עָרֵל

Genesis 17:14 וְעָרֵ֣ל׀ and an uncircumcised

But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

Here: Opens the case like a legal clause: 'and an uncircumcised one…'. The word describes someone who still has a foreskin, and in Israel's speech it became a label for outsiders (as in 'uncircumcised Philistine').

Exodus 6:12 עֲרַ֥ל [am] uncircumcised of

But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I am unskilled in speech?”

Here: "Uncircumcised" used as a picture. The organ of speech is described as still covered, blocked, not fit for its sacred task. It is a striking and slightly shocking image.

Exodus 6:30 עֲרַ֣ל [am] uncircumcised of

But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “Since I am unskilled in speech, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”

Here: "Uncircumcised of," which is the adjective joined to the next word. It pictures his lips as covered with a foreskin: blocked, not working properly, and not set apart for use in God's service. (See the full study.)

Exodus 12:48 עָרֵ֖ל uncircumcised [man]

If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.

Here: An uncircumcised male, someone without the covenant sign. In Israel's speech the word also marked someone as an outsider. See study.

Leviticus 19:23 עֲרֵלִ֖ים uncircumcised

When you enter the land and plant any kind of tree for food, you shall regard the fruit as forbidden. For three years it will be forbidden to you and must not be eaten.

Leviticus 26:41 הֶֽעָרֵ֔ל <the> uncircumcised

and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and they will make amends for their iniquity,

Here: 'The uncircumcised (heart)': a heart still 'covered' and closed off, unresponsive to God. It is a sharp insult for Israelites, since physical uncircumcision marked foreigners outside the covenant.

Joshua 5:7 עֲרֵלִ֣ים uncircumcised

And He raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. Until this time they were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way.

Judges 14:3 הָעֲרֵלִ֑ים <the> uncircumcised

But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.”

Judges 15:18 הָעֲרֵלִֽים׃ the uncircumcised [men]?

And being very thirsty, Samson cried out to the LORD, “You have accomplished this great deliverance through Your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”

1 Samuel 14:6 הָעֲרֵלִ֣ים the uncircumcised [men]

Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”

Here: A term of contempt for the Philistines. It marks them as outsiders to Israel's covenant with YHWH, people with no claim on his protection. It is a battlefield taunt, not a neutral description.

1 Samuel 17:26 הֶֽעָרֵל֙ <the> uncircumcised

David asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

Here: "The uncircumcised one": the Philistine is outside the covenant, with no tie to Israel's God. It was the standard insulting label for Philistines.

1 Samuel 17:36 הֶעָרֵ֤ל <the> uncircumcised

Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

Here: An insult that marks him as an outsider with no covenant bond to Israel's God. It answers his boasting with contempt.

1 Samuel 31:4 הָעֲרֵלִ֨ים the uncircumcised [men]

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

Here: A contemptuous label for the Philistines. It marks them as outsiders to Israel's covenant and so as the most shameful people to fall to.

2 Samuel 1:20 הָעֲרֵלִֽים׃ the uncircumcised

Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

Here: A term of contempt for outsiders to Israel's covenant, and in Samuel almost a nickname for the Philistines. It is the last word of the verse, so the line lands on the humiliation: these are the people who get to laugh over Saul.

1 Chronicles 10:4 הָעֲרֵלִ֤ים the uncircumcised [men]

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

Isaiah 52:1 עָרֵ֥ל an uncircumcised [man]

Awake, awake, clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, holy city! For the uncircumcised and unclean will no longer enter you.

Here: One outside the covenant sign of Abraham. In context this means foreign conquerors such as the Babylonians, who had trampled the city and its temple.

Jeremiah 6:10 עֲרֵלָ֣ה [is] uncircumcised

To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.

Here: 'Uncircumcised.' Their ear still has a 'foreskin' over it: covered, blocked, and unfit for what it is meant to do. Applied to a circumcised people, it says that where it counts they are outside the covenant.

