Lexical Definition

‎חֵרֶם‎ chêrem (khay'-rem) devoted thing ^H:N-M
or (Zechariah 14:11) חֶרֶם cherem (kheh'-rem); from ‎חָרַם‎

(ac-) curse(-d, -d thing), dedicated thing, things which should have been utterly destroyed, (appointed to) utter destruction, devoted (thing), net.

• physical (as shutting in) a net (either literally or figuratively)
• usually a doomed object
• abstractly extermination

1) a thing devoted, thing dedicated, ban, devotion
2) a net, thing perforated
3) have been utterly destroyed, (appointed to) utter destruction

See Greek: ἄγκιστρον · ἀμφίβληστρον · ἀνάθεμα · ἀπώλεια · ἀφορίζω · ὄλεθρος · σαγήνη

Extended Information

• a net, thing perforated
• destruction

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎חֵ֫רֶם‎ noun masculine^{Lev 27:28}

1. devoted thing.

2. devotion, ban; — ‎׳‎‎ח‎ absolute Josh 6:17 + 24 t. (most read ‎חֶרֶם‎ Zech 14:11, Baer ‎חֵרֶם‎); ‎חֶ֑רֶם‎ Josh 7:1 suffix ‎חֶרְמִי‎ 1Kgs 20:42; Isa 34:5 — thing devoted to ‎׳‎‎י‎:

1. thing hostile to theocracy, and therefore (in the strictest application) to be either destroyed, or, in the case of certain objects (e.g. silver and gold, vessels of brass and iron Josh 6:19; Josh 6:24), set apart to sacred uses; especially
a. of a Canaan. city, as Jericho, including all inhabitants (except Rahab's family) and spoil Josh 6:17; Josh 6:18 (twice in verse); Josh 7:1; Josh 7:11; Josh 7:15 Achan by taking ‎מִןהַֿחֵרֶם‎ made (camp of) Israel ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Josh 7:12 compare Josh 6:18, and became himself ‎׳‎‎ח‎, and was stoned and, with his family and possessions, including the spoil, was burnt Josh 7:1; Josh 7:11; Josh 7:12; Josh 7:13 (twice in verse) (all J E except Josh 7:1 P; compare vJosh 7:15 vJosh 7:24 vJosh 7:25); ‎׳‎‎מָעַל מַעַל בַּח‎ committed unfaithfulness in the matter of the devoted thing is term for the sin Josh 7:1; Josh 22:20 (both P), compare ‎׳‎‎מָעַל בַּח‎ 1Chr 2:7 Saul and Israel spared Agag king of Amalek and ‎׳‎‎רֵאשִׁית הַח‎ i.e. of the spoil (sheep and oxen), which should have been utterly destroyed 1Sam 15:21 (compare v1Sam 15:3 v1Sam 15:8 Saul rejected by ‎׳‎‎י‎ for this v1Sam 15:11 v1Sam 15:26); so an idolatrous city in Israel should become ‎׳‎‎ח‎, with all its contents, and be utterly destroyed Deut 13:17* (compare v.Deut 13:13* v.Deut 13:15* v.Deut 13:16*).
b. of individuals, one having relic of Canaanit. god in his house should become ‎׳‎‎ח‎, the relic being ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Deut 7:26 (twice in verse); every human being who became ‎׳‎‎ח‎ should be killed Lev 27:29 (twice in verse) (P; see Di).

2. apparently (so Di) anything devoted to sanctuary under specially stringent conditions Lev 27:28 (see Di; and compare Ezra 10:8); a field consecrated to ‎׳‎‎י‎ becomes under certain conditions ‎׳‎‎כִּשְׂדֵה הַח‎ Lev 27:21 every ‎׳‎‎ח‎ is ‎קֹדֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁים ליהוה‎ vLev 27:28, and no ‎׳‎‎ח‎ that a manmay devote, whether man, beast or field, may be sold or redeemed vLev 27:28 every such ‎׳‎‎ח‎ (as in case of metals and metal objects Josh 6:17; Josh 6:19) went to Aaron and his sons Num 18:14 (P), to Zadokite priests Ezek 44:29.

3. devotion, ban, involving destruction; ‎אִישׁ חֶרְמִי‎ 1Kgs 20:42 man under my (‎׳‎‎י‎'s) ban (of Benhadad); ‎עַם חֶרְמִי‎ Isa 34:5 (of Edom); ‎׳‎‎נתן לַח‎ Isa 43:28 figurative of ‎׳‎‎י‎'s giving over Judah to Chaldaea; ‎׳‎‎ח‎ not to be in future Zech 14:11 ‎׳‎‎פֶּןאָֿבוֺא וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶתהָֿאָרֶץ ח‎ Mal 3:24* smite the land with a ban, i.e. utterly destroy it.

II. ‎חֵ֫רֶם‎ noun masculine net (as something perforated; compare Arabic perforated work, Fl in NHWB^{ii, 208}; Late Hebrew ‎חֵרֶם‎ net; Phoenician ‎חרם‎ maker of nets) — absolute ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Mic 7:2 suffix ‎חֶרְמִי‎ Ezek 32:3, ‎חֶרְמוֺ‎ Hab 1:15; Hab 1:16; Hab 1:17 plural ‎חֲרָמִים‎ Eccl 7:26; Ezek 26:5; Ezek 26:14; Ezek 47:10 — hunter's net Mic 7:2; Eccl 7:26 fisherman's net Ezek 26:5; Ezek 26:14; Ezek 32:3; Ezek 47:10; Hab 1:15; Hab 1:16; Hab 1:17.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References