חֵרֶם

1. devoted thing.

2. devotion, ban; — ׳ח absolute Jos 6,17 + 24 t. (most read חֶרֶם Zak 14,11, Baer חֵרֶם); חֶ֑רֶם Jos 7,1 suffix חֶרְמִי 1 Kong 20,42; Es 34,5 — thing devoted to ׳י:

1. thing hostile to theocracy, and therefore (in the strictest application) to be either destroyed, or, in the case of certain objects (e.g. silver and gold, vessels of brass and iron Jos 6,19; Jos 6,24), set apart to sacred uses; especially
\ \ a. of a Canaan. city, as Jericho, including all inhabitants (except Rahab's family) and spoil Jos 6,17; Jos 6,18 (twice in verse); Jos 7,1; Jos 7,11; Jos 7,15 Achan by taking מִןהַֿחֵרֶם made (camp of) Israel ׳ח Jos 7,12 compare Jos 6,18, and became himself ׳ח, and was stoned and, with his family and possessions, including the spoil, was burnt Jos 7,1; Jos 7,11; Jos 7,12; Jos 7,13 (twice in verse) (all J E except Jos 7,1 P; compare vJos 7,15 vJos 7,24 vJos 7,25); ׳מָעַל מַעַל בַּח committed unfaithfulness in the matter of the devoted thing is term for the sin Jos 7,1; Jos 22,20 (both P), compare ׳מָעַל בַּח 1 Kron 2,7 Saul and Israel spared Agag king of Amalek and ׳רֵאשִׁית הַח i.e. of the spoil (sheep and oxen), which should have been utterly destroyed 1 Sam 15,21 (compare v1 Sam 15,3 v1 Sam 15,8 Saul rejected by ׳י for this v1 Sam 15,11 v1 Sam 15,26); so an idolatrous city in Israel should become ׳ח, with all its contents, and be utterly destroyed 5 Mos 13,17 (compare v.5 Mos 13,13 v.5 Mos 13,15 v.5 Mos 13,16).
\ \ b. of individuals, one having relic of Canaanit. god in his house should become ׳ח, the relic being ׳ח 5 Mos 7,26 (twice in verse); every human being who became ׳ח should be killed 3 Mos 27,29 (twice in verse) (P; see Di).

2. apparently (so Di) anything devoted to sanctuary under specially stringent conditions 3 Mos 27,28 (see Di; and compare Ezr 10,8); a field consecrated to ׳י becomes under certain conditions ׳כִּשְׂדֵה הַח 3 Mos 27,21 every ׳ח is קֹדֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁים ליהוה v3 Mos 27,28, and no ׳ח that a manmay devote, whether man, beast or field, may be sold or redeemed v3 Mos 27,28 every such ׳ח (as in case of metals and metal objects Jos 6,17; Jos 6,19) went to Aaron and his sons 4 Mos 18,14 (P), to Zadokite priests Ezk 44,29.

3. devotion, ban, involving destruction; אִישׁ חֶרְמִי 1 Kong 20,42 man under my (׳י's) ban (of Benhadad); עַם חֶרְמִי Es 34,5 (of Edom); ׳נתן לַח Es 43,28 figurative of ׳י's giving over Judah to Chaldaea; ׳ח not to be in future Zak 14,11 ׳פֶּןאָֿבוֺא וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶתהָֿאָרֶץ ח Mal 3,24 smite the land with a ban, i.e. utterly destroy it.