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אָרָה

𐤀𐤓𐤄

ʼârâh

H717 verb

SILEX Entry

Root ארה to pluck, gather, remove

Definition

To pluck or gather, especially in the context of removing fruit or produce from plants, or collecting items from a natural setting. The word carries the nuance of taking something that is ready to be collected, such as ripe fruit or materials. In some contexts, it refers to gathering or harvesting in a more general sense.

Semantic Range

to pluck fruit or produce, to gather items, to collect by plucking, to snatch, to extract

Root / Etymology

From the root אָרָה (ארה), which relates to the basic action of 'plucking' or 'gathering.' The formation is consistent with other Hebrew roots meaning 'to gather' or 'snatch,' though the root appears primarily in the qal stem with limited lexical development beyond the primary sense.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אָרָה appears infrequently, mostly with the sense of plucking or gathering fruit or objects (e.g., Proverbs 24:30-31, Micah 7:2). In such contexts, it emphasizes the act of intentionally gathering what is prominent or ready, in contrast to verbs like לָקַט (laqṭ) which often imply gleaning or gathering leftovers. The term is not strongly associated with ritual harvest or agricultural regulation; instead it focuses on the act of removing or extracting that which is available. English translations ("pluck," "gather") generally capture the basic meaning, though they may miss the sense of selectivity or readiness inherent in the verb. Over time, its usage appears relatively rare and does not develop substantial theological or technical nuance. In later Hebrew, related terms sometimes broaden in meaning, but אָרָה remains closely tied to the physical action of plucking.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to pluck; gather, pluck.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ארה (ʾ-r-h) — pluck, gather, remove

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H718 אֲרוּ and look!
H723 אֻרְוָה feeding-stalls of
H727 אָרוֹן gathering chest of
H738 אֲרִי lions
H745 אַרְיֵה the lion

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H717-01 אָרִ֤יתִי ariti HVqp1cs I have gathered I plucked 1
H717-02 וְ֝/אָר֗וּ/הָ vearuha HC/Vqq3cp/Sp3fs and graze on it and they plucked her 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H717-02 Psalms 80:13 וְ֝/אָר֗וּ/הָ vearuha HC/Vqq3cp/Sp3fs and graze on it and they plucked her
H717-01 Song of Songs 5:1 אָרִ֤יתִי ariti HVqp1cs I have gathered I plucked
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