Lexical Definition

‎אָרוֹן‎ ʼârôwn (aw-rone') ark ^H:N-M
or אָרֹן ʼârôn (aw-rone'); from ‎אָרָה‎ (in the sense of gathering)

ark, chest, coffin.

• a box

1) chest, ark
1a) money chest
1b) Ark of the Covenant
2)(TWOT) coffin

See Greek: ἅγιον · γλωσσόκομον · κιβωτός · σορός

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎אֲרוֺן‎, with article ‎הָאָרוֺן‎, ‎הָאָרֹן‎₂₀₃ noun masculine^{Exod 35:12} (feminine^{1Sam 4:17; 2Chr 8:11}) chest, ark (Phoenician ‎ארן‎, sarcophagus, Assyrian êrênu (& êrû) chest Zim^{BP 6, 22}, Arabic , chest, so Aramaic , also Nabataean ‎ארנא‎, Vog^{p. 102, Phoenician}; Mishna also plural ‎ארונות‎) — only singular; absolute ‎אֲרוֺן‎ 2Kgs 12:10* = 2Chr 24:8 with article ‎הָאָרוֺן‎ Deut 10:2 + always except Exodus Leviticus Numbers where ‎הָאָרֹן‎ (Exod 25:14 (twice in verse) + 13 t. Exodus; Lev 16:2; Num 3:31; Num 10:35); construct ‎אֲרוֺן‎Exod 25:10 +, ‎אֲרֹן‎ Exod 30:6; Num 4:5; Num 7:89 —

1. chest, for money-offerings 2Kgs 12:10*; 2Kgs 12:11*; 2Chr 24:8; 2Chr 24:10; 2Chr 24:11 (twice in verse).

2. sarcophagus, mummy-case of Joseph Gen 50:26 (E).

3. chest, ark in tabernacle & temple, containing tables of law, with cherubim above, the especially seat of ‎׳‎‎י‎ among his people, only Hexateuch (71 t.) Samuel (61 t.) Kings (12 t.) & Chronicles (48 t.) + Judg 20:27; Jer 3:16; Ps 132:8 used alone & in various combinations (compare Seyring^{ZAW 1891, 114 f.}).
a. indefinite ‎אֲרוֺן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים‎ an ark of shittim-wood Exod 25:10; Deut 10:3 compare vDeut 10:1.
b. def. ‎׳‎‎הָא‎ Exod 25:14 + 54 t. (Hexateuch P, except Joshua J E; Samuel Kings Chronicles).
c. ‎יהוה‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Josh 4:11 + 32 t. Joshua (J E D) Samuel Kings Chronicles.
d. ‎׳‎‎א‎ ‎אֱלֹהִים‎ 1Sam 3:3; 1Sam 4:11 ‎הָאֱלֹהִים‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎1Sam 4:13 + 32 t. Samuel, Chronicles (but 1Sam 14:18 (twice in verse) read ‎הָאֵפוֺד‎ ᵐ5 We Dr), compare ‎אֱלֹהֵינוּ‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 1Chr 13:3.
e. ‎אלהי יִשְׂרָאֵל‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 1Sam 5:7 + 6 t. Samuel, term used only by Philistines; ‎יהוה אלהי יִשְׂרָאֵל‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 1Chr 15:12; 1Chr 15:14 ‎יהוה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Josh 4:5 (JE); ‎׳‎‎א‎ ‎אֲדֹנָי יהוה‎ 1Kgs 2:26 ‎יחוה אֲדוֺן כָּלהָֿאָרֶץ‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Josh 3:13 (J E D) compare ‎אדון כלהֿארץ‎ [‎הברית‎] ‎׳‎‎א‎ vJosh 3:11, where ‎הברית‎ (with article) is probably interpolated, see Di; only once & late the long phrase ‎האלהים יהוה יוֺשֵׁב‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ ‎הַכְּרוּבִים אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָאשֵֿׁם‎ 1Chr 13:6. feminine in combination with ‎בְּרִית‎, largely D & under D's influence; ‎ארון הַבְּרִית‎ ark of the covenant Josh 3:6 (twice in verse); Josh 3:8; Josh 4:9; Josh 6:6 (all J E D); ‎בְּרִית יהוה‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Num 10:33; Num 14:44 (both J) Deut 10:8; Deut 31:9; Deut 31:25; Josh 4:7; Josh 4:18; Josh 6:8; Josh 8:33; Jer 3:16 + 17 t. Samuel Kings Chronicles; once longer ‎צְבָאוֺת ישֵׁב הַכְּרֻבִים‎ ‎׳‎‎בְּרִית י‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 1Sam 4:4 also ‎בְּרִית הָאֱלֹהִים‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Judg 20:27; 1Sam 4:4; 2Sam 15:24; 1Chr 16:6 & ‎אלהיכם‎ ‎׳‎‎בְּרִית א‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Deut 31:26; Josh 3:3.
g. ‎אֲרוֺן הָעֵדוּת‎ ark of the testimony, only in P, corresponding to ‎בְּרִית‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ (compare Di on Exod 25:16), Exod 25:22 + 8 t. Exodus; Num 4:5; Num 7:84; Josh 4:16.
h. ‎הַקֹּדֶשׁ‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 2Chr 35:3.
i. ‎עֻזֶּךָ֑‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ the ark of thy strength 2Chr 6:41; Ps 132:8. — (compare also tables given by Seyring^{l.c. & his theory as to earliest designation of ark}.)

‎אַרְנֶ֫בֶת‎ see ‎אנב‎. ‎ארניה‎ see ‎אֲרַוְנָה‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References