אַרְצָא
𐤀𐤓𐤑𐤀
Aretsa
H777 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name denoting an individual, Artsa (or Arza), identified as a personal name in biblical genealogies; likely rooted in a reference to the land ('ground, territory'), indicating familial, geographic, or perhaps social connection to the land. The base meaning ties to 'earthiness' or association with the land, but as a personal name, the meaning is less literal and functions as a designation rather than a descriptive term.
Semantic Range
proper personal name, associated with the land; figurative connection to 'land', as in origin or association; as a personal name, does not retain the generic meaning of 'earth' or 'ground'
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root א־ר־ץ (ארץ), meaning 'land, earth, ground.' The suffix -ָא may signal a proper noun formation, possibly to indicate origin, association, or possession. The root denotes 'to be firm, land, ground,' but the named individual carries an associative rather than verbal meaning. Etymology follows standard patterns for forming proper names, though the motivation for the specific name is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name אַרְצָא occurs in the Hebrew Bible as a personal name, notably in 1 Kings 16:9, identifying an Israelite (or Judahite) royal steward in the northern kingdom during the divided monarchy. The underlying root is the common noun for land or earth (אֶרֶץ), frequently used for both territory/land and the inhabited earth at large. As a proper name in the biblical context, it likely signals an ancestral or geographic association, possibly inferring birth or origin from some land/territory, or simply expressing hoped-for qualities (steadfastness, connection to land). The English translation sometimes renders the name as 'Arza.' In modern usage, the KJV and later translations use 'Arza,' which may obscure its connection to the underlying noun. There is no evidence that the name carried explicitly religious or ethnic overtones beyond geographical origin or familial naming customs of the time. Unlike later periods, in the monarchic narrative context, this name would not have carried the connotations later attached to Judean or Israelite identity under Greco-Roman influence. The name does not appear with descriptive titles or explanations, and is distinct from generic terms for 'earth' or 'land' in descriptive or poetic contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אֶרֶץ; earthiness; Artsa, an Israelite; Arza.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ) — firmness, land, earth, ground, territory
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H776 | אֶרֶץ | lands |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H777-01 |
אַרְצָ֔א | aretsa | HNp |
of Arza | Artsa | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H777-01 |
1 Kings 16:9 | אַרְצָ֔א | aretsa | HNp |
of Arza | Artsa |