← H726 H728 →

אָרוֹן

𐤀𐤓𐤅𐤍

ʼârôwn

H727 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A container or chest, typically large and often constructed of wood. Most prominently, it refers to the sacred chest known as the 'ark of the covenant' that held the tablets of the covenant in Israelite tradition. In other narrative or ritual contexts, it can refer to a chest for storage or, in one instance, a coffin.

Semantic Range

chest, box, container for sacred objects (ark of the covenant), coffin, chest for offerings, storage chest

Root / Etymology

From the root אָרָה (to gather, collect), conveying the sense of a receptacle designed to hold or convene objects. The noun אָרוֹן is a nominal derivative, designating any kind of chest, box, or container, though contextually specialized for the sacred ark.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אָרוֹן most frequently designates the 'ark of the covenant' (aron habberit), the central object of cultic focus in the tabernacle and, later, the Temple. This use is concentrated in the Torah, Joshua, Samuel, and Kings, always with reference to the Israelite religious context. In Genesis 50:26, the term refers to Joseph's coffin in Egypt, showing its broader lexical range. In 2 Kings 12:10–11 and 2 Chronicles 24:8–11, אָרוֹן describes a chest set up for temple offerings, signifying a more general box or chest. English 'ark' as a translation is accurate for the cultic object but can obscure the ordinary meaning of 'chest' or 'box' in other passages. Later tradition came to closely associate אָרוֹן exclusively with the sacred object, but biblical usage is broader. The term is distinct from תֵּבָה (tevah), used for Noah's ark and Moses’ basket, which denotes a large, boat-like container, suggesting different function and form. In post-biblical Hebrew, אָרוֹן can mean 'coffin' or 'closet'. Across biblical history, the word's semantic range narrows in ritual contexts but remains broad in narrative uses.

Translation Consistency

primary "ark" 47 occurrences

Most occurrences refer to the sacred 'ark of the covenant' and English Bibles commonly render אָרוֹן as 'ark.' Choosing 'ark' preserves the primary, recognizable sense (sacred chest) while remaining natural; less common senses (chest, coffin, storage box) can be handled by context or modifiers.

Alternatives (3 occurrences):
"gathering chest" (2x) "chest" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or אָרֹן; from אָרָה (in the sense of gathering); a box; ark, chest, coffin.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

ארה (ʼârâh) — to pluck, gather, remove

Root ארה to gather, collect
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H717 אָרָה I plucked
H718 אֲרוּ and look!
H723 אֻרְוָה feeding-stalls of
H738 אֲרִי lions

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H727-01 אֲר֥וֹן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of ark of 128
H727-03 הָ/אָרֽוֹן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark 49
H727-04 לַֽ/אֲר֣וֹן laaron HR/Ncbsc for the ark to the chest to the ark 9
H727-05 וַ/אֲר֥וֹן vaaron HC/Ncbsc and the ark and chest and the ark 9
H727-02 בָּֽ/אָר֔וֹן baaron HRd/Ncbsa in the ark in the gathering-chest in the ark 7

Occurrences in Scripture

202 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H727-02 Genesis 50:26 בָּ/אָר֖וֹן baaron HRd/Ncbsa in a coffin in the gathering-chest in the chest
H727-01 Exodus 25:10 אֲר֖וֹן aron HNcbsc an ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-03 Exodus 25:14 הָ/אָרֹ֑ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa of the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 25:14 הָ/אָרֹ֖ן haaron-2 HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 25:15 הָ/אָרֹ֔ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa of the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 25:16 הָ/אָרֹ֑ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 25:21 הָ/אָרֹ֖ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 25:21 הָ֣/אָרֹ֔ן haaron-2 HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-01 Exodus 25:22 אֲרֹ֣ן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Exodus 26:33 אֲר֣וֹן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Exodus 26:34 אֲר֣וֹן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Exodus 30:6 אֲרֹ֣ן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Exodus 30:26 אֲר֥וֹן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-03 Exodus 31:7 הָֽ/אָרֹן֙ haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 35:12 הָ/אָרֹ֥ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 37:1 הָ/אָרֹ֖ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 37:5 הָ/אָרֹ֑ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa of the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 37:5 הָ/אָרֹֽן haaron-2 HTd/Ncbsa ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-01 Exodus 39:35 אֲרֹ֥ן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of gathering chest
H727-01 Exodus 40:3 אֲר֣וֹן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-03 Exodus 40:3 הָ/אָרֹ֖ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-01 Exodus 40:5 אֲר֣וֹן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-03 Exodus 40:20 הָ֣/אָרֹ֔ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 40:20 הָ/אָרֹ֑ן haaron-2 HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 40:20 הָ/אָרֹ֖ן haaron-3 HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Exodus 40:21 הָ/אָרֹן֮ haaron HTd/Ncbsa ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-01 Exodus 40:21 אֲר֣וֹן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-03 Leviticus 16:2 הָ/אָרֹן֙ haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Numbers 3:31 הָ/אָרֹ֤ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-01 Numbers 4:5 אֲרֹ֥ן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Numbers 7:89 אֲרֹ֣ן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-05 Numbers 10:33 וַ/אֲר֨וֹן vaaron HC/Ncbsc and the ark and chest and the ark
H727-03 Numbers 10:35 הָ/אָרֹ֖ן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-05 Numbers 14:44 וַ/אֲר֤וֹן vaaron HC/Ncbsc and the ark and chest and the ark
H727-01 Deuteronomy 10:1 אֲר֥וֹן aron HNcbsc an ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-02 Deuteronomy 10:2 בָּ/אָרֽוֹן baaron HRd/Ncbsa in the ark in the gathering-chest in the ark
H727-01 Deuteronomy 10:3 אֲרוֹן֙ aron HNcbsc an ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-02 Deuteronomy 10:5 בָּ/אָר֖וֹן baaron HRd/Ncbsa in the ark in the gathering-chest in the ark
H727-01 Deuteronomy 10:8 אֲר֣וֹן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Deuteronomy 31:9 אֲר֖וֹן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of gathering chest
H727-01 Deuteronomy 31:25 אֲר֥וֹן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Deuteronomy 31:26 אֲר֥וֹן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Joshua 3:3 אֲר֤וֹן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Joshua 3:6 אֲר֣וֹן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Joshua 3:6 אֲר֣וֹן aron-2 HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Joshua 3:8 אֲרֽוֹן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Joshua 3:11 אֲר֣וֹן aron HNcbsc the ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-01 Joshua 3:13 אֲר֨וֹן aron HNcbsc ark gathering chest of ark of
H727-03 Joshua 3:14 הָ/אָר֥וֹן haaron HTd/Ncbsa the ark the gathering-chest the ark
H727-03 Joshua 3:15 הָֽ/אָרוֹן֙ haaron HTd/Ncbsa the-ark the gathering-chest the ark
← H726 Hebrew Lexicon H728 →