The Hebrew verb harag means to kill, slay, or murder. It is one of the three primary Hebrew words for killing (alongside muth and ratsach) and is used broadly for both legitimate killing in warfare and unjust murder. It occurs approximately 165 times in the Old Testament.
Harag is a general term for violent killing, used across contexts: warfare (Judges), execution of God's judgment (Numbers 31), and murder (Genesis 4:8, where Cain killed Abel). It is distinct from ratsach (the word used in the sixth commandment — 'You shall not murder') which carries a stronger connotation of unlawful, premeditated killing. The repeated use of harag in the prophetic literature, particularly in Amos and Ezekiel, underscores the violence of social injustice — the powerful 'killing' the poor through oppression. God takes such killing seriously, demanding justice for innocent blood.