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מַעֲרָכָה

𐤌𐤏𐤓𐤊𐤄

maʻărâkâh

H4634 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ערך to arrange, set in order, lay out

Definition

Orderly arrangement or placing, especially in lines or rows; in the Hebrew Bible, most commonly refers to (1) military formation or battle line, (2) rows or ordered arrangements of objects, such as the rows of showbread in the sanctuary. The term carries the notion of organizing or setting things (or people) in a deliberately structured formation.

Semantic Range

battle line, army formation, array, row, layer (especially of showbread), ordered placement, arrangement

Root / Etymology

From the root ערך (to arrange, set in order, set out); the noun is a feminine derivative formed with the pattern מַקְטָלָה, indicating a product/result of arranging.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the biblical period, מַעֲרָכָה is most frequently used in military contexts, denoting the arrangement or formation of warriors, depicting the army drawn up in lines for battle (e.g., 1 Samuel 17). It also appears in cultic contexts, notably for the arrangement of the showbread (Leviticus 24:6) in two rows on the table in the sanctuary, and less commonly for other sequential arrangements. Its use reflects a concept of purposeful order, whether martial, ritual, or practical. English translations often render the military sense as 'battle line,' 'array,' or 'line of battle,' and the cultic sense as 'row.' The term is distinct from צָבָא (H6635), which can refer to an army more broadly, including its personnel and service, while מַעֲרָכָה emphasizes physical or visible organization.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of מַעֲרָךְ; an arrangement; concretely, a pile; specifically a military array; army, fight, be set in order, ordered place, rank, row.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ערך (ʿ-r-k) — arrange, set in order, lay out

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4633 מַעֲרָךְ arrangements of
H4635 מַעֲרֶכֶת the arranged set
H6186 עָרַךְ he arranged
H6187 עֵרֶךְ in your valuation

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4634-05 מַעַרְכֹ֣ת maarekhot HNcfpc the armies arranged formations of 6
H4634-02 הַ/מַּֽעֲרָכָ֖ה hamaarakhah HTd/Ncfsa the battle line the ordered formation 6
H4634-03 מַעֲרָכָ֖ה maarakhah HNcfsa battle array ordered formation 3
H4634-01 בַּ/מַּֽעֲרָכָ֑ה bamaarakhah HRd/Ncfsa in the ordered place in the ordered formation 1
H4634-08 בַ/מַּֽעֲרָכָה֙ vamaarakhah HRd/Ncfsa in the battle array in the ordered formation 1
H4634-06 מֵ/הַ/מַּ֣עֲרָכָ֔ה mehamaarakhah HR/Td/Ncfsa from the battle line from the ordered formation 1
H4634-04 מַֽעֲרָכ֖וֹת maarakhot HNcfpa rows ordered formations 1
H4634-07 מִ/מַּעַרְכ֣וֹת mimaarekhot HR/Ncfpc from-his-battle-arrays from ordered formations 1

Occurrences in Scripture

20 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4634-02 Exodus 39:37 הַ/מַּֽעֲרָכָ֖ה hamaarakhah HTd/Ncfsa of the arrangement the ordered formation
H4634-04 Leviticus 24:6 מַֽעֲרָכ֖וֹת maarakhot HNcfpa rows ordered formations
H4634-01 Judges 6:26 בַּ/מַּֽעֲרָכָ֑ה bamaarakhah HRd/Ncfsa in the ordered place in the ordered formation
H4634-08 1 Samuel 4:2 בַ/מַּֽעֲרָכָה֙ vamaarakhah HRd/Ncfsa in the battle array in the ordered formation
H4634-06 1 Samuel 4:12 מֵ/הַ/מַּ֣עֲרָכָ֔ה mehamaarakhah HR/Td/Ncfsa from the battle line from the ordered formation
H4634-02 1 Samuel 4:16 הַ/מַּעֲרָכָ֔ה hamaarakhah HTd/Ncfsa the battle line the ordered formation
H4634-02 1 Samuel 4:16 הַ/מַּעֲרָכָ֖ה hamaarakhah-2 HTd/Ncfsa the battle line the ordered formation
H4634-05 1 Samuel 17:8 מַעַרְכֹ֣ת maarekhot HNcfpc the ranks arranged formations of
H4634-05 1 Samuel 17:10 מַעַרְכ֥וֹת maarekhot HNcfpc the ranks arranged formations of
H4634-02 1 Samuel 17:20 הַ/מַּ֣עֲרָכָ֔ה hamaarakhah HTd/Ncfsa the battle line the ordered formation
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