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עֲרָבָה

𐤏𐤓𐤁𐤄

ʻărâbâh

H6160 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ערב to be dry, to be arid, plain, steppe, sterile

Definition

A dry steppe, plain, or arid region; specifically, the broad, low-lying rift valley running from the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) through the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba/Eilat. In many texts it refers to this distinctive geographical region south of the Dead Sea. More broadly, the term can denote any wilderness or barren plain often characterized by a lack of fertility or settled habitation. Occasionally, the term is used more figuratively to describe a desolate or uninhabited place. The primary lexical sense emphasizes a dry depression or flatland, distinct from cultivated valleys or mountainous terrain.

Semantic Range

arid plain, steppe, dry depression, rift valley (proper noun: the Jordan Valley and its southern extension), barren region, wilderness

Root / Etymology

From the root ערב, whose basic sense is 'to be dry, arid, sterile, or mixed.' The noun עֲרָבָה most likely derives from this root with a focus on terrain—'arid plain.' While the root can carry other senses (e.g., 'to mix,' 'to guarantee'), in this nominal form the meaning is tied to geographic and climatic sterility or flatness. The specific connection to the large rift valley appears to have become a toponym as well as a general landform descriptor.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, עֲרָבָה appears both as a geographic proper noun (the specific rift valley south of the Dead Sea) and as a common noun designating similar steppe or desert regions elsewhere. In pre-exilic contexts, it primarily identifies the region of the Jordan Valley or the southern continuation toward Edom. During the monarchy, the area was a significant route and borderland. In exilic and post-exilic texts, the עֲרָבָה could also symbolize barrenness or a place removed from settled society. The Septuagint often renders the word as 'Araba' or with terms meaning 'plain.' English translations sometimes conflate it with 'wilderness,' 'plain,' or even 'desert,' though these do not always communicate its specific geographic sense. The word should not be confused with עֶרֶב (evening) or with roots relating to 'pledge' or 'mix.' Its use as a toponym (with the definite article, הָעֲרָבָה) underscores its importance as a prominent region in the ancient southern Levant.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עָרַב (in the sense of sterility); a desert; especially (with the article prefix) the (generally) sterile valley of the Jordan and its continuation to the Red Sea; Arabah, champaign, desert, evening, heaven, plain, wilderness. See also בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ערב (ʿ-r-b) — dryness, aridity, sterility, steppe, plain

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

14 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6160-07 הָֽ/עֲרָבָ֔ה haaravah HTd/Ncfsa the Arabah the arid plain 17
H6160-06 בְּ/עַֽרְב֣וֹת bearevot HR/Ncfpc in the plains of in arid plains of 16
H6160-04 בָּֽ/עֲרָבָה֩ baaravah HRd/Ncfsa in the Arabah in the arid plain 9
H6160-01 עֲרָבָ֛ה aravah HNcfsa of-plain arid plain 4
H6160-11 וּ/בָ/עֲרָבָ֛ה uvaaravah HC/Rd/Ncfsa and in the Arabah and in the arid plain 2
H6160-03 עַֽרְבֹ֣ת arevot HNcfpc plains arid plains of 2
H6160-14 וְ/הָֽ/עֲרָבָ֖ה vehaaravah HC/Td/Ncfsa and the Arabah and the arid plain 2
H6160-09 כָּֽ/עֲרָבָ֔ה kaaravah HRd/Ncfsa like a desert arid plain 2
H6160-12 וַ/עֲרָבָֽה vaaravah HC/Ncfsa and a desert and an arid plain 2
H6160-10 מֵֽ/עַרְבֹ֤ת mearevot HR/Ncfpc from the plains from the arid steppes of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

61 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6160-06 Numbers 22:1 בְּ/עַֽרְב֣וֹת bearevot HR/Ncfpc in the plains of in arid plains of
H6160-06 Numbers 26:3 בְּ/עַֽרְבֹ֣ת bearevot HR/Ncfpc in the plains of in arid plains of
H6160-06 Numbers 26:63 בְּ/עַֽרְבֹ֣ת bearevot HR/Ncfpc in the plains in arid plains of
H6160-03 Numbers 31:12 עַֽרְבֹ֣ת arevot HNcfpc plains arid plains of
H6160-06 Numbers 33:48 בְּ/עַֽרְבֹ֣ת bearevot HR/Ncfpc in the plains in arid plains of
H6160-06 Numbers 33:49 בְּ/עַֽרְבֹ֖ת bearevot HR/Ncfpc in the plains in arid plains of
H6160-06 Numbers 33:50 בְּ/עַֽרְבֹ֣ת bearevot HR/Ncfpc in the plains of in arid plains of
H6160-06 Numbers 35:1 בְּ/עַֽרְבֹ֣ת bearevot HR/Ncfpc in the plains of in arid plains of
H6160-06 Numbers 36:13 בְּ/עַֽרְבֹ֣ת bearevot HR/Ncfpc in the plains of in arid plains of
H6160-04 Deuteronomy 1:1 בָּֽ/עֲרָבָה֩ baaravah HRd/Ncfsa in the Arabah in the arid plain
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