עָרִיף
𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤐
ʻârîyph
H6183 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
(poetic) The sky or heavens, especially as perceived as a visible dome over the earth, often with an emphasis on its lowering or drooping toward the horizon; carries the nuance of the atmospheric expanse or the visible firmament, particularly as associated with the bringing of rain or dew.
Semantic Range
sky, heavens, visible expanse, firmament (specifically as the source of rain or dew); poetic designation for the sky as 'drooping' or 'lowering' at the horizon
Root / Etymology
From the root ערף, meaning 'to drip, drop, trickle,' often used in the context of moisture descending (as in rain or dew). עָרִיף is derived from this root and, by extension, refers to the sky or heavens as the source from which moisture descends.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term עָרִיף is rare and poetic, occurring only in Deuteronomy 33:28. It depicts the sky not in the scientific sense, but as perceived in ancient Israelite poetry—the grand expanse above from which water descends to fertilize the land. This differs from more common Hebrew words for sky or heaven, such as שָׁמַיִם (shamayim), which may more generally refer to the heavens, the abode of deities, or the visible sky. In translation traditions, עָרִיף is often rendered as 'heaven' or 'sky,' but its etymological connection to dripping or pouring underscores the ancient Near Eastern understanding of the sky as a source of life-giving moisture. Its usage is confined to poetic description and does not carry the theological connotations of later terms referring to the divine abode or afterlife.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עָרַף; the sky (as dropping at the horizon); heaven.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ערף (ʿ-r-p) — to drip, to drop, to pour
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6201 | עָרַף | they will break the neck |
| H6202 | עָרַף | neck-broken (feminine) |
| H6203 | עֹרֶף | their nape |
| H6204 | עׇרְפָּה | Orpah |
| H6205 | עֲרָפֶל | dense gloom |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6183-01 |
בַּ/עֲרִיפֶֽי/הָ | baarifeyha | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3fs |
in its clouds | in her dripping-skies | in its clouds | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6183-01 |
Isaiah 5:30 | בַּ/עֲרִיפֶֽי/הָ | baarifeyha | HR/Ncmpc/Sp3fs |
in its clouds | in her dripping-skies | in its clouds |