H6189 H6189
Uncircumcised — literally of persons; figuratively of closed hearts, lips, or ears; of forbidden fruit
The adjective עָרֵל ('uncircumcised') is far more than a physical descriptor in the Hebrew Bible — it is a loaded theological and ethnic marker. Literally, it identifies males who have not undergone circumcision, making them outsiders to the Abrahamic covenant (Gen 17:14). The Philistines are 'the uncircumcised' par excellence (Judg 14:3; 1 Sam 17:26), and Ezekiel consigns entire nations to the pit of 'the uncircumcised' (Ezek 32:19-32). Metaphorically, Moses protests that he has 'uncircumcised lips' (Exod 6:12), Jeremiah warns of 'uncircumcised ears' (Jer 6:10), and Leviticus declares the fruit of newly planted trees 'uncircumcised' for three years (Lev 19:23).
Senses
1. literally uncircumcised (of persons) — Literally uncircumcised — describing males or peoples who lack physical circumcision, used especially of the Philistines and other non-Israelite nations as a term of ethnic and covenantal reproach. Genesis 17:14 decrees that every uncircumcised male shall be cut off from his people. The Philistines are called 'the uncircumcised' in 1 Samuel 17:26 and 31:4. Ezekiel 28-32 repeatedly consigns nations to lie with 'the uncircumcised' in death. Spanish 'incircunciso,' French 'incirconcis,' and German 'unbeschnitten' all mark the literal physical sense. 27×
AR["الأَغْرَلُ","الغُرلُ","الغُرْل","الـ-غُلْفِ","الْأَغْلَفُ","الْغُرْلِ","الْغُلْفِ","الْغُلْفِ-الـ","غُلْفًا","غُلْفٌ","ٱلْغُلْفُ","ٱلْغُلْفِ"]·ben["-সেই-অচ্ছিন্নত্বকদের","অচ্ছিন্ন","অচ্ছিন্নত্বক","অচ্ছিন্নত্বকদের","অচ্ছিন্নত্বকদের।","অচ্ছিন্নত্বকেরা","অচ্ছিন্নরা","অছিন্নত্বকত,","অছিন্নত্বকরা","সেই-অজত্রিতদের"]·DE["der-uncircumcised","unbeschnitten"]·EN["the-uncircumcised","uncircumcised"]·FR["[הערלים]","[ערלים]","le-incirconcis","le-uncircumcised"]·heb["ה-ערל","ה-ערלים","ערלים"]·HI["खतन-रहित","खतनरिहित","खतनारहित","खतनारहित-की","खतनारहितों","खतनारहितों-की","खतनारहितों-के","मारे-हुओं"]·ID["orang-orang-tidak-bersunat","orang-orang-yang-tidak-bersunat","orang-tidak-bersunat","orang-tidak-bersunat,","orang-tidak-bersunat.","orang-yang-tidak-bersunat","tidak-bersunat","tidak-bersunat,","yang-tidak-bersunat","yang-tidak-disunat"]·IT["[הערלים]","il-incirconciso","il-uncircumcised","incirconciso"]·jav["-ingkang-boten-sunat","ingkang-boten-dipun-sunat","ingkang-tanpa-supit","tiyang-boten-tetak","tiyang-ingkang-boten-sunat","tiyang-ingkang-mboten-sunat","tiyang-mboten-sunat","tiyang-tanpa-sunat","tiyang-wangkot"]·KO["그-할례-받지-않은-자들의","그-할례받지-못한-자들이","그-할례받지-않은-자들","그-할례받지-않은-자들의","그-할례받지않은","그-할례받지않은자들이","할례받지-못한-자들과","할례받지-못한-자들로","할례받지-못한-자들을","할례받지-못한-자들의","할례받지-못한-자들이라","할례받지-않은","할례받지-않은-자들의"]·PT["incircuncisos","o-incircunciso","os-incircuncisos"]·RU["необрезанное","необрезанные","необрезанный","необрезанными","необрезанных"]·ES["el-incircunciso","incircunciso","incircuncisos","los-incircuncisos"]·SW["asiyetahiriwa","isiyotahiriwa","wasiotahiriwa"]·TR["sünnetsiz","sünnetsizler","sünnetsizleri","sünnetsizlerin"]·urd["نامختون","نامختونوں-کی","نامختونوں-کے"]
Gen 17:14, Exod 12:48, Lev 19:23, Lev 26:41, Josh 5:7, Judg 14:3, Judg 15:18, 1 Sam 14:6, 1 Sam 17:26, 1 Sam 17:36, 1 Sam 31:4, 2 Sam 1:20 (+15 more)
