מַאֲרָב
𐤌𐤀𐤓𐤁
maʼărâb
H3993 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place or act of lying in wait for the purpose of surprise attack; an ambush or ambuscade, either as a concealed position (the hidden site itself) or as a group of individuals in hiding intending to attack unexpectedly. The term can refer to both the physical location of ambush and the tactical act of setting such an ambush against an adversary.
Semantic Range
ambush (the act of surprise attack), ambuscade (the group or tactic), place of ambush (the physical location), lying in wait, lurking place; rarely, the period or condition of readiness to attack
Root / Etymology
The noun מַאֲרָב derives from the root אָרַב (ארב), which means 'to lie in wait' or 'to ambush.' The formation is a nominal pattern (maqtal), typically indicating a place or result of the action expressed by the root. Thus, מַאֲרָב reflects the root concept of waiting in concealment with intent to attack.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, מַאֲרָב consistently appears in military narratives, describing both literal tactics of Israelite and non-Israelite armies, where groups are set in hiding to ambush an enemy. Such strategies are found in accounts of battles or attempts at surprise attacks (e.g., Joshua 8, Judges 20), typically associated with the warfare of the monarchic and pre-monarchic periods. The noun is distinct from related roots such as צפן (to hide, treasure up), focusing on intentional, hostile concealment rather than generic hiding. English translations like 'ambush' or 'ambuscade' capture the sense, but occasionally obscure whether the reference is to the act or the place. In some contexts, מַאֲרָב carries the nuance of the strategic planning behind the attack, not merely the physical location. The term does not have a religious or ritual connotation; its use is strictly in martial or hostile contexts. In later Hebrew and rabbinic usage, the sense of planned concealment to surprise or entrap remains primary.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָרַב; an ambuscade; lie in ambush, ambushment, lurking place, lying in wait.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ארב (ʾ-r-b) — to lie in wait, ambush, lurk
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H693 | אָרַב | I lay in wait |
| H694 | אֲרָב | Arav |
| H696 | אֹרֶב | his ambush |
| H698 | אׇרֳבָה | ambush-sites of |
| H699 | אֲרֻבָּה | apertures |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3993-02 |
הַ/מַּאְרָ֔ב | hamaerav | HTd/Ncmsa |
the ambush | the ambush | 3 |
H3993-01 |
בְּ/מַאְרַ֬ב | bemaerav | HR/Ncmsc |
in the lurking place | in ambush of | 1 |
H3993-03 |
וְ/הַ/מַּאְרָ֖ב | vehamaerav | HC/Td/Ncmsa |
and-the-ambush | and the ambush | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3993-02 |
Joshua 8:9 | הַ/מַּאְרָ֔ב | hamaerav | HTd/Ncmsa |
the ambush | the ambush |
H3993-02 |
Judges 9:35 | הַ/מַּאְרָֽב | hamaerav | HTd/Ncmsa |
the ambush | the ambush |
H3993-01 |
Psalms 10:8 | בְּ/מַאְרַ֬ב | bemaerav | HR/Ncmsc |
in the lurking place | in ambush of |
H3993-02 |
2 Chronicles 13:13 | הַ/מַּאְרָ֔ב | hamaerav | HTd/Ncmsa |
the-ambush | the ambush |
H3993-03 |
2 Chronicles 13:13 | וְ/הַ/מַּאְרָ֖ב | vehamaerav | HC/Td/Ncmsa |
and-the-ambush | and the ambush |