אָרַח
𐤀𐤓𐤇
Arach
H733 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name, most likely 'Arach' or 'Arah', borne by several Israelites in the Hebrew Bible. The primary sense is as a proper noun denoting an individual or lineage. The name is related to the concept of journeying or taking a way, but in name usage does not directly imply 'traveler.'
Semantic Range
personal name (Arach, Arah); clan or ancestor; etymologically, 'wayfarer,' 'traveler,' one associated with a path or journey
Root / Etymology
From the root אָרַח (ʼ-r-ḥ), meaning 'to travel a way,' 'to follow a path,' or 'to journey.' The noun form אֹרַח (ʼōraḥ) means 'way,' 'path,' or 'road.' The personal name likely draws on the imagery of journeying or being a 'wayfarer.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name appears in genealogical lists (e.g., Ezra 2:5; Nehemiah 7:10) and designates an ancestral head or clan returning from the Babylonian exile. In some English translations, 'Arah' is used, potentially due to transliteration conventions, although the more accurate form would be 'Arach.' It does not carry explicit religious or social connotations beyond its use as a clan or individual marker. The meaning ascribed to the name connects with the broader Near Eastern naming practice of expressing attributes or hoped-for qualities via personal names. Later interpretive traditions sometimes associated these names with particular virtues or fates, but the Hebrew evidence is limited to the proper noun usage. The connection with 'way' or 'journey' is etymological; the biblical data itself does not elaborate upon or metaphorically develop the meaning in the context of the name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָרַח; way faring; Arach, the name of three Israelites; Arah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ארח (ʾ-r-ḥ) — to travel a way, follow a path, journey
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H732 | אָרַח | the journeying one |
| H734 | אֹרַח | your journey-path |
| H735 | אֹרַח | your paths |
| H736 | אֹרְחָה | journeying caravan of |
| H737 | אֲרֻחָה | prescribed ration |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H733-01 |
אָרַ֔ח | arach | HNp |
Arah | Arach | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H733-01 |
Ezra 2:5 | אָרַ֔ח | arach | HNp |
Arah | Arach |
H733-01 |
Nehemiah 6:18 | אָרַ֑ח | arach | HNp |
Arah | Arach |
H733-01 |
Nehemiah 7:10 | אָרַ֔ח | arach | HNp |
Arah | Arach |
H733-01 |
1 Chronicles 7:39 | אָרַ֥ח | arach | HNp |
Arah | Arach |