2. figuratively closed or insensitive — Figuratively closed, blocked, or insensitive — used in construct state with body parts to describe spiritual dullness or inability. Moses says he has 'uncircumcised lips' (Exod 6:12, 30), meaning he cannot speak persuasively. Jeremiah 6:10 speaks of ears that are 'uncircumcised' and cannot hear God's word. Ezekiel 44:7-9 denounces those 'uncircumcised in heart and flesh.' The metaphor extends circumcision from a physical sign to an inner reality, a theme Paul will later develop in Romans 2:28-29. 7×
AR["أَغْلَفُ","غُرْلُ-","غُلْفُ","غُلْفِ-","وَ-غُلْفُ","وَ-غُلْفِ"]·ben["অচ্ছিন্নত্বক","অচ্ছিন্নত্বক-","অসুন্নত","অসুন্নত-","এবং-অচ্ছিন্নত্বক"]·DE["Unbeschnittene","[ערלי]","unbeschnitten","uncircumcised-von","und-Unbeschnittene","und-unbeschnitten"]·EN["and-uncircumcised-of","are-uncircumcised-of","uncircumcised-of","uncircumcised-of-"]·FR["[וערל]","[וערלי]","[ערל]","[ערלי]","incirconcis-de"]·heb["ו-ערל","ו-ערלי","ערל","ערלי"]·HI["अख़तना","और-खतनारहित","खतनारहित","खतनारहित-"]·ID["dan-tidak-bersunat","tidak-bersunat","tidak-bersunat-"]·IT["[ערלי]","e-incirconciso","incirconciso","uncircumcised-di"]·jav["lan-tanpa-sunat","mboten-sunatan","mboten-tetak-","tanpa-sunat","tanpa-sunat-"]·KO["그리고-할례받지-않은","그리고-할례받지-않은-","할례-없는-자들이라-","할례받지-않은","할례받지-않은-"]·PT["e-incircunciso-de","e-incircuncisos-de","incircunciso-de","incircuncisos-de","incircuncisos-de-"]·RU["и-необрезанный","и-необрезанных","необрезанные-","необрезанный","необрезанных-"]·ES["e-incircunciso-de","e-incircuncisos-de","incircunciso-de","incircuncisos-de"]·SW["asiyetahiriwa","haijatahiriwa","mwenye-kutotahiriwa","na-asiyetahiriwa","na-wasiotahiriwa","wasiotahiriwa-moyo"]·TR["sünnetsiz","sünnetsiz-","sünnetsizleri","ve-sünnetsiz","ve-sünnetsizleri"]·urd["اور-نامختون","نامختون","نامختون-"]
3. forbidden fruit of young trees — Applied to the forbidden fruit of young trees — Leviticus 19:23 commands Israel to regard the fruit of newly planted trees as 'uncircumcised' (עֲרֵלִים) for three years, treating the produce as impure and off-limits. Just as a foreskin must be removed before a male enters the covenant, so the first fruits must be withheld before the tree's produce can be consecrated. This agricultural application is unique to this single passage but reveals how deeply the circumcision metaphor permeated Israelite thought. 1×
AR["غُلْفَاءُ"]·ben["অচ্ছিন্নত্বক"]·DE["[ערלה]"]·EN["uncircumcised"]·FR["[ערלה]"]·heb["ערלה"]·HI["खतनारहित"]·ID["tidak-bersunat"]·IT["[ערלה]"]·jav["mboten-sunat"]·KO["할례받지-않았다"]·PT["incircunciso"]·RU["необрезанное"]·ES["incircunciso"]·SW["haijatahiriwa"]·TR["sünnetli-değil"]·urd["نامختون"]
Related Senses
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† עָרֵל35 adj. having foreskin, i.e. uncircumcised;—ע׳ Ex 12:48 + 5 times; cstr. עֶ֫רֶל Ez 44:9(×2); עֲרַל Ex 6:12, 30; f. עֲרֵלָה Je 6:10; pl. עֲרֵלִים Lv 19:23 + 20 times; cstr. עַרְלֵי Je 9:25 + 2 times;—uncircumcised person Ex 12:48; Jos 5:7 (P), Philistines Ju 14:3; 15:18; 1 S 14:6; 17:26, 36; 31:4; 2 S 1:20; 1 Ch 10:4; of other nations Is 52:1; Je 9:25, especially as slain Ez 28:10; 31:18;…