into recipients of mercy (Acts 9:1–19).
Representative Reference List
Genesis 4:8;Genesis 12:12;Exodus 2:14;Exodus 21:12;Numbers 11:33;Deuteronomy 13:9;Joshua 8:24;Judges 3:29;1 Samuel 17:51;2 Samuel 11:15;1 Kings 19:10;2 Kings 17:31;1 Chronicles 11:26;2 Chronicles 24:22;Psalm 44:22;Psalm 78:31;Proverbs 1:32;Isaiah 14:20;Jeremiah 7:6;Hosea 6:9;Zechariah 11:5.
Synthesis
הָרַג traces a thread from the first fratricide to the prophesied end of warfare, functioning as a sober reminder of human rebellion and divine justice. Its prevalence throughout the Old Testament insists that life is sacred, judgment is certain, and redemption is possible even for those once complicit in bloodshed.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶהֱר֥וֹג אֶהֱרֹ֑ג אהרג אהרוג בֵּהָ֤רֵֽג בַּהֲרֹ֣ג בַּהֲרֹ֥ג בַּהֲרוּגִ֥ים בהרג בהרוגים הֲרַגְתִּ֖ים הֲרַגְתִּ֗יךָ הֲרַגְתִּֽיךְ׃ הֲרַגְתֶּ֖ם הֲרַגְתָּֽנִי׃ הֲרָג֖וֹ הֲרָגָ֑תְהוּ הֲרָגָ֥ם הֲרָגֽוּם׃ הֲרֹ֣ג הֲרֹֽגוּ׃ הֲרֻ֣גֵי הֲרֻגִ֖ים הֲרֻגֶֽיהָ׃ הֲרֻגָ֖יו הֲרוּגִ֖ים הֲרוּגֶֽיהָ׃ הִרְג֥וּ הִרְגוּ֙ הַֽהֲרוּגִ֛ים הַלְהָרְגֵ֙נִי֙ הָ֣רְגוּ הָרְג֖וּ הָרְג֛וּ הָרְג֣וּ הָרְג֤וּ הָרְג֧וּ הָרְגֵ֤נִי הָרְגוּ֩ הָרַ֔גְתָּ הָרַ֖גְתִּי הָרַ֖גְתָּ הָרַ֙גְתִּי֙ הָרַ֙גְתָּ֙ הָרַ֛ג הָרַ֣ג הָרַ֤גְתִּי הָרָ֑ג הָרָ֑גְתָּ הָרָ֑גוּ הָרָ֔ג הָרָ֔גוּ הָרָֽגְתָּ׃ הָרֹ֔ג הָרֹ֤ג ׀ הָרֹג֙ הֹֽרְגֶ֑ךָ הֹרְגִ֖ים הֹרֵ֔ג הֹרֵ֖ג הֹרֵ֣ג הֹרֵ֥ג הֹרֵ֨ג הֹרַ֣גְנוּ הֹרָֽג׃ ההרוגים הוֹרֵֽג׃ הורג׃ הלהרגני הרג הרג׃ הרגו הרגו׃ הרגום׃ הרגי הרגיה׃ הרגיו הרגים הרגך הרגם הרגנו הרגני הרגת הרגת׃ הרגתהו הרגתי הרגתיך הרגתיך׃ הרגתים הרגתם הרגתני׃ הרוגיה׃ הרוגים וְ֝הָרַ֗ג וְאַֽהַרְגָ֖ה וְהִרְג֧וּ וְהָרְג֥וּ וְהָרַ֥ג וְהָרַגְתִּ֥י וְהָרַגְתָּ֥ וְהָרֹג֙ וְלַהֲרֹ֨ג וְנַֽהַרְגֵ֗הוּ וַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹג וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֔ג וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֖ג וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֞ג וַֽיַּהֲרֹג֙ וַהֲרְגְנֻֽהוּ׃ וַהֲרַגְנ֑וּם וַהֲרָג֖וּנִי וַהֲרָג֗וּם וַהֲרָגָ֑נִי וַהֲרָגָ֑תַם וַהֲרָגָֽנִי׃ וַהֲרָגֻ֕נִי וַיַּ֣הַרְגֵ֔ם וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ וַיַּֽהַרְג֣וּ וַיַּֽהַרְגֻ֥הוּ וַיַּהֲרֹ֥ג וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג וַיַּהֲרֹג֩ וַיַּהַרְג֗וּם וַיַּהַרְג֨וּ וַיַּהַרְגֵ֖הוּ וַיַּהַרְגֵ֣ם וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃ וַיַּהַרְגֵֽם׃ וַתַּֽהַרְגוּ־ וַתַּהַרְג֧וּ וָאֶהְרְגֵ֔הוּ וָאֶהְרְגֵ֖הוּ ואהרגה ואהרגהו והרג והרגו והרגום והרגוני והרגנהו והרגנום והרגני והרגני׃ והרגת והרגתי והרגתם ויהרג ויהרגהו ויהרגהו׃ ויהרגו ויהרגום ויהרגם ויהרגם׃ ולהרג ונהרגהו ותהרגו ותהרגו־ יֵהָרֵ֛ג יַֽהֲרְגֻן֙ יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃ יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי יַהֲרָג־ יַהֲרֹ֑ג יַהֲרֹ֑גוּ יַהֲרֹ֔ג יַהֲרֹ֔גוּ יַהֲרֹ֣ג יַהֲרֹֽג׃ יהרג יהרג־ יהרג׃ יהרגו יהרגן יהרגני יהרגני׃ לְהָרְג֣וֹ לְהָרְגֵֽנוּ׃ לְהָרְגֶ֔ךָ לְהָרְגֶֽךָ׃ לְהֹרְגִֽים׃ לַֽהֲרֹ֔ג לַהֲר֣וֹג לַהֲרָגֲךָ֖ לַהֲרֹ֔ג לַהֲרֹ֖ג לַהֲרֹ֣ג לַהֲרֹ֤ג לַהֲרֹ֥ג לַהֲרֹג֩ לַהֲרוֹג֙ להרג להרגו להרגים׃ להרגך להרגך׃ להרגנו׃ להרוג נַהֲרֹג֙ נהרג תֵּהָרַ֑גְנָה תַּֽ֝הַרְגֵ֗הוּ תַּֽהַרְגֵ֑ם תַּֽהַרְגֶ֔נּוּ תַּהֲרֹ֔ג תַּהֲרֹֽג׃ תַּהֲרֹֽגוּ׃ תַּהַרְג֣וּ תַּהַרְגֵ֤ם ׀ תהרג תהרג׃ תהרגהו תהרגו תהרגו׃ תהרגם תהרגנה תהרגנו ’e·hĕ·rō·wḡ ’e·hĕ·rōḡ ’ehĕrōḡ ’ehĕrōwḡ ba·hă·rōḡ ba·hă·rū·ḡîm bahaRog bahărōḡ baharuGim bahărūḡîm bê·hā·rêḡ beHareg bêhārêḡ eheRog ha·hă·rū·ḡîm hă·rā·ḡā·ṯə·hū hă·rā·ḡām hā·rā·ḡə·tā hă·rā·ḡōw hā·rā·ḡū hă·rā·ḡūm hā·raḡ hā·rāḡ hā·raḡ·tā hă·raḡ·tā·nî hă·raḡ·tem hā·raḡ·tî hă·raḡ·tî·ḵā hă·raḡ·tîḵ hă·raḡ·tîm hā·rə·ḡê·nî hā·rə·ḡū hă·rō·ḡū hă·rōḡ hā·rōḡ hă·ru·ḡāw hă·ru·ḡê hă·ru·ḡe·hā hă·rū·ḡe·hā hă·ru·ḡîm hă·rū·ḡîm haharuGim hahărūḡîm hal·hā·rə·ḡê·nî halhareGeni halhārəḡênî haRag hāraḡ hārāḡ haraGam hărāḡām haraGatehu hărāḡāṯəhū haRageta hārāḡətā haraGo hărāḡōw haRagta hāraḡtā haragTani hăraḡtānî haragTem hăraḡtem haRagti hāraḡtî haragTich haragTicha hăraḡtîḵ hăraḡtîḵā