אַרְאֵלִי (ar.e.li)
ar.e.li
Areli
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The word ar.e.li appears only twice in Scripture, referring to a member of the family line descended from Areli, the eldest son of Gad and grandson of Jacob. In Genesis 46:16, the text lists him among the descendants who traveled to Egypt, establishing his place within the early history of the tribe.
As a proper noun, it identifies a specific individual, but with an article it functions as a gentilic adjective, meaning "of Areli" or "from the family of Areli." This shift allows the term to describe the collective group in Numbers 26:17, where they are counted among the clans of Gad during the wilderness census.
The name Areli itself is traditionally interpreted as "lion of God," a meaning that adds a layer of strength to the family designation. While the word does not carry complex theological weight on its own, it serves as a concrete marker of lineage, preserving the identity of this specific branch of Israel’s twelve tribes in the biblical record.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Areli appears in the Bible as a marker of lineage, representing a specific branch within the tribe of Gad. In Genesis, we see this individual listed among Jacob’s descendants who moved to Egypt, anchoring his story in the early history of Israel. Later, in Numbers, the term shifts to describe the entire family group during the wilderness census, showing how personal identity expands into communal belonging.
While the name itself means 'lion of God,' its primary role in Scripture is to preserve the memory of this clan within the larger narrative of God’s people. For modern readers, these records remind us that every individual and family contributes to the wider story of faith. We are part of a long lineage, connected by blood and promise, even when our specific names are not widely known today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Arelite[s]1×
- of/ Areli1×
- and/ Areli1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְ/אַ֨רְאֵלִ֔י1×
- וְ/אַרְאֵלִֽי\׃1×
- הָ/אַרְאֵלִֽי\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 46:16
The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
This verse identifies Areli as an individual son of Gad, establishing his place in the family that migrated to Egypt.
-
Numbers 26:17
of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites.
Here the word functions as a gentilic adjective, referring to the collective 'family of the Arelites' during the second census.