Hebrew word · H2775

חֶ֫רֶס

uvechares

sun

As a disease term, 'itch' occurs only here. The same spelling elsewhere means 'sun' (Judg 14:18; Job 9:7), which is probably a separate word that happens to look the same. The meaning 'itch' comes from context and the ancient translations (LXX knēphē, 'itch'; Vulgate prurigo, 'itching').

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

sun

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Deuteronomy 28:27

Range of meaning

As a disease term, 'itch' occurs only here. The same spelling elsewhere means 'sun' (Judg 14:18; Job 9:7), which is probably a separate word that happens to look the same. The meaning 'itch' comes from context and the ancient translations (LXX knēphē, 'itch'; Vulgate prurigo, 'itching').

Against the English

All the major versions say 'itch'. That is reasonable, but it hides how uncertain a word found only once really is.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX knēphē; Vulgate prurigo. Lexicons such as BDB and HALOT give 'itch' tentatively and compare possible related words in other Semitic languages.

Where it appears

Deuteronomy · 1

  1. Deuteronomy 28:27 וּבֶחָ֑רֶס and with <the> scabies

    The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors and scabs and itch from which you cannot be cured.

    Here: 'And with the itch.' This disease word occurs only here in the Bible, so its exact meaning rests on context and ancient versions (Greek knēphē, 'itch'). The picture is skin that won't stop itching.

Judges · 1

  1. Judges 14:18 הַחַ֔רְסָה the sun <towards>

    Before sunset on the seventh day, the men of the city said to Samson: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” So he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!”

Job · 1

  1. Job 9:7 לַ֭חֶרֶס to the sun

    He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.