אֶרֶץ (H776) — Hebrew Lexicon

אֶרֶץ

𐤀𐤓𐤑

ʼerets

H776 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Physical ground, earth, or land; refers to soil or terrain, as well as to a specific territory, region, or country. In broader contexts, can denote the inhabited world or the entirety of the earth, in contrast to the heavens. Semantic range includes the literal earth’s surface, a portion of the earth as a land or country (often with reference to named territories, such as the land of Egypt or the land of Canaan), and, in more abstract senses, the general concept of the earth as the habitation or realm of humanity.

Semantic Range

earth (planet), land (as territory or country), region, ground, soil, dry land (in contrast to sea), inhabited world, field, area under control or possession, world as opposed to heavens

Root / Etymology

Root/Etymology: Root: ארץ (ʼ-r-ts). The precise verbal form is not attested in extant Hebrew; tradition and comparative Semitics suggest a root meaning related to 'firmness, solidity,' but this remains uncertain and many modern lexicons note the root as unused. The noun אֶרֶץ developed to mean both the earth (as ground or planet) and a specific land or territory.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אֶרֶץ refers diversely to the general earth (e.g., Gen 1:1 'the earth and the heavens'), to particular territories ('land of Egypt'), to a region or country inhabited by a people group, or more broadly as the entire realm opposed to the heavenly domain. The distinction between ׳erets (land/earth) and related terms such as אֲדָמָה (adamah, soil, cultivated ground) is noteworthy: while אֲדָמָה stresses the arable, life-giving soil and has particular theological associations with the human (adam) formed from dust, אֶרֶץ emphasizes spatial extent, geography, and, often, political or cultural boundaries. In later biblical periods (especially post-exilic), אֶרֶץ could also function somewhat abstractly, as in the phrase אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (the land of Israel), which begins to carry connotations of collective homeland. English translations may render אֶרֶץ as 'earth,' 'land,' 'country,' or occasionally 'ground' or 'world,' depending on context; no single English term captures the full semantic range. In poetic and prophetic literature, it may carry cosmological or eschatological overtones.

Translation Consistency

primary "land" 15 occurrences

'Land' is the most natural, common rendering of אֶרֶץ in biblical contexts (covers territory, country, region, and ground) and is by far the most frequent choice in existing P2 renderings. It fits the typical usage (the land of Canaan, the land/ground, lands) while still allowing broader senses (the inhabited world) to be expressed contextually. Using 'land' maximizes consistency and natural English.

Alternatives (35 occurrences):

"earth" (35x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.

Bantu Hebrew

Language	Bantu Word	Transliteration	Meaning
Yoruba	Ayé		the world, the earth

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Root Family

ארץ (Aretsa) — to be firm, to be solid (root-level; uncertain)

Root ארץ to be firm, to be solid (root-level; uncertain)

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H777	אַרְצָא	Artsa

Word Forms

62 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H776-26`	הָ/אָ֔רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the land	the earth	the land	935
`H776-24`	אֶֽרֶץ	erets	`HNcbsc`	land	land	land	379
`H776-23`	בְּ/אֶ֣רֶץ	beerets	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the land	in land	in land	229
`H776-41`	מֵ/אֶ֥רֶץ	meerets	`HR/Ncbsc`	from the land	from land	from land	158
`H776-13`	בָּ/אָֽרֶץ	baarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	in the land	in the land	in the land	155
`H776-02`	אָ֑רֶץ	arets	`HNcbsa`	earth	land	land	110
`H776-03`	אָֽרְצָ/ה	aretsah	`HNcbsa/Sd`	to the ground	earthward	to the land	93
`H776-31`	לָ/אָ֥רֶץ	laarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	to the ground	to the land	to the land	51
`H776-25`	הָֽ/אֲרָצ֑וֹת	haaratsot	`HTd/Ncbpa`	the lands	the lands	the lands	47
`H776-54`	בָ/אָ֗רֶץ	vaarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	in the land	in the land	in the land	45
`H776-61`	וְ/הָ/אָ֨רֶץ֙	vehaarets	`HC/Td/Ncbsa`	and the land	and the earth	and the land	38
`H776-10`	אַרְצֽ/וֹ	aretso	`HNcbsc/Sp3ms`	his land	his land	his land	32
`H776-04`	אַרְצָ/ם֙	aretsam	`HNcbsc/Sp3mp`	their land	their land	their land	24
`H776-05`	אַרְצְ/ךָ֔	aretsekha	`HNcbsc/Sp2ms`	your land	your land	your land	18
`H776-60`	בְ/אֶֽרֶץ	veerets	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the land	land-of	and land-of	18
`H776-12`	בַּ/אֲרָצ֑וֹת	baaratsot	`HR/Ncbpa`	in-lands	in the lands	in the lands	12
`H776-07`	אַרְצְ/כֶֽם	aretsekhem	`HNcbsc/Sp2mp`	your land	your land	your land	11
`H776-09`	אַרְצִֽ/י	aretsi	`HNcbsc/Sp1cs`	my land	my land	my land	11
`H776-14`	בְּ/אַרְצָֽ/ם	bearetsam	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp3mp`	in their land	in their land	in their land	10
`H776-34`	לְ/אַרְצ֗/וֹ	learetso	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms`	to his land	to his land	to his land	10
`H776-15`	בְּ/אַרְצֶ֡/ךָ	bearetsekha	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp2ms`	in your land	in your land	in your land	8
`H776-17`	בְּ/אַרְצְ/כֶ֔ם	bearetsekhem	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp2mp`	in your land	in your land	in your land	7
`H776-39`	מֵֽ/אַרְצ֑/וֹ	mearetso	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms`	from his land	from his land	from his land	7
`H776-49`	וּ/מֵ/אֶ֥רֶץ	umeerets	`HC/R/Ncbsc`	and from the land	and from land	and from the land	7
`H776-50`	וּ/בָ/אָ֑רֶץ	uvaarets	`HC/Rd/Ncbsa`	and-in the earth	and in the land	and in the land	7
`H776-01`	אֲרָצֽוֹת	aratsot	`HNcbpa`	lands	lands	lands	5
`H776-42`	מֵ/הָ/אָֽרֶץ	mehaarets	`HR/Td/Ncbsa`	from the ground	from the land	from the ground	5
`H776-52`	וּ/בְ/אֶ֣רֶץ	uveerets	`HC/R/Ncbsc`	and in the land	and in the land	and in the land	5
`H776-56`	בְ/אַרְצֶ֔/ךָ	vearetsekha	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp2ms`	through your land	in your land	and in your land	5
`H776-19`	בְּ/אַרְצִ֑/י	bearetsi	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp1cs`	in my land	in my land	in my land	4
`H776-28`	כְּ/אֶ֣רֶץ	keerets	`HR/Ncbsc`	as [a] land	as land	as land	4
`H776-35`	לְ/אֶ֨רֶץ֙	leerets	`HR/Ncbsc`	of the land	to the land	to the land	4
