עֲרוּגָה
𐤏𐤓𐤅𐤂𐤄
ʻărûwgâh
H6170 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A plot or raised bed of earth, usually for the cultivation of plants or vegetables; a constructed garden bed, typically prepared by piling or arranging soil in a defined area for planting. In biblical contexts, the term refers to a well-marked, cultivated plot within a garden, orchard, or field, distinguished from natural or untended ground. It can also refer to a furrow or section of a larger planted area, emphasizing intentional preparation and order.
Semantic Range
garden bed, cultivated plot, raised planting bed, arranged furrow or section, ornamental garden bed
Root / Etymology
From root ערג (ʿ-r-g), possibly meaning 'to arrange, pile up, or heap (soil, earth)'. The term עֲרוּגָה (ʿărûgâh) is formed as a feminine noun from this root, denoting that which is arranged or heaped up—in this context, a section or bed arranged for planting. The common association with 'aspiration' in the root is less certain in biblical Hebrew. Some have connected the root to notions of longing or yearning, but this is less probable in the context of physical cultivation. May derive from an original sense of 'to arrange' or 'lay out.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, עֲרוּגָה refers to prepared beds within gardens or cultivated areas, such as Isaiah 17:10 ('beds') and Song of Songs 6:2 ('garden beds'). The term connotes human effort in organizing and tending cultivated land rather than wild or untilled soil. In the Israelite agricultural context, garden beds (עֲרוּגוֹת) would be small plots—sometimes bordered with stones or ridges to retain water and protect seedlings. The word appears only rarely in the Hebrew Bible and is not a general term for 'field' (שָׂדֶה) or 'ploughed furrow' (תַּלְם), but rather a more specific label for the beds within gardens, especially those given ornamental or vegetable use. Later translations sometimes render the term as 'furrow,' but the notion of a parterre (ornamental garden bed) or vegetable plot aligns more closely with ancient Near Eastern horticultural practice. English translation as 'bed' or 'garden bed' is generally appropriate, though English 'furrow' may be too narrow, and 'parterre' too specialized. The word is not known to have significantly shifted in meaning in post-exilic Hebrew or Second Temple sources, and survives in related forms in rabbinic literature, retaining the idea of a distinct garden plot.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or עֲרֻגָה; feminine passive participle of עָרַג; something piled up (as if (figuratively) raised by mental aspiration), i.e. a paterre; bed, furrow.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ערג (ʿ-r-g) — to arrange, to lay out, to pile up
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6165 | עָרַג | she yearns intensely |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6170-01 |
עֲרֻגֹ֥ת | arugot | HNcfpc |
beds | arranged planting-beds of | 1 |
H6170-02 |
כַּ/עֲרוּגַ֣ת | kaarugat | HR/Ncfsc |
like a bed | arranged planting-bed of | 1 |
H6170-03 |
לַ/עֲרוּג֖וֹת | laarugot | HR/Ncfpc |
to the beds | to arranged planting-beds of | 1 |
H6170-04 |
מֵ/עֲרֻג֖וֹת | mearugot | HR/Ncfpc |
from the beds | from arranged planting-beds | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6170-04 |
Ezekiel 17:7 | מֵ/עֲרֻג֖וֹת | mearugot | HR/Ncfpc |
from the beds | from arranged planting-beds |
H6170-01 |
Ezekiel 17:10 | עֲרֻגֹ֥ת | arugot | HNcfpc |
beds | arranged planting-beds of |
H6170-02 |
Song of Songs 5:13 | כַּ/עֲרוּגַ֣ת | kaarugat | HR/Ncfsc |
like a bed | arranged planting-bed of |
H6170-03 |
Song of Songs 6:2 | לַ/עֲרוּג֖וֹת | laarugot | HR/Ncfpc |
to the beds | to arranged planting-beds of |