אֶרֶב
𐤀𐤓𐤁
ʼereb
H695 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Place of ambush or lying in wait, typically denoting a hidden or concealed location where individuals or groups position themselves for the purpose of surprise attack, entrapment, or surveillance. In biblical passages, refers specifically to the act or location of lying in ambush—such as a strategic military position or a den used for setting traps against an enemy or prey.
Semantic Range
ambush, place of ambush, den for entrapment, ambuscade, lying in wait, lookout, trap
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root ארב (ʾ-r-b), which broadly means 'to lie in wait, lurk, ambush.' אֶרֶב (ʼereb) is a noun formation from this root, denoting the place or circumstance of ambush rather than merely the act.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אֶרֶב (ʼereb) is used in the context of military tactics or personal assault, marking the specific location or setup for an ambush, especially as seen in texts dealing with conflict or law (e.g., Joshua 8:7; Judges 9:35). It is distinct from the verb אָרַב ('to ambush, lie in wait'), with אֶרֶב highlighting the spatial or concrete aspect—a den, a hiding spot. English translations often render it as 'ambush,' 'ambuscade,' or 'lie in wait,' but these sometimes obscure its strong association with a physical location. There is no direct overlap with terms for animal dens or lairs (such as מְעוֹנָה), which refer more broadly to animal habitats. The term does not display significant semantic shift across periods; it is rare and remains contextually tied to strategic concealment. Later Jewish usage continues the sense of covert entrapment but is infrequently used.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָרַב; ambuscade; den, lie in wait.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
ארב (Arubot) — to lie in wait, ambush, lurk
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3993 | מַאֲרָב | in ambush of |
| H693 | אָרַב | I lay in wait |
| H696 | אֹרֶב | his ambush |
| H700 | אֲרֻבּוֹת | Lattices District |
| H701 | אַרְבִּי | the Arbite |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H695-01 |
אָ֑רֶב | arev | HNcmsa |
its lair | mingling dusk | its lair | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences