אֲרָב
a.rav
Arab
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Analysis of אֲרָב (Arab) Based on the lexical data provided, אֲרָב (transliterated as *a.rav*) is a Hebrew word with a straightforward semantic field: it denotes "Arab." The term appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, which indicates it represents a relatively uncommon reference in biblical literature. The singular occurrence of this word suggests that direct biblical engagement with the designation "Arab" was limited. Rather than being a frequently invoked term, it represents a specific historical or cultural reference point within the biblical text. The word itself is a straightforward ethnographic identifier, used to designate a particular people or group, without apparent metaphorical or abstract extension in biblical usage. Given its minimal occurrence, this term likely reflects a point of contact between the Israelite world and Arabian peoples, captured at a specific moment within the biblical narrative. The lexical entry provides no indication of expanded usage patterns, rhetorical significance, or theological development around this word, making it primarily a historical marker rather than a term of theological or literary prominence in the Hebrew scriptures.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence across the text