(Neh. 12:12, 15) Five “of the sons of Harim” took foreign wives, but put them away in response to Ezra’s exhortation to do so. (Ezra 10:10, 11, 21, 44) A representative of the family (or possibly one of them bearing the same name) supported the covenant of faithfulness after Nehemiah’s arrival in 455 B.C.E.—Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 5, 8.

2. The founder of a nonpriestly family, 320 of whom returned from Babylon to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:1, 2, 32; Neh. 7:35) As with members of the priestly family of the same name (No. 1 above), eight descendants of this Harim also took foreign wives and dismissed them. (Ezra 10:25, 31, 32, 44) Likewise their representative attested the “trustworthy arrangement” contracted during Nehemiah’s governorship. (Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 14, 27) One “son” of Harim, Malchijah, helped repair Jerusalem’s wall.—Neh. 3:11.

HARIPH

(Haʹriph) [sharp, or, autumn].

Head of a family of which 112 males returned from Babylonian exile in 537 B.C.E.; also called Jorah. (Neh. 7:6, 7, 24; Ezra 2:18) The name Hariph is again listed among the heads of the people, evidently being represented by a descendant, who attested by seal the confession contract made during Nehemiah’s governorship.—Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 14, 19.

HARIPHITE

(Harʹi·phite).

A designation applied to a Benjamite, Shephatiah, who joined David at Ziklag while David was still under restrictions because of Saul. Shephatiah’s being called a Hariphite may mean that he was either a native of Hariph or Hareph (a place of unknown location) or a descendant of a certain Hariph or Hareph.—1 Chron. 12:1, 2, 5.

HARLOT

A prostitute. The term is usually applied to a female who engages in sex relations outside the marriage bond, especially if she customarily does this for some form of hire.

From the beginning harlotry was condemned by God. The perfect marriage standard was established in Eden by God himself at the marriage of Adam and Eve, when He stated: “A man will leave his father and his mother and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24) Though God condemned harlotry, he did permit concubinage and polygamy, even among his servants, until his due time to reestablish the perfect marriage standard through Jesus Christ. Jesus quoted the above words of his Father, and the apostle Paul pointed out that this rule was binding on the Christian congregation. He showed that a Christian who violates this rule joins himself to a harlot, as “one body.”—Matt. 19:4-9; 1 Cor. 6:16.

The early view of harlotry among God’s servants is illustrated in the case of Judah the great-grandson of Abraham. While living as an alien resident in Canaan, where harlotry was tolerated, the family head Judah had relations with his son Er’s widow Tamar, who was disguised as a harlot. When it was discovered that Tamar was pregnant from the act, it was reported to Judah: “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot, and here she is also pregnant by her harlotry.” Judah then ordered her to be burned (that is, first put to death, then burned as detestable) because she was considered as espoused to Judah’s son Shelah. On discovering the full facts, Judah did not excuse himself for his act with a supposed harlot, but said regarding Tamar: “She is more righteous than I am, for the reason that I did not give her to Shelah my son.” He excused Tamar for thus acting to have offspring from Judah after Judah had failed to give her to his son Shelah in order that brother-in-law marriage might be performed toward her.—Gen. 38:6-26.

Harlotry was condemned by the Law of God to Israel, although harlots existed in the land. (Prov. chap. 7) The Law strictly forbade prostitution of an Israelite girl. (Lev. 19:29; 21:9) Any Israelite girl who had committed fornication and who later married under the fraudulent claim of being a virgin was to be stoned to death. (Deut. 22:20, 21) The payment that was obtained as the hire of a harlot was a disgusting thing, and was unacceptable as a contribution to the sanctuary of Jehovah. This was in contrast with pagan practices wherein temple harlots were often a source of revenue.—Deut. 23:18.

Rahab, a harlot of the pagan city of Jericho, displayed a right heart toward Jehovah and acted to assist the Israelite spies sent out by Joshua. For her faith, and works in harmony therewith, her life was spared. She later joined in honorable marriage with Salmon of the tribe of Judah and became an ancestress of Jesus Christ.—Josh. chap. 2; 6:22-25; Matt. 1:1, 5; Jas. 2:25.

When Jesus Christ was on earth, he scathingly denounced the unbelieving chief priests and older men of influence, declaring that tax collectors and harlots were going ahead of them into the kingdom of God. (Matt. 21:23, 31, 32) These despised persons were right-hearted ones who received forgiveness through faith in Christ. Nevertheless, they had to clean up first from their harlotry, for those continuing to practice such immorality cannot inherit the Kingdom.—Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5.

