Lexical Definition
עַרְקִי ʻArqîy (ar-kee') Arkite N:N--PG
patrial from an unused name meaning a tush
Arkite.
- § Arkite = see Arki "gnawing"
- an Arkite or inhabitant of Erek
1) an inhabitant of Arki or Arka
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| הַֽעַרְקִ֖י | the Arkite | Gen.10.17 • 1Chr.1.15 |
| Αρουκαίον | Arkite | LXX.Gen.10.16 |
Extended Information
- Someone descended from Arak of the Canaanites, first mentioned at Gen.10.17 descended from Canaan (כְּנַעַן); along with Sidon (צִידוֹן), Heth (חֵת), Jebusite (יְבוּסִי), Amorite (אֱמֹרִי), Girgashite (גִּרְגָּשִׁי), Hivite (חִוִּי), Sinite (סִינִי), Arvadite (אַרְוָדִי), Zemarite (צְמָרִי) and Hamathite (חֲמָתִי)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
עַרְקִי adjective, of a people Arkite, inhabitant of city ±Ar‡ƒµa (Assyrian Ar‡a COTGlossary DlPa 282, Tel Amarna Ir‡at(a), Egyptian Ar‡antu, compare Assyrian name of a people Ir‡anatai COTGloss, Ency. Bib.i. 310); — only ׳הָע as n.collective Gen 10:17, τὸν Ἀρουκαῖον, = 1Chr 1:15, A id., ᵐ5L τὸν Αρακει: modern ±Ar‡a, near Mediterranean, approximately 60 miles north of Beirut (compare Ency. Bib.l.c.).
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 10:17 |
| 1 Chronicles | 1:15 |
Profile
Group • Canaanites • Canaanite people group descended from Canaan
People from Arak(?)
The Arkites were one of the Canaanite tribes descended from Canaan, the son of Ham, and are mentioned in the Table of Nations.
- People from Arak(?) of the Canaanites, first mentioned at Gen.10.17;
- only referred to as Arkites עַרְקִי;
- descended from Canaan כְּנַעַן along with Sidon צִידוֹן, Heth חֵת, Jebusites יְבוּסִי, Amorites אֱמֹרִי, Girgashites גִּרְגָּשִׁי, Hivites חִוִּי, Sinites סִינִי, Arvadites אַרְוָדִי, Zemarites צְמָרִי and Hamathites חֲמָתִי.
The Arkites were a Canaanite people group mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10 and 1 Chronicles 1. They are listed among the descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham and grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:17; 1 Chr. 1:15).
The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 provides a genealogical record of the spread of Noah's descendants after the Flood, highlighting the various people groups and nations that emerged from them. The Arkites are mentioned alongside other Canaanite tribes, such as the Sidonians, Hivites, and Jebusites, indicating their shared ancestry and geographic proximity in the region of Canaan.
Beyond their inclusion in the Table of Nations, no further information is provided about the Arkites in the biblical text. Their mention serves to demonstrate the diversity of people groups that inhabited the land of Canaan prior to the Israelite conquest under Joshua.
Some scholars suggest that the Arkites may have been associated with the ancient city of Arqa, located in present-day Lebanon, approximately 25 kilometers northeast of Tripoli. However, this connection remains uncertain due to the lack of conclusive historical and archaeological evidence.
The Arkites, along with the other Canaanite tribes, were among the people groups that the Israelites were commanded to dispossess as they entered the Promised Land (Deut. 20:17). The presence of these Canaanite nations underscores the challenges faced by the Israelites as they sought to establish their own nation in obedience to God's covenant promises.
All entries for Arkites: עַרְקִי