עֲבָרִים
𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤌
Avarim
H5682 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A geographical term denoting a range of mountains or highlands situated east of the Jordan River, frequently referenced as a locality 'across' or 'beyond' (the river or the wilderness) from an Israelite perspective. The term may sometimes reference the general area of the Moabite plateau or more specifically designate the chain of elevated ridges east of the Dead Sea and northward. In some texts, it can refer to a distinctive promontory or particular peaks within the larger range (e.g., Mount Nebo in the Abarim range). The word occasionally is used metonymically as 'regions beyond' (typically referencing 'across the Jordan').
Semantic Range
mountain range east of the Jordan, highlands beyond the Jordan, regions beyond (from the perspective of the land west of the Jordan), locality associated with the Moabite plateau, designated crossing-regions, mountainous borderland
Root / Etymology
From the root ע-ב-ר (עבר), meaning 'to cross, go over, pass through.' The formation עֲבָרִים is a plural noun built on the base עֵבֶר ('side, region beyond'), with the plural indicating 'regions beyond' or 'crossing-points.' Thus, עֲבָרִים describes a geographic stretch seen as 'beyond' in relation to the main lands of the Israelites west of the Jordan.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, עֲבָרִים (Abarim) is most prominently featured as a region where Moses views the land of Canaan from Mount Nebo (Deut 32:49; Num 27:12). It is consistently portrayed as a mountainous or highland area on the eastern side of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, usually within the later region known as Moab. The term does not refer to a single peak, but to a range—though associated peaks (like Nebo and Pisgah) are sometimes specified. The association with 'regions beyond' reflects the Israelite perspective from the western bank; the word is rarely used outside of geographic contexts and is distinct from the broader use of עֵבֶר ('across, other side'), which can appear in non-topographical senses. English Bibles often render the term simply as 'Abarim,' without conveying its original sense as a region 'beyond' or 'across.' Later Judean and Greco-Roman references retain or conflate the term with general trans-Jordanian highlands. Use is primarily in Pentateuchal and early Deuteronomistic history, reflecting the period of Israelite migration and settlement.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
xlit ʻĂbârîm corrected to ʻĂbârîym; plural of עֵבֶר; regions beyond; Abarim, a place in Palestine; Abarim, passages.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
ע-ב-ר (Iveri) — to cross over, to pass through, to traverse
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5682-01 |
הָ/עֲבָרִ֨ים | haavarim | HTd/Np |
of Abarim | the Beyond-Regions | the Avarim | 4 |
H5682-02 |
מֵֽ/עֲבָרִ֔ים | meavarim | HR/Np |
from Abarim | from the Beyond-Highlands | from Avarim | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5682-01 |
Numbers 27:12 | הָ/עֲבָרִ֖ים | haavarim | HTd/Np |
Abarim | the Beyond-Regions | the Avarim |
H5682-01 |
Numbers 33:47 | הָ/עֲבָרִ֖ים | haavarim | HTd/Np |
of Abarim | the Beyond-Regions | the Avarim |
H5682-01 |
Numbers 33:48 | הָ/עֲבָרִ֑ים | haavarim | HTd/Np |
of Abarim | the Beyond-Regions | the Avarim |
H5682-01 |
Deuteronomy 32:49 | הָ/עֲבָרִ֨ים | haavarim | HTd/Np |
of the Abarim | the Beyond-Regions | the Avarim |
H5682-02 |
Jeremiah 22:20 | מֵֽ/עֲבָרִ֔ים | meavarim | HR/Np |
from Abarim | from the Beyond-Highlands | from Avarim |