אַרְבַּע (ar.ba)
ar.ba
four
A:NQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N
Word Overview
The word arba is the numeral for four, appearing in its Aramaic form within the Hebrew Bible. It occurs in six verses, primarily located in the books of Daniel and Ezra. In these contexts, it functions as a straightforward count, identifying specific quantities or groups without inherent symbolic weight beyond its numerical value.
As an Aramaism, this spelling reflects the linguistic shift occurring during the exile period when Aramaic became the lingua franca of the Near East. While the Hebrew equivalent is arba’a, the text preserves the Aramaic form to match the surrounding language of the narrative. This consistency helps readers recognize the specific historical and literary setting of these passages.
Translators render this word simply as "four" in English Bibles. Its presence marks the official documents and visions recorded in Daniel and Ezra, grounding the text in the administrative reality of the time. The word serves a descriptive purpose, listing items or people with precision rather than inviting allegorical interpretation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word arba simply means "four." It appears in the Hebrew Bible primarily within the Aramaic sections of Ezra and Daniel. In these texts, it functions as a precise numeral, counting specific groups or items without adding hidden symbolic weight beyond its numerical value.
This straightforward usage grounds the biblical narrative in historical reality. Whether listing sacrifices at the temple dedication or describing visions of kingdoms, the number four provides clarity and order. It reminds us that God’s word is clear, accessible, and rooted in the concrete details of human history.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- four4×
- and/ four2×
- [the] four1×
- [are] four1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/אַרְבַּ֤ע1×
- וְ/אַרְבְּעָ֤ה1×
- אַרְבַּע֙1×
- אַרְבַּ֣ע1×
- אַרְבַּ֛ע1×
- אַרְבַּ֑ע1×
- אַרְבְּעָ֥ה1×
- אַרְבְּעָ֗ה1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:25
He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
This verse uses "four" to count the distinct figures in the fiery furnace, highlighting the miraculous presence of a fourth companion alongside Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
-
Daniel 7:3
Four great animals came up from the sea, different from one another.
Here, "four" identifies the number of great beasts rising from the sea, serving as a literal count in Daniel’s apocalyptic vision of successive empires.
-
Ezra 6:17
They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
The text specifies four hundred lambs for the temple dedication, using the numeral to record the precise quantity of offerings made by the returned exiles.