FIGURATIVE USE

The term “harlot” is also used figuratively to apply to a professed worshiper of Jehovah, or to an organization or nation claiming to worship him, but actually giving affection and worship to other gods. Jerusalem became a “harlot” in this sense. In fact, she went so far that she did what was not normal for harlots, namely, instead of receiving pay, she paid pagan nations to practice harlotry with her.—Ezek. 16:33, 34; see Ezekiel chapter 23, where Samaria (representing Israel) and Jerusalem (Judah) are likened to prostitutes.

Revelation symbolically depicts a harlot who rides on a scarlet-colored wild beast and has as a name on her forehead “Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.” With her “the kings of the earth committed fornication.”—Rev. 17:1-5; see BABYLON THE GREAT.

HAR–MAGEDON

(Har–Ma·gedʹon) [Gr., Har Mage·donʹ; Heb., Har M^eghid·dohnʹ, “Mountain of Megiddo”; “mountain of rendezvous”; “mountain of assembly of troops”].

Found only once in the Bible, in the book of Revelation (Apocalypse), the term is rendered “Armageddon” in a number of versions. (Rev. 16:16, AT; AV; JB; RS; TEV) This name is directly associated with “the war of the great day of God the Almighty.”—Rev. 16:14.

There does not appear to have been a literal place called “Mountain of Megiddo,” either inside or outside the Promised Land, before or during the days of the apostle John, who recorded the vision. Hence, the significance may lie to some extent in the definition of the name, “mountain of assembly of troops,” though Har–Magedon also draws significance from the events associated with the ancient city of Megiddo.

Megiddo was situated a few miles SE of Mount Carmel, overlooking and dominating the Plain of Esdraelon, and controlling major N-S and E-W trade and military routes. Joshua first conquered this Canaanite city. (Josh. 12:7, 8, 21) Near this site Jabin’s army under command of Sisera was later destroyed. Jehovah there employed natural forces to assist the Israelite army under Barak. The account reads: “Barak went descending from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men behind him. And Jehovah began to throw Sisera and all his war chariots and all the camp into confusion by the edge of the sword before Barak. Finally Sisera got down off the chariot and took to flight on foot. And Barak chased after the war chariots and the camp as far as Harosheth of the nations, so that all the camp of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword. Not as much as one remained.”—Judg. 4:14-16.

After the victory, Barak and the prophetess Deborah broke out in song, which ran, in part:

“Kings came, they fought;

It was then that the kings of Canaan fought

In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo.

No gain of silver did they take.

From heaven did the stars fight,

From their orbits they fought against Sisera.

The torrent of Kishon washed them away,

The torrent of ancient days, the torrent of

Kishon.

You went treading down strength, O my soul.

It was then that the hoofs of horses pawed

Because of dashings upon dashings of his

stallions.”

—Judg. 5:19-22.

It was at Megiddo that King Ahaziah of Judah died after being mortally wounded on orders of Jehu. (2 Ki. 9:27) There King Josiah of Judah was killed in an encounter with Pharaoh Nechoh. (2 Ki. 23:29, 30) Because of its commanding position, many other nations, according to secular history, warred around Megiddo. ‘Jews, Gentiles, Saracens, crusaders, Egyptians, Persians, Druses, Turks and Arabs have all pitched their tents on the plain of Esdraelon.’—Word Studies in the New Testament, M. R. Vincent, 1957, Vol. II, p. 542.

The Revelation account depicts the combined forces of the kings of the earth as being gathered “to the place [Gr., form of toʹpos] that is called in Hebrew Har–Magedon.” (Rev. 16:16) In the Bible toʹpos may refer to a literal location (Matt. 14:13, 15, 35), to one’s opportunity or “chance” (Acts 25:16), or to a figurative realm, condition or situation. (Rev. 12:6, 14) In view of the context, it is to a “place” in the last-mentioned sense that earth’s combined military powers are marching.

The “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon was not some past event but is depicted in Revelation as future from the time of John’s vision. The gathering of the kings to Har–Magedon is described as being a result of the pouring out of the sixth of the seven bowls containing the “last” plagues that will bring to a finish the anger of God. (Rev. 15:1; 16:1, 12) Also, that the war at Har–Magedon is closely associated with Christ’s second presence is the warning of his coming as a thief, which is sandwiched between verses 14 and 16 of Revelation chapter 16.

The global aspect of the war is emphasized in the context, wherein the opponents of Jehovah are identified as “the kings of the entire inhabited earth,” who are mobilized by “expressions inspired by demons.”—Rev. 16:14.

