תַּעֲרֻבָה (ta.a.ru.vah)
ta.a.ru.vah
security
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun ta‘aruvah refers to a pledge, surety, or hostage given as security for an obligation. It appears only twice in the Old Testament, both within historical accounts of political negotiations and military conflicts.
In 2 Kings 16:8 and 2 Chronicles 28:20, the term describes tribute or hostages handed over to Assyria. These passages illustrate a stark reality where vulnerable nations offered people or valuable items as collateral to avoid destruction. The word underscores the heavy cost of political survival, turning human lives into guarantees of safety.
While modern English translations often render it as "tribute" or "security," the underlying concept is tangible and personal. It reflects an ancient legal practice where trust was enforced through physical possession rather than written contracts. This usage highlights the precarious nature of international relations in the ancient Near East, where security was measured in hostages rather than treaties.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ta‘aruvah describes a pledge or hostage given as security for an obligation. In the Old Testament, it appears only twice, both in accounts of political negotiation where vulnerable nations offered people or valuables to Assyria to avoid destruction. This stark reality shows how trust was enforced through physical possession rather than written contracts.
While modern translations often render this word as 'tribute' or 'security,' the underlying concept is deeply personal and tangible. It reflects a time when international relations were precarious, and safety was measured in hostages rather than treaties. For us today, it highlights the heavy cost of survival and the fragility of human guarantees.
Yet, this historical context reminds us that true security does not come from political maneuvering or collateral. Instead, it points to a deeper need for a foundation that cannot be taken away. We find that stability in God's faithfulness, which remains constant even when earthly powers shift.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ pledges2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/תַּֽעֲרֻב֑וֹת2×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 14:14
He took all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in Yahweh’s house and in the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
This verse records the taking of hostages as part of the tribute paid to Israel, illustrating how ta‘aruvah functioned as a tangible guarantee in ancient political agreements.
-
II Chronicles 25:24
He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in God’s house with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.
Here, the term appears again in the context of Judah's defeat, showing how the loss of security through hostages was a direct consequence of military failure and divine judgment.