אַרְיֵה (ar.yeh)
ar.yeh
Arieh
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Aryeh appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, recorded in 2 Kings 15:25 as the father of Zechariah’s assassin, Shallum. The lexicon data identifies him simply as an officer serving under King Pekahiah during the turbulent era of the Divided Monarchy. His brief mention anchors a specific historical moment rather than offering a theological narrative.
Linguistically, the word Aryeh translates directly to "lion." This name was not uncommon in ancient Israel, reflecting the cultural respect for strength and courage associated with the animal. However, in this specific instance, the etymology provides no additional symbolic weight; the text uses it strictly as a proper noun to identify a historical figure involved in the political violence of the time.
The scarcity of references highlights how many individuals from this period are known only by name. Unlike figures such as David or Elijah, Aryeh leaves no recorded words or deeds beyond his familial connection to Shallum. The entry serves as a reminder of the numerous unnamed participants in biblical history whose lives intersected with major prophetic and royal events.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Aryeh means lion, a symbol of strength and courage in the ancient world. In the Bible, it appears only once as the name of a father in 2 Kings 15:25. This brief mention reminds us that history is made up of many individuals whose stories are not fully recorded.
Even when we do not know the full details of someone’s life, their presence in Scripture shows that God sees every person. We can take comfort in knowing that our own lives, no matter how quiet or ordinary they may seem, are part of a larger story that matters to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- <the>/ Arieh1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָ/אַרְיֵ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 15:25
Pekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him and attacked him in Samaria, in the fortress of the king’s house, with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites. He killed him, and reigned in his place.
This verse identifies Aryeh as the father of Shallum, anchoring his name in a specific moment of political violence during the Divided Monarchy.