Jeremiah 9:26 עֲרֵלִ֔ים עַרְלֵי־ [are] uncircumcised, [are] uncircumcised of

Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and all the inhabitants of the desert who clip the hair of their temples. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”

Here: Literally 'foreskinned'. It is said of peoples who largely did practice circumcision, so it works as a verdict, not a medical description: in God's eyes they are no different from outsiders to the covenant.

Ezekiel 28:10 עֲרֵלִ֛ים uncircumcised [men]

You will die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners. For I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.”

Ezekiel 31:18 עֲרֵלִ֤ים uncircumcised [men]

Who then is like you in glory and greatness among the trees of Eden? You also will be brought down to the depths of the earth to be with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord GOD.’”

Here: 'Uncircumcised men.' Egyptians practised circumcision, so lying among the uncircumcised is a pointed disgrace: being put with people Egypt considered unclean and inferior.

Ezekiel 32:19 עֲרֵלִֽים׃ uncircumcised [men]

Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised!

Ezekiel 32:21 הָעֲרֵלִ֖ים the uncircumcised [men]

Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheol about Egypt and her allies: ‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword.’

Ezekiel 32:24 עֲרֵלִ֣ים׀ uncircumcised

Elam is there with all her multitudes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword—those who went down uncircumcised to the earth below, who once spread their terror in the land of the living. They bear their disgrace with those who descend to the Pit.

Here: 'Uncircumcised.' The word describes how they went down. In Ezekiel's underworld scenes it marks the contemptible, dishonoured dead (28:10; 31:18; 32:19-32), not simply foreigners.

Ezekiel 32:25 עֲרֵלִ֣ים [are] uncircumcised

Among the slain they prepare a resting place for Elam with all her hordes, with her graves all around her. All of them are uncircumcised, slain by the sword, although their terror was once spread in the land of the living. They bear their disgrace with those who descend to the Pit. They are placed among the slain.

Ezekiel 32:26 עֲרֵלִים֙ [are] uncircumcised

Meshech and Tubal are there with all their multitudes, with their graves all around them. All of them are uncircumcised, slain by the sword, because they spread their terror in the land of the living.

Ezekiel 32:27 מֵעֲרֵלִ֑ים from uncircumcised [men]

They do not lie down with the fallen warriors of old, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were placed under their heads, whose shields rested on their bones, although the terror of the mighty was once in the land of the living.

Ezekiel 32:28 עֲרֵלִ֛ים uncircumcised [men]

But you too will be shattered and lie down among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword.

Ezekiel 32:29 עֲרֵלִ֥ים uncircumcised [men]

Edom is there, and all her kings and princes, who despite their might are laid among those slain by the sword. They lie down with the uncircumcised, with those who descend to the Pit.

Ezekiel 32:30 עֲרֵלִים֙ uncircumcised

All the leaders of the north and all the Sidonians are there; they went down in disgrace with the slain, despite the terror of their might. They lie uncircumcised with those slain by the sword and bear their shame with those who descend to the Pit.

Ezekiel 32:32 עֲרֵלִ֜ים uncircumcised [men]

For I will spread My terror in the land of the living, so that Pharaoh and all his multitude will be laid to rest among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword, declares the Lord GOD.”

Ezekiel 44:7 עַרְלֵי־ וְעַרְלֵ֣י uncircumcised of, and uncircumcised of

In addition to all your other abominations, you brought in foreigners uncircumcised in both heart and flesh to occupy My sanctuary; you defiled My temple when you offered My food—the fat and the blood; you broke My covenant.

Here: "Uncircumcised of." Literally "having a foreskin." Here it is the first of two disqualifications.

Ezekiel 44:9 עֶ֤רֶל וְעֶ֣רֶל uncircumcised of, and uncircumcised of

This is what the Lord GOD says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh may enter My sanctuary—not even a foreigner who lives among the Israelites.

Here: Literally "foreskinned," covered over. Applied to the heart, it pictures an inner self that is closed, blocked and unresponsive to YHWH.