`H776-06`	אַרְצֵ֖/ךְ	aretsekhe	`HNcbsc/Sp2fs`	your land	your land	your land	3
`H776-11`	אַרְצ֣וֹת	aretsot	`HNcbpc`	lands	lands of	lands of	3
`H776-20`	בְּ/אַרְצֽ/וֹ	bearetso	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms`	in his own land	in his land	in his land	3
`H776-21`	בְּ/אַרְצֹ֖ת	bearetsot	`HR/Ncbpc`	in the lands	in lands of	in lands of	3
`H776-22`	בְּ/אַרְצֹתָ֔/ם	bearetsotam	`HR/Ncbpc/Sp3mp`	in their lands	in their lands	in their lands	3
`H776-58`	בְ/אַרְצֵ֗/נוּ	vearetsenu	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp1cp`	and-our-land	our land	into our land	3
`H776-08`	אַרְצֵ֜/נוּ	aretsenu	`HNcbsc/Sp1cp`	of our land	our land	our land	2
`H776-18`	בְּ/אַרְצֵֽ/נוּ	bearetsenu	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp1cp`	in our land	in our land	in our land	2
`H776-27`	כְּ/אַרְצְ/כֶ֗ם	kearetsekhem	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp2mp`	like your land	like your land	like your land	2
`H776-29`	כָ/אָ֨רֶץ֙	khaarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	like-the-ground	like the earth	like the land	2
`H776-32`	לְ/אַרְצָ֖/הּ	learetsah	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp3fs`	to-land-her	to her land	to her land	2
`H776-33`	לְ/אַרְצֶ֔/ךָ	learetsekha	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp2ms`	for your land	to your land	to your land	2
`H776-36`	מֵ/אָֽרֶץ	mearets	`HR/Ncbsa`	from earth	from earth	from land	2
`H776-38`	מֵֽ/אַרְצְ/ךָ֛	mearetsekha	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp2ms`	from your land	from your land	from your land	2
`H776-45`	וּ/לְ/אַרְצֵ/ךְ֙	ulearetsekhe	`HC/R/Ncbsc/Sp2fs`	and to your land	and to your land	and to your land	2
`H776-16`	בְּ/אַרְצֵ֔/ךְ	bearetsekhe	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp2fs`	in your land	in your land	in your land	1
`H776-30`	כְ/אֶ֤רֶץ	kheerets	`HR/Ncbsc`	like the land	like the earth	like the land	1
`H776-37`	מֵֽ/אַרְצָ֔/ם	mearetsam	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp3mp`	of their land	from their land	from their land	1
`H776-40`	מֵֽ/אַרְצ֖וֹת	mearetsot	`HR/Ncbpc`	from lands	from lands	from lands	1
`H776-43`	ארץ	rts	`HNcbsa`	of-earth	earth-land	earth	1
`H776-44`	וּ/לְ/אַרְצָ֑/ם	ulearetsam	`HC/R/Ncbsc/Sp3mp`	which	and to their land	and to their land	1
`H776-46`	וּ/לְ/אַרְצִֽ/י	ulearetsi	`HC/R/Ncbsc/Sp1cs`	and to my country	and to my land	and to my land	1
`H776-47`	וּֽ/מֵ/אֲרָצ֗וֹת	umearatsot	`HC/R/Ncbpa`	and from the lands	and from lands	and from lands	1
`H776-48`	וּ/מֵ/אַרְצ֖/וֹ	umearetso	`HC/R/Ncbsc/Sp3ms`	and from his land	and from his land	and from his land	1
`H776-51`	וּֽ/בְ/אַרְצְ/כֶ֖ם	uvearetsekhem	`HC/R/Ncbsc/Sp2mp`	and in your land	and in your land	and in your land	1
`H776-53`	בַ/אֲרָצ֖וֹת	vaaratsot	`HR/Ncbpa`	into-the-lands	in the lands	into the lands	1
`H776-55`	וְ/אַ֣רְצָ/ה	vearetsah	`HC/Ncbsc/Sd`	and-land-of	and toward land-of	and land of her	1
`H776-57`	וְ/אַרְצֵ֖/ךְ	vearetsekhe	`HC/Ncbsc/Sp2fs`	and your land	and your land	and your land	1
`H776-59`	בְ/אַרְצֽ/וֹ	vearetso	`HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms`	in his land	in his land	in his land	1
`H776-62`	וְ/לָ/אָ֣רֶץ	velaarets	`HC/Rd/Ncbsa`	and-for-the-land	and to the land	and to the land	1

