אַרְוָדִי (ar.va.di)
ar.va.di
Arvadite
N:N--PGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--PG
Word Overview
The noun arvaḏî identifies an Arvadite, a person descended from Arvad, one of the sons of Canaan listed in Genesis 10:18. This gentilic adjective functions as a simple ethnic label, distinguishing members of this specific group within the broader catalog of Canaanite nations.
Its occurrence is extremely limited, appearing only twice in Scripture, notably in the genealogical records of Genesis and 1 Chronicles 1:15-18. The name Arvad itself is interpreted as meaning "I shall break loose," likely referencing the island city-state of Arwad off the coast of modern-day Syria. By including this term alongside neighbors like the Sidonians and Hittites, the biblical text preserves a precise historical map of the ancient Near Eastern peoples known to Israel.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Arvadite appears in Scripture as a simple ethnic label for descendants of Arvad, a grandson of Canaan. These brief genealogical lists in Genesis and Chronicles serve to map the ancient world known to Israel, preserving the identity of small but distinct groups like those from the island city-state of Arwad. This attention to detail shows that God remembers every people group, no matter how small or distant.
For your faith, this reminds us that history is not random. Every family and nation has a place in the divine record. When you read these names, you are seeing the breadth of human diversity under God’s sovereign care. It encourages a sense of belonging to a larger story where every lineage matters.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Arvadite[s]2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָֽ/אַרְוָדִ֥י1×
- הָ/אַרְוָדִ֥י1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 10:18
the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad.
This verse places the Arvadites within the broader family of Canaan, showing their specific place in the post-Flood population spread.
-
I Chronicles 1:16
the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
The Chronicler repeats this list to affirm the historical continuity of Israel’s ancestors and their neighbors during the return from exile.