← H4627 H4629 →

מַעֲרָב

𐤌𐤏𐤓𐤁

maʻărâb

H4628 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ערב to grow dark, to become evening, to mix

Definition

Direction or region of the west; in the Hebrew Bible, מַעֲרָב (ma‘ărāv) refers to the cardinal point of the compass corresponding to where the sun sets, i.e., the west. It also denotes the western side or area, particularly in spatial orientation and geographical references. In broader sense, it can signify 'the place of the setting sun' and by extension, 'the western side or territory.'

Semantic Range

west, western region, place of sunset, western side, (by extension) direction of the evening, land toward the sea

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root עָרַב (ʿ–r–b), which carries the sense of 'to grow dark, to become evening, to mix.' The noun מַעֲרָב is formed with the mem-prefix (מ) and has the sense 'place of sunset/darkening.' While the root itself relates to evening or mingling (as day mixes with night), its derived noun refers specifically to the west as the direction of the sunset.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מַעֲרָב is used in geographical and directional contexts throughout the Hebrew Bible to designate the west. In Israelite orientation, directions are often described relative to landscape and celestial phenomena—east (קֵדֶם, qedem) as the rising sun, west (מַעֲרָב, ma‘ărāv) as the setting sun, north (צָפוֹן, tsafon) associated with hiddenness or obscurity, and south (נֶגֶב, negev) referencing dryness. During the monarchic and post-exilic periods, the west became increasingly important as trade and external contacts with coastal regions (such as Philistia and Phoenicia) grew. While English translations often simply use 'west,' the Hebrew term fundamentally references the region of evening and darkness rather than a strictly abstract compass point. It occasionally appears with the definite article or rendered in feminine form (מַעֲרָבָה), especially in poetic or descriptive passages. Later Jewish and Rabbinic literature preserves the directional and symbolic significance of מַעֲרָב, sometimes associating it with ideas of the unknown or the Gentile (non-Israelite) world, as the west faced the Mediterranean Sea and lands beyond.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (feminine) מַעֲרָבָה; from עָרַב, in the sense of shading; the west (as a region of the evening sun); west.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

ערב (ʿ-r-b) — to grow dark, to become evening, to mix

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1026 בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה the arid plain
H4627 מַעֲרָב in your trade-goods
H6148 עָרַב he became surety
H6149 עָרֵב you were pleasing
H6150 עָרַב she grew dusky

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4628-05 וּ/מִֽ/מַּעֲרָ֖ב umimaarav HC/R/Ncmsa and from the west and from the west 3
H4628-03 מַעְרָ֑בָ/ה maeravah HNcmsa/Sd to the west side sunset-place 3
H4628-02 לַֽ/מַּעֲרָ֔ב lamaarav HRd/Ncmsa for the west to the sunset-region 2
H4628-04 מִֽ/מַּעֲרָב֙ mimaarav HR/Ncmsa from the west from the sunset-west 2
H4628-07 וְ/לַֽ/מַּעֲרָ֗ב velamaarav HC/Rd/Ncmsa and to the west and to the sunset-region 2
H4628-01 הַֽ/מַּעֲרָב֙ hamaarav HTd/Ncmsa the west the sunset-region 1
H4628-06 וּ/מִ/מַּ֣עֲרָבָ֔/הּ umimaaravah HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3fs and-from-(its)-west and from her west 1

Occurrences in Scripture

14 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4628-05 Isaiah 43:5 וּ/מִֽ/מַּעֲרָ֖ב umimaarav HC/R/Ncmsa and from the west and from the west
H4628-06 Isaiah 45:6 וּ/מִ/מַּ֣עֲרָבָ֔/הּ umimaaravah HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3fs and-from-(its)-west and from her west
H4628-04 Isaiah 59:19 מִֽ/מַּעֲרָב֙ mimaarav HR/Ncmsa from the west from the sunset-west
H4628-05 Psalms 75:7 וּ/מִֽ/מַּעֲרָ֑ב umimaarav HC/R/Ncmsa nor from the west and from the west
H4628-04 Psalms 103:12 מִֽ/מַּֽעֲרָ֑ב mimaarav HR/Ncmsa from the west from the sunset-west
H4628-05 Psalms 107:3 וּ/מִֽ/מַּעֲרָ֑ב umimaarav HC/R/Ncmsa and from the west and from the west
H4628-01 Daniel 8:5 הַֽ/מַּעֲרָב֙ hamaarav HTd/Ncmsa the west the sunset-region
H4628-07 1 Chronicles 7:28 וְ/לַֽ/מַּעֲרָ֗ב velamaarav HC/Rd/Ncmsa and to the west and to the sunset-region
H4628-07 1 Chronicles 12:16 וְ/לַֽ/מַּעֲרָֽב velamaarav HC/Rd/Ncmsa and to the west and to the sunset-region
H4628-02 1 Chronicles 26:16 לַֽ/מַּעֲרָ֔ב lamaarav HRd/Ncmsa for the west to the sunset-region
← H4627 Hebrew Lexicon H4629 →