Farther on, John says: “And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage the war with the one seated on the horse and with his army.” (Rev. 19:19) This chapter identifies the leader of the heavenly armies, seated on a white horse, as one who is called “Faithful and True” and “The Word of God.” (Rev. 19:11-13) Therefore, it is Jesus Christ, The Word, who acts as the commander of God’s heavenly armies. (John 1:1; Rev. 3:14) Further showing that Christ leads the heavenly forces is the statement that the earthly forces “battle with the Lamb [who is Jesus Christ (John 1:29)], but, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those called and chosen and faithful with him will do so.”—Rev. 17:13, 14.

Since the vision in Revelation chapter 19 reveals only armies in heaven as participating in the warfare as supporters of Jesus Christ, The Word of God, it indicates that none of Jehovah’s Christian servants on earth will have anything to do with the fighting. This is in harmony with the apostle Paul’s statement at 2 Corinthians 10:3, 4 that the weapons he and his companions employed were not fleshly. (Compare 2 Chronicles 20:15, 17, 22, 23; Psalm 2:4-9.) The birds that fly in midheaven will dispose of the bodies of those slaughtered.—Rev. 19:11-21.

Har–Magedon is thus seen to be a fight, not merely among men, not a mere “world war,” but one in which God’s invisible armies take part. Its coming is certain and it will take place at the time set by Jehovah God, who “is doing according to his own will among the army of the heavens and the inhabitants of the earth.”—Dan. 4:35; see also Matthew 24:36.

HARMON

(Harʹmon).

There is uncertainty as to what is designated by the Hebrew term transliterated “Harmon” (Amos 4:3, AS, NW, RS), some translators giving such widely differing renderings as “refuse heap” (AT) and “palace” (AV). If the reading of the Greek Septuagint (“the mountain Romman”) comes closer to the original Hebrew text, then perhaps “Harmon” refers to the “crag of Rimmon.”—Judg. 20:45, 47.

HARNEPHER

(Harʹne·pher) [possibly, snorer].

Son of Zophah of the tribe of Asher.—1 Chron. 7:30, 36.

HAROD

(Haʹrod) [possibly, trembling].

A well (spring or fountain, as this is the usual meaning of the Hebrew word, although the Hebrew words for “well” and “fountain” are sometimes used interchangeably; compare Genesis 16:7, 14; 24:11, 13), in the vicinity of which the Israelite army under Gideon’s leadership encamped and where, later, the reduced force of 10,000 was put to the proof. Subsequently 300 men were selected to rout the Midianites. The earlier departure of 22,000 Israelites because of their being “afraid and trembling” may have been the reason for giving the well its name.—Judg. 7:1-7.

The well of Harod has been traditionally identified with ʽAin Jalud, a spring rising on the NW spur of Mount Gilboa. Regarding ʽAin Jalud the noted scholar G. A. Smith (The Historical Geography of the Holy Land, Fontana Library ed., 1966, p. 258) observed: “It bursts some fifteen feet [4.6 meters] broad and two [.6 meter] deep from the foot of Gilboa, and mainly out of it, but fed also by the other two springs [ʽAin el-Meiyiteh and ʽAin Tubaʽun], it flows strongly enough to work six or seven mills. The deep bed and soft banks of this stream constitute a formidable ditch in front of the position on Gilboa, and render it possible for defenders of the latter to hold the spring at their feet in face of an enemy on the plain: and the spring is indispensable to them, for neither to the left, right, nor rear is other living water. . . . The stream, which makes it possible for the occupiers of the hill to hold also the well against the enemy on the plain, forbids them to be careless in using the water; for they drink in face of that enemy, and the reeds and shrubs which mark its course afford cover for hostile ambushes.”

HARODITE

(Haʹrod·ite).

A resident or native of Harod. The term is applied to Shammah and Elika, two of David’s mighty men. (2 Sam. 23:8, 25) If “Shammah” and “Shammoth” are the same person, then the use of “Harorite” at 1 Chronicles 11:27 is possibly a scribal error for “Harodite,” the change perhaps arising from the similarity between the Hebrew letters “r” (ר) and “d” (ד).

HAROEH

(Ha·roʹeh) [the seeing one].

One listed in the genealogy of Judah as a son of Shobal. (1 Chron. 2:3, 52) Haroeh is generally thought to be the same at Reaiah.—1 Chron. 4:2; see REAIAH No. 1.

HARORITE

(Haʹro·rite).

A term indicating the place from which Shammoth, one of David’s mighty men, came. (1 Chron. 11:26, 27) “Harorite” may be an error for “Harodite.”—2 Sam. 23:25; see HARODITE.