עָרַב (a.rav)
a.rav
to grow dark
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb `arav` describes the transition into darkness or evening. In its basic Qal form, it simply means "to become evening" or "to grow dark." This usage appears in poetic contexts where the fading light carries emotional weight. For instance, in Job 17:12, the speaker laments that "all my nights are turned into moaning," using a related root to describe how joy has grown dark as despair sets in.
The Hiphil stem shifts the focus from natural darkness to human action, meaning "to spend the evening" or to perform a task during that time. This sense is prominent in ritual instructions, such as those found in Exodus 29:39 and 41, where offerings are made at morning and evening. Here, `arav` anchors religious duty to the daily rhythm of light and dark, marking specific times for worship rather than describing a mood.
Though rare in Scripture, appearing in only three verses, its meaning is distinct from words that simply mean "night." It captures the active process of dimming or the deliberate act of occupying the evening hours. Translators often render it as "grow dark" or "at evening," preserving the connection between time and action.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word arav captures the quiet transition from light to dark, marking the end of the day’s activity. In Scripture, this shift often carries emotional weight. Isaiah 24:11 uses it to describe how joy fades when darkness falls, reflecting a deep sense of loss and silence in the streets. This imagery reminds us that times of dimming light can mirror seasons where our own spirits feel heavy or uncertain.
Yet this word also anchors daily life in rhythm and routine. In Exodus, it marks the specific time for evening offerings, connecting worship to the natural cycle of day and night. Even in Judges 19, the approach of evening signals a pause, a moment to rest before continuing a journey. These uses show that darkness is not just an end, but a designated time for reflection, duty, or rest.
For your faith, this word invites you to see the value in every season. Whether you are experiencing the clarity of daylight or the stillness of evening, God’s presence remains constant. The transition itself is part of His design, offering space to pause and trust that light will return.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ become evening1×
- it has become evening1×
- and/ [the] evening darkened1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עָֽרְבָה֙1×
- לַ/עֲרֹ֗ב1×
- וְ/הַעֲרֵ֑ב1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 24:11
There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.
This verse uses the word to describe the fading of joy alongside the physical darkening, linking emotional despair with the end of daylight.
-
I Samuel 17:16
The Philistine came near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
Here the term marks the regular rhythm of Goliath’s challenge, appearing at both morning and evening to show the persistent nature of the threat.
-
Judges 19:9
When the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the young lady’s father, said to him, “Behold, now the day draws toward evening, please stay all night. Behold, the day is ending. Stay here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow go on your way early, that you may go home.”
The word signals the practical end of travel time, prompting a decision to stay for safety rather than continue into the night.