Lexical Definition

‎עֲרָבָה‎ ʻărâbâh (ar-aw-baw') Arabah ^N:N--L
from ‎עָרַב‎ (in the sense of sterility)

Arabah, champaign, desert, evening, heaven, plain, wilderness. See also ‎בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה‎.

• a desert
• especially (with the article prefix) the (generally) sterile valley of the Jordan and its continuation to the Red Sea

1) desert plain, steppe, desert, wilderness

See Greek: ἄπειρος · γῆ · διψάω · δυσμή · ἔρημος

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎עֲרָבָה‎₆₁ noun feminine desert-plain, steppe; — absolute ‎׳‎‎ע‎ 2Sam 4:7 +, suffix ‎עַרְבָתָהּ‎ Isa 51:3 plural ‎עֲרָבוֺת‎ Jer 5:6; Ps 68:5*, construct ‎עַרְבוֺת‎ 2Kgs 25:5 +, ‎עַרְבֹת‎ Jer 52:8 —

1. earliest use:
a. arid steppe west of Dead Sea (in southern Judah) 1Sam 23:24, also Ezek 47:8; Isa 51:3, whence name ‎׳‎‎יָם הָע‎ Josh 3:16 (JE) || ‎יָם הַמֶּלַח‎), also 2Kgs 14:25; Deut 4:49, and (|| id.) Deut 3:17; Josh 12:3 (D); ‎נַחַל הָעֲרָבָה‎ Amos 6:14 must be east of Dead Sea, si vera lectio, but read probably ‎מִצְרַיִם‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ see ‎נַחַל‎.
b. Jordan-valley west of river + adjacent plain; near ford (opposite Jericho) 2Sam 2:29, compare Josh 8:14 (JE); also Deut 11:30; 2Kgs 25:4 = Jer 39:4 = Jer 52:7 — 2Sam 15:28; 2Sam 17:16 see ‎עֲבָרָה‎
c. Jordan-valley east of river 2Sam 4:7.

2. in D:
a. especially of east Jordan plain Deut 1:1 (probably) Josh 12:1; Josh 12:3, east half of Jordan-valley Deut 3:17; Deut 4:49 of entire Jordan-valley (between ‎כִּנֶּרֶת‎ and Dead Sea, modern El-Ghôr, the Depression) Deut 1:7; Josh 11:2; Josh 11:16 west Jordan plain only Josh 12:8 depression south of Dead Sea (modern Wady el-`Arabah) Deut 2:8.

3. in P always plural construct ‎עַרְבוֺת מוֺאָב‎ (east Jordan) Num 22:1 + 11 t. (see ‎מוֺאָב‎); ‎עְרֵחוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎ע‎ (West Jordan) Josh 4:13; Josh 5:10, also 2Kgs 25:5 = Jer 39:5 = Jer 52:8.

4. apparently North Arabian desert Isa 40:3; Isa 41:19.

5. in general the steppe (often || ‎מִדְבָּר‎), Jer 17:6; Jer 50:12; Isa 33:9; Isa 35:1; Isa 35:6; Job 24:5; Job 39:6; Ps 68:5* ‎זְאֵב עֲרָבוֺת‎ Jer 5:6 (figurative of invader); compare description of Exodus ‎אֶרֶץ עֲרָבָה‎ ‎וְשׁוּחָה‎ Jer 2:6 in simile, of a plain, of future land of Judah Zech 14:10. — See Dr^{Deut 1:1 and references} Buhl^{Geogr. 111}.

‎עַרְבָתִי‎ see ‎בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה‎

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Arabah • A desert region in the Jordan Valley and southward.

The Arabah, a desert plain extending from the Sea of Galilee to the Gulf of Aqaba.

• A location first mentioned at Deu.1.1;
• referred to as Arabah or "desert" (KJV= "wilderness," NIV= Arabah) or "plain" (NIV= Arabah) עֲרָבָה.
  

The Arabah, also known as the desert or plain, is a geographic region mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament. It refers to the elongated depression that runs from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the Gulf of Aqaba in the south, including the Jordan Valley and the area south of the Dead Sea.

In the book of Deuteronomy, the Arabah is mentioned in the context of Moses' farewell address to the Israelites, recounting their journey from Horeb (Sinai) to the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 1:1, 7; 2:8). The Arabah is described as part of the route they took and as a region they passed through.

The Arabah is also mentioned in the book of Joshua as a reference point for the boundaries of the tribal allotments (Joshua 11:16; 12:1, 3, 8; 18:18). It served as a natural border between the territories of the tribes settling in Canaan.

In the historical books, the Arabah is associated with events such as David's flight from Absalom (2 Samuel 2:29; 4:7) and the escape of King Zedekiah from Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion (2 Kings 25:4; Jeremiah 39:4; 52:7).

The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel mention the Arabah in their prophecies. Isaiah speaks of the Arabah as a place of desolation (Isaiah 33:9), while Ezekiel envisions a future restoration where the waters flowing from the temple will bring life to the Arabah (Ezekiel 47:8).

The Arabah's arid climate and sparse vegetation make it a challenging environment. However, its strategic location along trade routes and its unique geological features, such as the Dead Sea, have made it a significant region throughout biblical history.

All entries for Arabah or desert or plain: עֲרָבָה