haragTim hăraḡtîm haRagu hārāḡū haraGum hărāḡūm hareGeni hārəḡênî hareGu hārəḡū haRog hărōḡ hārōḡ haRogu hărōḡū haruGav hăruḡāw hăruḡê hăruḡehā hărūḡehā haRugei haruGeiha haruGim hăruḡîm hărūḡîm hir·ḡū hirGu hirḡū hō·rāḡ hō·raḡ·nū hō·rə·ḡe·ḵā hō·rə·ḡîm hō·rêḡ hō·w·rêḡ hoRag hōrāḡ hoRagnu hōraḡnū hoReg hōrêḡ horeGecha hōrəḡeḵā horeGim hōrəḡîm hōwrêḡ la·hă·rā·ḡă·ḵā la·hă·rō·wḡ la·hă·rōḡ laharagaCha lahărāḡăḵā lahaRog lahărōḡ lahărōwḡ lə·hā·rə·ḡe·ḵā lə·hā·rə·ḡê·nū lə·hā·rə·ḡōw lə·hō·rə·ḡîm lehareGecha ləhārəḡeḵā lehareGenu ləhārəḡênū lehareGo ləhārəḡōw lehoreGim ləhōrəḡîm na·hă·rōḡ nahaRog nahărōḡ ta·hă·rō·ḡū ta·hă·rōḡ ta·har·ḡê·hū ta·har·ḡêm ta·har·ḡen·nū ta·har·ḡū taharGehu taharḡêhū taharGem taharḡêm taharGennu taharḡennū taharGu taharḡū tahaRog tahărōḡ tahaRogu tahărōḡū tê·hā·raḡ·nāh tehaRagnah têhāraḡnāh vaehreGehu vaharaGani vaharaGatam vaharagNum vaharaGum vaharaGuni vahargeNuhu vaiyaharGehu vaiYaharGem vaiyaharGu vaiyaharGuhu vaiyaharGum vaiyahaRog vattaharGu veaharGah vehaRag veharagTa veharagTi vehareGu vehaRog vehirGu velahaRog venaharGehu wā’ehrəḡêhū wā·’eh·rə·ḡê·hū wa·hă·rā·ḡā·nî wa·hă·rā·ḡā·ṯam wa·hă·rā·ḡu·nî wa·hă·rā·ḡū·nî wa·hă·rā·ḡūm wa·hă·raḡ·nūm wa·hăr·ḡə·nu·hū wahărāḡānî wahărāḡāṯam wahăraḡnūm wahărāḡūm wahărāḡunî wahărāḡūnî wahărḡənuhū wat·ta·har·ḡū wat·ta·har·ḡū- wattaharḡū wattaharḡū- way·ya·hă·rōḡ way·ya·har·ḡê·hū way·ya·har·ḡêm way·ya·har·ḡū way·ya·har·ḡu·hū way·ya·har·ḡūm wayyaharḡêhū wayyaharḡêm wayyaharḡū wayyaharḡuhū wayyaharḡūm wayyahărōḡ wə’aharḡāh wə·’a·har·ḡāh wə·hā·raḡ wə·hā·raḡ·tā wə·hā·raḡ·tî wə·hā·rə·ḡū wə·hā·rōḡ wə·hir·ḡū wə·la·hă·rōḡ wə·na·har·ḡê·hū wəhāraḡ wəhāraḡtā wəhāraḡtî wəhārəḡū wəhārōḡ wəhirḡū wəlahărōḡ wənaharḡêhū ya·hă·rāḡ- ya·hă·rō·ḡū ya·hă·rōḡ ya·har·ḡê·nî ya·har·ḡu·nî ya·hăr·ḡun yahărāḡ- YaharGeni yaharḡênî yaharGun yahărḡun yaharGuni yaharḡunî yaharog yahărōḡ yahaRogu yahărōḡū yê·hā·rêḡ yehaReg yêhārêḡ
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