אַרְגֹּב
𐤀𐤓𐤂𐤁
Aregov
H709 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Argob – a region in the territory of Bashan noted for its rocky and rugged terrain, mentioned in descriptions of allotments east of the Jordan. The term is also used as a personal name. The primary usage refers to a distinct geographic district characterized by its rockiness.
Semantic Range
proper name for a stony region in Bashan east of the Jordan; name of a district characterized by rocky terrain; personal name (possibly referencing the region's attributes or origin)
Root / Etymology
From the root רגב (regév), generally meaning 'clod' or 'lump of earth.' The place name Argob likely references the area's stony or cloddy landscape, though the precise morphological process is debated. Some suggest the prefix 'ar-' reflects a transformation or intensification, but this is uncertain; etymology uncertain beyond clear association with רגב.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Argob appears primarily in the Deuteronomistic history (Deut 3:4,13-14; 1 Kgs 4:13) as the name for a rocky district in Bashan conquered by the Israelites and associated with fortified cities. Its link to 'stony' topography is in keeping with ancient descriptions of the Bashan region. As a personal name (2 Kgs 15:25), it reflects the occasional ancient practice of naming individuals after geographic locations. Later Greek and Latin sources (e.g., Eusebius) preserve the name in transliterated form, but the ancient region's precise boundaries remain disputed. English Bibles often retain the proper name 'Argob,' but the full nuance—a stony, fortress-laden plateau—may be lost. Occasionally, particularly in older translations and secondary literature, the region is placed anachronistically within 'Palestine,' but in the Iron Age context, the term designates a district east of the Jordan in Bashan, not the later Roman province.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as רֶגֶב; stony; Argob, a district of Palestine; Argob.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רגב (r-g-b) — clod, lump of earth, stony ground
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7263 | רֶגֶב | clods of |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H709-01 |
אַרְגֹּ֔ב | aregov | HNp |
Argob | Stony-Clodland | 4 |
H709-02 |
הָֽ/אַרְגֹּב֙ | haaregov | HTd/Np |
of Argob | the Stony-Argob | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H709-01 |
Deuteronomy 3:4 | אַרְגֹּ֔ב | aregov | HNp |
of Argob | Stony-Clodland |
H709-02 |
Deuteronomy 3:13 | הָֽ/אַרְגֹּב֙ | haaregov | HTd/Np |
of Argob | the Stony-Argob |
H709-01 |
Deuteronomy 3:14 | אַרְגֹּ֔ב | aregov | HNp |
Argob | Stony-Clodland |
H709-01 |
1 Kings 4:13 | אַרְגֹּב֙ | aregov | HNp |
Argob | Stony-Clodland |
H709-01 |
2 Kings 15:25 | אַרְגֹּ֣ב | aregov | HNp |
Argob | Stony-Clodland |