Occurrences in Scripture

2505 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:1	הָ/אָֽרֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-61`	Genesis 1:2	וְ/הָ/אָ֗רֶץ	vehaarets	`HC/Td/Ncbsa`	and the earth	and the earth	and the earth
`H776-24`	Genesis 1:10	אֶ֔רֶץ	erets	`HNcbsa`	Earth	land	land
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:11	הָ/אָ֨רֶץ֙	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:11	הָ/אָ֑רֶץ	haarets-2	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:12	הָ/אָ֜רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:15	הָ/אָ֑רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:17	הָ/אָֽרֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:20	הָ/אָ֔רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-13`	Genesis 1:22	בָּ/אָֽרֶץ	baarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	on the earth	in the land	in the land
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:24	הָ/אָ֜רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-24`	Genesis 1:24	אֶ֖רֶץ	erets	`HNcbsa`	of the earth	land	land
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:25	הָ/אָ֜רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:26	הָ/אָ֔רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:26	הָ/אָֽרֶץ	haarets-2	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:28	הָ/אָ֖רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:28	הָ/אָֽרֶץ	haarets-2	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:29	הָ/אָ֔רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:30	הָ֠/אָרֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 1:30	הָ/אָ֗רֶץ	haarets-2	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-61`	Genesis 2:1	וְ/הָ/אָ֖רֶץ	vehaarets	`HC/Td/Ncbsa`	and the earth	and the earth	and the earth
`H776-61`	Genesis 2:4	וְ/הָ/אָ֖רֶץ	vehaarets	`HC/Td/Ncbsa`	and the earth	and the earth	and the earth
`H776-24`	Genesis 2:4	אֶ֥רֶץ	erets	`HNcbsa`	earth	land	land
`H776-54`	Genesis 2:5	בָ/אָ֔רֶץ	vaarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	in the earth	in the land	in the land
`H776-26`	Genesis 2:5	הָ/אָ֔רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 2:6	הָ/אָ֑רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-24`	Genesis 2:11	אֶ֣רֶץ	erets	`HNcbsc`	land	land	land
`H776-26`	Genesis 2:12	הָ/אָ֥רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	of the land	the earth	of the land
`H776-24`	Genesis 2:13	אֶ֥רֶץ	erets	`HNcbsc`	land	land	land
`H776-54`	Genesis 4:12	בָ/אָֽרֶץ	vaarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	on the earth	in the land	in the land
`H776-13`	Genesis 4:14	בָּ/אָ֔רֶץ	baarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	on the earth	in the land	in the land
`H776-23`	Genesis 4:16	בְּ/אֶֽרֶץ	beerets	`HR/Ncbsc`	in the land of	in land	in land
`H776-54`	Genesis 6:4	בָ/אָרֶץ֮	vaarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	on the earth	in the land	in the land
`H776-13`	Genesis 6:5	בָּ/אָ֑רֶץ	baarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	on the earth	in the land	in the land
`H776-13`	Genesis 6:6	בָּ/אָ֑רֶץ	baarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	on the earth	in the land	in the land
`H776-26`	Genesis 6:11	הָ/אָ֖רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 6:11	הָ/אָ֖רֶץ	haarets-2	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 6:12	הָ/אָ֖רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 6:12	הָ/אָֽרֶץ	haarets-2	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 6:13	הָ/אָ֛רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 6:13	הָ/אָֽרֶץ	haarets-2	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 6:17	הָ/אָ֔רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-13`	Genesis 6:17	בָּ/אָ֖רֶץ	baarets	`HRd/Ncbsa`	on the earth	in the land	in the land
`H776-26`	Genesis 7:3	הָ/אָֽרֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 7:4	הָ/אָ֔רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 7:6	הָ/אָֽרֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 7:10	הָ/אָֽרֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 7:12	הָ/אָ֑רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 7:14	הָ/אָ֖רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth
`H776-26`	Genesis 7:17	הָ/אָ֑רֶץ	haarets	`HTd/Ncbsa`	the earth	the earth	the earth

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