Lexical Definition

‎חָרַב‎ chârab (khaw-rab') to dry ^H:V
or חֲרֵב chărêb (khaw-rabe'); a primitive root

decay, (be) desolate, destroy(-er), (be) dry (up), slay, [idiom] surely, (lay, lie, make) waste.

• to parch (through drought) i.e. (by analogy,) to desolate, destroy, kill

1) to be waste, lay waste, make desolate, be desolate, be in ruins
1a) (Qal) to be waste, be desolate
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be made desolate
1b2) desolate (participle)
1c) (Hiphil) to lay waste, make desolate
1d) (Hophal) to be laid waste
2) to be dry, be dried up
2a) (Qal) to be dried, be dried up
2b) (Pual) to be dried
2c) (Hiphil) to dry up
2d) (Hophal) to be dried up
3) to attack, smite down, slay, fight

See Greek: διαφθείρω · ἐκλείπω · ἐξολοθρεύω · ἐρημία · ἔρημος · ἐρημόω · μάχομαι · ξηραίνω

Extended Information

• to attack, smite down, slay, fight

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: חֲרַב
I. [‎חָרֵב‎] verb be dry, dried up (compare ‎יָבֵשׁ‎) (Aramaic ‎חֲרוֺב‎ be dry, ‎חוּרְבָּא‎ drought); —

Qal Perfect 3 plural ‎חָֽרְבוּ‎ Gen 8:13 (twice in verse), Isa 19:6 Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יֶחֱרַב‎ Hos 13:15 + 2 t., ‎וַיֶּחֱרָ֑ב‎ Ps 106:9 Imperative feminine singular ‎חֳרָ֑בִי‎ Isa 44:27 — be dry, dried up:

1. of ground, be freed from waters of flood ‎פְּנֵי חָאֲדָמָה‎ ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Gen 8:13b (J).

2. of waters, be dried up, taken away; of waters of flood Gen 8:13 a (P); of Nile ‎וְנָהָר‎ ‎יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵשׁ‎ Isa 19:5 (|| ‎וְנִשְּׁתוּמַֿיִם מֵהַיָּם‎), see same combination Job 14:11 (|| ‎אָֽזְלו מַיִם מִנִּייָֿם‎); Isa 19:6 (|| ‎דָּֽלֲלוּ‎) Isa 44:27 (|| ‎הוֺבִישׁ‎); of Red Sea Ps 106:9 figurative of Ephraim's freshness and vigour Hos 13:15. Pu`al Perfect 3 plural ‎לֹא חֹרָ֑בוּ‎ Judg 16:7; Judg 16:8, of fresh bow-strings (of gut, see Bla). Hiph`il Perfect ‎הֶחֱרִיב‎ Nah 1:4, of ‎׳‎‎י‎'s drying up rivers (|| ‎וַיַּבְּשֵׁהוּ‎), perhaps also Isa 11:15 (for ᵑ0 ‎החרים‎) see ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 ᵑ7; ‎וְהַחֲרַבְתִּ֫י‎ the Euphrates Jer 51:36 (|| ‎הוֺבַשְׁתִּי‎); Imperfect ‎אַחֲרִיב יָם‎ Isa 50:2, subject ‎׳‎‎י‎, I dry up a sea (|| ‎אָשִׂים נְהָרוֺת מִדְבָּר‎); ‎אַחְרִב‎ Isa 37:25 = ‎אַחֲרִב‎ 2Kgs 19:24, of king of Assyria drying up rivers of Egypt; Participle feminine singular ‎הַמַּחֲרֶבֶת‎ Isa 51:10 of ‎׳‎‎י‎'s arm drying up (Red) Sea.

