Heryon (also spelled herayon) appears three times in the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 3:16; Ruth 4:13; Hosea 9:11) to describe pregnancy and the state of carrying new life. Derived from the root harah (to conceive), it marks the moment and process of conception — the beginning of human life within the womb. The word carries both the wonder of new life and, in some contexts, the pain and labor associated with bearing children.
Genesis 3:16 connects heryon directly to the curse after the Fall — 'I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing' — placing pregnancy within the narrative of sin and redemption. Yet Ruth 4:13 records that 'the LORD gave her conception,' affirming that God is the author of life even after the Fall. Hosea 9:11 uses it in judgment against Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness. The theology of heryon points to God's sovereign role in giving and sustaining life — a thread that culminates in the virgin conception of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).