אֲרָרַט (a.ra.rat)
a.ra.rat
Ararat
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The proper noun Ararat refers to a mountainous region in eastern Armenia, situated between the Araxes River and the lakes of Van and Urmia. In the Hebrew Bible, it appears only four times, primarily in prophetic books like Jeremiah and Isaiah, as well as in 2 Kings. These passages use the name to denote a distant, powerful kingdom that serves as a symbol of foreign opposition against God’s people.
Lexical sources note that the name is often interpreted etymologically as "the curse reversed" or related to precipitation. This linguistic connection adds a layer of theological weight to its biblical usage. While Genesis 8:4 identifies Ararat as the resting place of Noah’s ark, the later references in Jeremiah and Isaiah shift the focus from salvation history to geopolitical reality. The prophets invoke this distant land to illustrate the far-reaching consequences of judgment, showing that no nation, however remote or mighty, escapes divine sovereignty.
Translators typically retain the name Ararat without attempting to translate its meaning, preserving its identity as a specific geographic and political entity. This consistency helps readers recognize the term across different biblical contexts, whether recalling the ancient flood narrative or confronting the looming threat of Assyrian and Babylonian empires. The word thus anchors both memory and prophecy in a tangible location.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Ararat appears in Scripture as more than just a geographic marker on an ancient map. In Genesis, it is the place of rest after the flood, a tangible sign that God’s judgment has passed and His mercy holds firm. This mountainous region anchors our memory of salvation, reminding us that even in chaotic times, there is a safe harbor prepared by God.
Later, prophets like Jeremiah and Isaiah use Ararat to describe distant empires opposing God’s people. These references highlight the vast reach of divine sovereignty, showing that no power, however far away or mighty, stands outside God’s control. For believers today, this word connects the hope of rescue with the assurance that God governs history. It invites us to trust in His protection, knowing He is both our refuge and the ruler of all nations.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Ararat4×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אֲרָרָ֑ט2×
- אֲרָרָֽט\׃1×
- אֲרָרַ֖ט1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 8:4
The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains.
This verse establishes Ararat as the physical resting place of the ark, marking the end of judgment and the beginning of a new creation.
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II Kings 19:37
As he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son reigned in his place.
Here Ararat is the escape route for assassins, illustrating how geopolitical events unfold under God’s sovereign oversight.
-
Jeremiah 51:27
“Set up a standard in the land! Blow the trumpet among the nations! Prepare the nations against her! Call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz! Appoint a marshal against her! Cause the horses to come up as the swarming locusts!
The prophet calls nations from Ararat to execute judgment, demonstrating that distant powers are instruments of God's will.