עֲרָבָה (a.ra.vah)
a.ra.vah
Arabah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 55 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun araḇah refers to an arid, sterile region or desert plain. Its root sense conveys dryness and lack of fertility, describing landscapes that are harsh and unforgiving. In the Old Testament, it most frequently identifies the specific geographical depression known as the Jordan Valley, which stretches from the Sea of Galilee down to the Red Sea.
When used with the definite article, ha-araḇah, it points to this low-lying rift valley containing the Dead Sea. This area serves as a major landmark in biblical narratives, appearing in contexts ranging from the Israelites’ encampments in Numbers to the flight of King David in 2 Samuel 15:28. The term also appears in poetic passages to describe vast, empty spaces, such as the heavens or barren fields.
Translators often render araḇah as "plain," "desert," or "wilderness" depending on the context. While it shares some semantic ground with words for general wilderness, araḇah is distinct in its association with this specific tectonic valley. Its usage highlights the stark contrast between the fertile highlands of Israel and the dry, sun-scorched lowlands below, a geographical feature that shaped ancient travel and military strategy.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word arabah points to the stark, sun-scorched rift valley that stretches from the Sea of Galilee down to the Dead Sea. In the ancient world this was a place of harsh heat and little water, yet it also served as a major route for travel and trade. When the Israelites camped in the plains of Moab or crossed the Jordan at Jericho, they were standing in this specific geographical depression. It reminds us that God’s people have always walked through difficult terrain to reach the promises He has given.
Even in its dryness, the arabah becomes a place of encounter. Moses spoke the Law here before entering the land. Joshua led the army across the river at Jericho. David fled through these valleys when danger arose. The landscape does not change God’s presence; instead, it highlights how He guides His people through the most barren stretches of life. We can trust that He is with us in our own arabah seasons, leading us toward rest and purpose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 55 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Arabah14×
- in/ [the] plains of12×
- in the/ desert plain6×
- in the/ Arabah3×
- in/ [the] desert plains of2×
- and/ the/ Arabah2×
- and/ in the/ Arabah2×
- and/ a desert plain2×
- [the] plains of2×
- [the] desert plain2×
- the/ desert plain1×
- the/ Arabah/ towards1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּ/עַֽרְבֹ֣ת7×
- בְּ/עַֽרְב֣וֹת4×
- הָ/עֲרָבָֽה\׃3×
- הָ/עֲרָבָ֑ה3×
- הָ/עֲרָבָ֖ה2×
- בָּֽ/עֲרָבָ֔ה2×
- בָּ/עֲרָבָ֔ה2×
- עַֽרְבֹ֣ת1×
- עַֽרְב֥וֹת1×
- עֲרָבוֹת֙1×
- עֲרָבָ֥ה1×
- עֲרָבָ֤ה1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 1:7
Turn, and take your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the places near there: in the Arabah, in the hill country, in the lowland, in the South, by the seashore, in the land of the Canaanites, and in Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.
Moses lists the Arabah as a key region to possess, showing how this valley was central to God's instruction for entering the Promised Land.
-
Joshua 3:16
the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people passed over near Jericho.
The waters of the Jordan stopped flowing into the sea of the Arabah, demonstrating God’s power to make a path through an impossible barrier.
-
Deuteronomy 34:8
The children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses were ended.
Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab, marking the end of an era and the transition of leadership in this significant location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word araḇah mean?
Why is the Arabah important in the Old Testament?
How is araḇah different from other words for wilderness?
Every Occurrence (55 verses across 11 books)
Numbers 9 verses
The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.
Numbers 26:3Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
Numbers 26:63These are those who were counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who counted the children of Israel in the plains of…
Numbers 31:12They brought the captives with the prey and the plunder, to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation…
Numbers 33:48They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
Numbers 33:49They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.
Numbers 33:50Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
Numbers 35:1Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
Numbers 36:13These are the commandments and the ordinances which Yahweh commanded by Moses to the children of Israel in the plains…