בֵּית אַרְבֵּאל
𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤓𐤁𐤀𐤋
Bêyth ʼArbêʼl
H1009 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun designating a specific place-name: Beth-Arbel. The literal meaning is 'House of Arbel' or possibly 'House of God's ambush/ambush of God,' depending on the interpretation of the second element. As a place-name, it refers to a location mentioned in prophetic context, and its precise location remains uncertain. The semantic range is limited to geographic designation in the Hebrew Bible but may carry an associative meaning derived from its etymological components.
Semantic Range
place-name, house of Arbel, house of God's ambush (hypothetical); geographic location, reference point for destruction or calamity
Root / Etymology
A compound noun from בֵּית (bêth, 'house [of]') and אַרְבֵּאל (Arbêl). The second element is uncertain in etymology: it could derive from an otherwise unknown toponym Arbel or a combination of elements meaning 'ambush of El (God)' (from the root ארב, 'to ambush') + אֵל (El, God), but there is no conclusive evidence. Many scholars simply treat ארבל as an established place-name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Appears only in Hosea 10:14, referencing the destruction of 'Beth-Arbel' as a warning or exemplar of catastrophe. The locality is otherwise unattested with certainty, though some have associated it with Arbel near the Sea of Galilee or a location in Transjordan, but these identifications are speculative. Theodoret and later tradition sometimes connect the term to 'ambush,' but this is based on presumed root connections not directly supported by the text. English Bible translations generally transliterate the toponym rather than translate it, reflecting uncertainty about its meaning and location. The place-name does not refer to a people group or religious identity, but exclusively to a geographic entity of historical significance as an example in prophetic literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בַּיִת and אֶרֶב and אֵל; house of God's ambush; Beth-Arbel, a place in Palestine; Beth-Arbel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בית, ארבל (ארב, אל) (b-y-t; ʾ-r-b; ʾ-l) — house, ambush, God (El)
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1009-02 |
בֵּ֥ית | beyt | HNp |
house of | house of | 1 |
H1009-01 |
אַֽרְבֵ֖אל | arevel | HNp |
Arbel | House of Arbel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1009-02 |
Hosea 10:14 | בֵּ֥ית | beyt | HNp |
house of | house of |
H1009-01 |
Hosea 10:14 | אַֽרְבֵ֖אל | arevel | HNp |
Arbel | House of Arbel |