General Meaning:
Hārag (הָרַג) = "To kill," "to put to death," "to execute," "to destroy."
Primary root; to strike with the intent to kill:- annihilate, assassinate, slay, undo, destroy, put to death, wound, slaughterer, slaughter, slay, die, death, dead, lie down.
Biblical contexts in which they are used:
1. Individual homicide or murder
When one person deliberately or violently kills another.
"Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him (hārag)."
2. Death in combat or war
Used to describe the death of enemies in battle.
"And they fought against Midian... and killed (hārag) every male."
3. Execute justice or divine judgment
Used when God or leaders execute people as a just sentence or as divine judgment.
1 Kings 18:40 – Elijah orders the killing of the prophets of Baal:
"Arrest the prophets of Baal... and kill them there."
4. Prophetic or Symbolic Action
Sometimes used in poetic or prophetic language to refer to mass destruction or divine punishment.
Different from other words like "murder":
Hārag (הָרַג – H2026): "To kill" in a broad sense. It can be legal (judgment), warlike, or criminal.
Ratsach (רָצַח – H7523): "To murder," more focused on unjust or illegal homicide.
Used in Exodus 20:13: "You shall not kill" (better translated: "You shall not murder").
Summary:
H2026 – הָרַג (hārag) is a biblical verb meaning to physically kill, and is used in contexts such as homicide, war, execution, or judgment. Although it involves taking a life, it does not always have a negative moral connotation; its interpretation depends on the motive and context in which the act occurs.