Lexical Definition

‎עֶרְוָה‎ ʻervâh (er-vaw') nakedness ^H:N-F
from ‎עָרָה‎

nakedness, shame, unclean(-ness).

• nudity, literally (especially the pudenda) or figuratively (disgrace, blemish)

1) nakedness, nudity, shame, pudenda
1a) pudenda (implying shameful exposure)
1b) nakedness of a thing, indecency, improper behaviour
1c) exposed, undefended (fig.)

See Greek: αἰσχύνη · ἀποκάλυψις · ἀσχημοσύνη · ἀσχήμων · ἴχνος

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: ar.vah (‎ע‎ַ‎ר‎ְ‎ו‎ָ‎ה‎ "dishonor" עַרְוָה)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎עֶרְוָה‎₅₄ noun feminine nakedness, pudenda; — absolute ‎׳‎‎ע‎ Exod 28:42; Lev 18:6 usually construct ‎עֶרְוַת‎ Gen 9:22 +, suffix ‎עֶרְוָ˜תְךָ‎ Exod 20:23 (Ginsb), Lev 18:10 ‎עֶרְוָתֵךְ‎ Isa 47:3 +; ‎ת֯וֺ‎ Lev 20:17, ‎תָ֯הּ‎ Lev 18:7 +; suffix 3 feminine plural ‎עֶרְוָתָן‎ vLev 18:9 vLev 18:10 —

1. pudenda, of man ‎׳‎‎רָאָה ע‎ implying shameful exposure Gen 9:22; Gen 9:23 (J); mostly of woman: figurative of Jerusalem (with ‎רָאָה‎) Lam 1:3; Ezek 16:37 usually with ‎׃ נלה‎ literal ‎׳‎‎תִּגָּלֶה ע‎ i.e. be exposed to view Exod 20:23 (Ginsb; van d. H. vExod 20:26 E), so, as shameful punishment, figurative of Egypt Isa 20:4 (gloss according to Du Che Di-Kit), Babylonian Isa 47:3, of Jerusalem Ezek 16:37; Ezek 23:10; Ezek 23:29 (‎עֶרְוַת זְנוּנַיִךְ‎; all three object of active verb); chiefly euphemism for cohabitation, ‎׳‎‎גִּלָּה ע‎ Lev 18:6 + (see ‎גלה‎ Pi`el 1 a; figurative of Jerusalem (verb passive) Ezek 16:36 ‎׳‎‎רָאָה ע‎ in same meaning Lev 20:17 (twice in verse) (H; of both sexes); ‎׳‎‎ע‎ also Lev 18:8; Lev 18:10; Lev 18:16 (H); ‎׳‎‎כִּסָּה ע‎ cover nakedness Gen 9:23 (J), Exod 28:42 (P; ‎׳‎‎בְּשַׂר ע‎), Hos 2:11* (figurative of Israel), Ezek 16:8 (of Jerusalem); reviling words are ‎אִמֶּ֑ךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎לְבשֶׁת ע‎ 1Sam 20:30 (compare Doughty^{Arab. Deserta i. 269}).

2. ‎עֶרְוַת דָּבָר‎ nakedness of a thing, i.e. probably indecency, improper behaviour Deut 23:15*; Deut 24:1 (see Dr).

3. figurative ‎הָאָרֶץ‎ ‎׳‎‎ע‎ Gen 42:9; Gen 42:12 (E), i.e. its exposed, undefended parts (Arabic ).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References