Hebrew word · H4626
מַעַר
ma'rekh
nakedness
A bare or open space. Its only other use is 1 Kgs 7:36, of the open space on the temple stands. Here, a bare body. It is related to ʿārâ, "to lay bare", and to ʿerwâ, the usual word for nakedness or genitals.
Appears once in the Hebrew Old Testament. ·
What it means
1) bare, naked place, nakedness
1a) bare place
1b) nakedness, pudenda (exposed in punishment)
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
- Range of meaning
A bare or open space. Its only other use is 1 Kgs 7:36, of the open space on the temple stands. Here, a bare body. It is related to ʿārâ, "to lay bare", and to ʿerwâ, the usual word for nakedness or genitals.
- Against the English
"Nakedness" is accurate. The Latin Vulgate's choice (see textual notes) brings out the sexual sense more strongly. The Hebrew word is unusual rather than crude.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Biblical uses: 1 Kgs 7:36; Nah 3:5. Elsewhere the same idea uses ʿerwâ (Ezek 16:37; Lam 1:8) or ʿeryâ (Ezek 16:7, 22).
Where it appears
Nahum · 1
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Nahum 3:5 מַעְרֵ֔ךְ nakedness your
“Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms.
Here: "Your nakedness": a rare noun from the root meaning "to be bare". It means her body exposed and unprotected.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.