אָרוֹן
𐤀𐤓𐤅𐤍
ʼârôwn
H727 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A container or chest, typically large and often constructed of wood. Most prominently, it refers to the sacred chest known as the 'ark of the covenant' that held the tablets of the covenant in Israelite tradition. In other narrative or ritual contexts, it can refer to a chest for storage or, in one instance, a coffin.
Semantic Range
chest, box, container for sacred objects (ark of the covenant), coffin, chest for offerings, storage chest
Root / Etymology
From the root אָרָה (to gather, collect), conveying the sense of a receptacle designed to hold or convene objects. The noun אָרוֹן is a nominal derivative, designating any kind of chest, box, or container, though contextually specialized for the sacred ark.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אָרוֹן most frequently designates the 'ark of the covenant' (aron habberit), the central object of cultic focus in the tabernacle and, later, the Temple. This use is concentrated in the Torah, Joshua, Samuel, and Kings, always with reference to the Israelite religious context. In Genesis 50:26, the term refers to Joseph's coffin in Egypt, showing its broader lexical range. In 2 Kings 12:10–11 and 2 Chronicles 24:8–11, אָרוֹן describes a chest set up for temple offerings, signifying a more general box or chest. English 'ark' as a translation is accurate for the cultic object but can obscure the ordinary meaning of 'chest' or 'box' in other passages. Later tradition came to closely associate אָרוֹן exclusively with the sacred object, but biblical usage is broader. The term is distinct from תֵּבָה (tevah), used for Noah's ark and Moses’ basket, which denotes a large, boat-like container, suggesting different function and form. In post-biblical Hebrew, אָרוֹן can mean 'coffin' or 'closet'. Across biblical history, the word's semantic range narrows in ritual contexts but remains broad in narrative uses.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or אָרֹן; from אָרָה (in the sense of gathering); a box; ark, chest, coffin.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ארה (ʾ-r-h) — gather, collect, draw together
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H717 | אָרָה | I plucked |
| H718 | אֲרוּ | and look! |
| H723 | אֻרְוָה | feeding-stalls of |
| H738 | אֲרִי | lions |
| H745 | אַרְיֵה | the lion |
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H727-01 |
אֲר֖וֹן | aron | HNcbsc |
the ark | gathering chest of | 128 |
H727-03 |
הָ/אָרֹ֑ן | haaron | HTd/Ncbsa |
the ark | the gathering-chest | 49 |
H727-05 |
וַ/אֲר֨וֹן | vaaron | HC/Ncbsc |
and the ark | and chest | 9 |
H727-04 |
לָ/אָר֡וֹן | laaron | HRd/Ncbsa |
for the ark | to the chest | 9 |
H727-02 |
בָּ/אָר֖וֹן | baaron | HRd/Ncbsa |
in the ark | in the gathering-chest | 7 |
Occurrences in Scripture
202 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H727-02 |
Genesis 50:26 | בָּ/אָר֖וֹן | baaron | HRd/Ncbsa |
in a coffin | in the gathering-chest |
H727-01 |
Exodus 25:10 | אֲר֖וֹן | aron | HNcbsc |
an ark | gathering chest of |
H727-03 |
Exodus 25:14 | הָ/אָרֹ֑ן | haaron | HTd/Ncbsa |
of the ark | the gathering-chest |
H727-03 |
Exodus 25:14 | הָ/אָרֹ֖ן | haaron-2 | HTd/Ncbsa |
the ark | the gathering-chest |
H727-03 |
Exodus 25:15 | הָ/אָרֹ֔ן | haaron | HTd/Ncbsa |
of the ark | the gathering-chest |
H727-03 |
Exodus 25:16 | הָ/אָרֹ֑ן | haaron | HTd/Ncbsa |
the ark | the gathering-chest |
H727-03 |
Exodus 25:21 | הָ/אָרֹ֖ן | haaron | HTd/Ncbsa |
the ark | the gathering-chest |
H727-03 |
Exodus 25:21 | הָ֣/אָרֹ֔ן | haaron-2 | HTd/Ncbsa |
the ark | the gathering-chest |
H727-01 |
Exodus 25:22 | אֲרֹ֣ן | aron | HNcbsc |
ark | gathering chest of |
H727-01 |
Exodus 26:33 | אֲר֣וֹן | aron | HNcbsc |
ark | gathering chest of |