|
Meaning and Use in the Bible
Haregah is used to describe acts of extreme violence, such as massacres or mass murders. It appears in five Old Testament verses, all in contexts of divine judgment or disaster:
feminine of H2027; massacre, slaughter: - slaughter.
Jeremiah 7:32: "Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that it shall no longer be called Topheth, nor the Valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter (haregah), for they shall be buried in Topheth." Here, the term refers to a place where a great slaughter will take place as part of God's judgment.
Jeremiah 12:3: "But you, O Lord, know me; you see me, and you test my heart toward you. Separate them from you like sheep for slaughter (haregah), and set them apart for the day of slaughter." In this verse, it is used to refer to people destined for destruction.
Jeremiah 19:6: "Therefore, behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "when this place will no longer be called Topheth, nor the Valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter (haregah)." Similar to Jeremiah 7:32, it mentions a place associated with judgment and slaughter.
Zechariah 11:4: "Thus says the Lord my God: Feed the sheep of slaughter (haregah)." Here, it refers to the sheep destined for slaughter, symbolizing the people who will be destroyed. |