2762. charakkim
Lexical Summary
charakkim: Crevices, cracks, or fissures

Original Word: חֶרֶךְ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: cherek
Pronunciation: khar-ak-keem'
Phonetic Spelling: (kheh'-rek)
KJV: lattice
NASB: lattice
Word Origin: [from H2760 (חָרַך - roast)]

1. (properly) a net, i.e. (by analogy) lattice

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
lattice

From charak; properly, a net, i.e. (by analogy) lattice -- lattice.

see HEBREW charak

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a lattice
NASB Translation
lattice (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
חֲרַכִּים noun [masculine] plural lattice or other opening through which one may look (Aramaic חֲרַכָּא ᵑ7 Joshua 2:15 and elsewhere=Hebrew חַלּ֖וֺן; but Late Hebrew חֲרָךְ is an opening smaller than a window) — only ׳מֵצִיץ מִןהַֿח Songs 2:9 peeping in at the lattice ("" מַשְׁגִּיחַ מִןהַֿחַלֹּנוֺת).

חרל (√ of following; meaning unknown).

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Imagery

חֶרֶךְ denotes a screened opening or latticework—an interlaced pattern of wood, reeds, or metal set within a wall or window. Such structures allowed light and air to pass while offering privacy and protection, making them a natural metaphor for limited yet purposeful revelation.

Biblical Occurrence

Song of Solomon 2:9 is the sole occurrence: “My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, He stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice”. Here the lattice frames a moment of eager longing between bride and bridegroom, simultaneously concealing and revealing the beloved’s presence.

Cultural and Architectural Background

Latticework was common in ancient Near Eastern homes. Archaeology at sites such as Samaria and Megiddo has uncovered patterned screens that moderated light and heat while discouraging intruders. The Song’s reference suggests an upper-class domicile, fitting the poem’s royal setting. Lattices also appear in later Greco-Roman architecture, underscoring their durability and widespread use.

Theological Implications

1. Partial Revelation: The beloved is present yet not fully seen. Scripture often portrays God’s self-disclosure in measured degrees—cloud, veil, parable—inviting pursuit (Exodus 33:20-23; 1 Corinthians 13:12).
2. Protection and Intimacy: The lattice shields the beloved from hostile eyes while allowing communion with the bride, paralleling divine protection coupled with relational nearness (Psalm 91:4).
3. Anticipation of Union: The barrier is temporary. The lattice whets desire for unhindered fellowship, prefiguring ultimate consummation in covenant love (Revelation 21:3).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Worship: Encourage believers to seek the Lord beyond initial glimpses, cultivating expectancy rooted in covenant promises.
• Discipleship: Teach that God’s partial answers and perceived silences are invitations to deeper trust, not rejections.
• Counseling: Use the lattice image to affirm boundaries in relationships—healthy distance can protect while fostering anticipation of appropriate intimacy.

Christological Foreshadowing

The Bridegroom who “peers through the lattice” anticipates the incarnate Word who “tabernacled among us” (John 1:14). During His earthly ministry Jesus revealed the Father yet retained aspects of divine glory veiled (Matthew 17:2; John 17:5). After His resurrection the veil is lifted progressively until believers see Him “face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Devotional Reflection

When God seems just beyond reach, remember the lattice: He is present, attentive, and inviting. The fleeting silhouette through the screen assures the bride of the groom’s desire. Likewise, seasons of partial sight are opportunities to deepen longing and faith.

Related Scriptures

While חֶרֶךְ is unique to Song of Solomon 2:9, similar motifs of screened or veiled sight appear in:
Judges 5:28 – Sisera’s mother looks “through the lattice” for her son.
Proverbs 7:6 – The teacher observes folly “through the lattice of my window.”
Isaiah 6:4 – The temple is filled with smoke, limiting Isaiah’s view yet confirming God’s holiness.

Historical Reception

Jewish and Christian commentators have long read the lattice as symbolizing the era of promise before Messiah’s full disclosure. Medieval mystics applied it to contemplative prayer, while Reformation teachers employed it to stress the sufficiency yet partiality of Scripture prior to glory.

Eschatological Hope

The lattice will ultimately be removed. “Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Until that day, the glimpse granted through חֶרֶךְ sustains the church’s hope and fuels its mission.

Forms and Transliterations
הַֽחֲרַכִּֽים׃ החרכים׃ ha·ḥă·rak·kîm HacharakKim haḥărakkîm
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Songs 2:9
HEB: מֵצִ֖יץ מִן־ הַֽחֲרַכִּֽים׃
NAS: He is peering through the lattice.
KJV: shewing himself through the lattice.
INT: is peering through the lattice

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2762
1 Occurrence


ha·ḥă·rak·kîm — 1 Occ.

2761
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