II. [‎חָרֵב‎] be waste, desolate (Late Hebrew ‎חָרֵב‎ id.; Aramaic ‎חֲרוֺב‎ be laid waste; Zinjirli ‎חרב‎ adjective; Arabic be in ruins, waste, depopulated; Assyrian —arâbu, be waste, Dl^{Pr 175}, —uribtu, desert, Lotz^TP); —

Qal Imperfect 3 feminine singular ‎תֶּחֱרַ֔ב‎ Jer 26:9, ‎תֶּחֱרָ֔ב‎ Isa 34:10 3 masculine plural ‎יֶחֶרְבוּ‎ Ezek 6:6, ‎יֶחֱרָ֑בוּ‎ Amos 7:9; Isa 60:12 3 feminine plural ‎תֶּחֱרַבְנָה‎ Ezek 6:6; Ezek 12:20 Imperative ‎חָרְבוּ‎ (so, not ‎חָֽרְבוּ‎ — Theile — see van d. H Hahn Kö^{i. 244}) Jer 2:12 Infinitive absolute ‎חָרֹב‎ Isa 60:12 — be waste, desolate; of sanctuaries of Israel Amos 7:9 (|| ‎נָשַׁמּוּ‎), of altars Ezek 6:6 of cities Jer 26:9; Ezek 6:6; Ezek 12:20 (|| ‎שׁמם‎); of nations Isa 34:10, ‎חָרֹב יֶחֱרָ֑בוּ‎ Isa 60:12 (|| ‎יאֹבֵדוּ‎); figurative, in address to the heavens ‎חָרְבוּ מְאֹד‎ Jer 2:12 — (|| ‎שֹׁמּוּ‎, ‎וְשַׂעֲרוּ‎), be very desolate (at sins of Israel); others, be amazed, astounded (on relation of meanings see ‎שׁמם‎). Niph`al Participle feminine ‎נֶחֱרֶבֶת‎ Ezek 26:19 as adjective, desolate city, i.e. uninhabited, see context; ‎נַחֲרָבוֺת‎ Ezek 30:17 of desolate countries (|| ‎נָשַׁמּוּ‎). Hiph`il Perfect ‎הֶחֱרִיב‎ Ezek 19:17 1 singular ‎הֶחֱרַבְתִּי‎ Zeph 3:6 3 plural ‎הֶחֱרִיבוּ‎ Isa 37:18; 2Kgs 19:17 Imperfect 1 singular ‎אַחֲרִיב‎ Isa 42:15 Participle ‎מַחֲרִיב‎ Judg 16:24 plural with suffix ‎מַחֲרִיבַיִךְ‎ Isa 49:17 — lay waste, make desolate, human subject; nations and lands Isa 37:18 = 2Kgs 19:17; Isa 42:15, compare participle Isa 49:17 (|| ‎מְהָֽרְסַיִךְ‎); add probably with We Amos 4:9 (‎הֶחֱרַבְתִּי‎ for the untranslateable ‎הַרְבּוֺת‎) I have devastated your gardens and vineyards; participle Judg 16:24 desolater of our country (|| ‎הִרְבָּה אֶתחֲֿלָלֵנ֑וּ‎); object cities Ezek 19:7 streets Zeph 3:6 (|| ‎נָשַׁמּוּ‎). Hoph`al Perfect 3 feminine singular ‎הָחֳרָ֑בָה‎ Ezek 26:2 she is laid waste, of a city; Participle ‎מָחֳרָבוֺת‎ Ezek 29:12 laid waste, of cities (|| ‎שׁמם‎).

III. [‎חָרַב‎] verb (Aramaic and rare) attack, smite down (compare Arabic plunder, III. wage war with, VI. fight together, war, battle; Syriac smite, slay) —

Qal Imperative masculine singular ‎חֲרֹב‎ Jer 50:21 attack (+ ‎וְהַחֲרֵם אַחֲרֵיהֶם‎); masculine plural ‎חִרְבוּ‎ vJer 50:27 object ‎כָּלפָּֿרֶיהָ‎, figurative of men of Babylon. Niph`al Perfect 3 plural ‎נֶחֶרְבוּ המלכים‎ (see Hoph`al) ‎הָחֳרֵב‎ 2Kgs 3:23 the kings have attacked one another, fought together (|| ‎וַיַּכּוּ אִישׁ אֶתרֵֿעֵהוּ‎). Hoph`al Infinitive absolute 2Kgs 3:23, see Niph`al, but read perhaps ‎הֵחָרֵב‎, compare Dr Lev 19:20, note.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References