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עָרֵב

𐤏𐤓𐤁

ʻârêb

H6156 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root ערב to mix, to mingle, to be pleasant

Definition

Pleasing or agreeable in taste, sound, or experience; describing that which is delightful, pleasant, or sweet to the senses or emotions. In contexts, it can refer to sweetness of food or drink, pleasantness of music or a voice, and metaphorically, that which is agreeable or pleasing in a broader sense.

Semantic Range

sweet (taste), pleasant (taste, voice, or music), agreeable (to the senses), delightful (in broader sense)

Root / Etymology

From the root ערב, which fundamentally conveys the idea of mixing or being mingled. The adjective form עָרֵב is derived from this root, likely developing the sense 'pleasant' from the idea of something harmoniously blended, such as a well-mixed flavor or sound.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, עָרֵב is primarily descriptive of pleasing taste (e.g., sweet to the palate) or agreeable auditory experience (sweet/pleasant music or voice). It occurs rarely but carries emphasis on sensory delight and harmonious quality. This adjective should not be confused with homographs based on other senses of the root ערב (e.g., 'evening', 'pledge', or the ethnonym for 'Arab'). Later translation traditions sometimes render the term broadly as 'sweet' or 'pleasant', but in context, it generally refers to a pleasing quality experienced by the senses or in disposition. Occurrences in the post-exilic period and subsequent Hebrew literature may extend its metaphorical use toward pleasantness in character or circumstance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עָרֵב; pleasant; sweet.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

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

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1026 בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה the arid plain
H4627 מַעֲרָב in your trade-goods
H4628 מַעֲרָב the sunset-region
H6148 עָרַב he became surety
H6149 עָרֵב you were pleasing

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6156-01 עָרֵ֣ב arev HAamsa is sweet twilight mingling 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6156-01 Proverbs 20:17 עָרֵ֣ב arev HAamsa sweet twilight mingling
H6156-01 Song of Songs 2:14 עָרֵ֖ב arev HAamsa is sweet twilight mingling
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