אֲרָרַט
𐤀𐤓𐤓𐤈
Ararat
H780 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A geographical designation referring to a mountainous region in the northeast of the ancient Near East, identified with the highlands of Ararat. Most frequently, it designates a territory famous for its mountains, particularly as the landing place of Noah's ark (Genesis 8:4), and as a polity or land named in later historical writings (e.g., mentioned with the kingdoms of Minni and Ashkenaz in Jeremiah 51:27).
Semantic Range
mountainous region in the ancient Near East, specifically the highlands to which the ark comes to rest; the land or kingdom north of Assyria (Urartu), region involved in coalition against Babylon; general designation for the area later known as Armenia
Root / Etymology
The term אֲרָרַט (ʼĂrâraṭ) is of foreign origin, likely deriving from an early Assyrian or Urartian (biu-Urartu) source, cognate with the kingdom and region of Urartu located in the Armenian Highlands. Not a native Hebrew construction; thus, the root is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אֲרָרַט designates both a specific mountainous region (Genesis 8:4) and the broader area known as the kingdom of Urartu (cf. Assyrian sources), later incorporated into what were called Armenia by Greek and Persian writers. The modern nation-state of Armenia overlaps in part with this ancient region, but such identification is only approximate. In Genesis, Ararat is notable for its association with the mountains where Noah's ark is said to come to rest, while in Jeremiah, it refers to an identifiable northern kingdom involved in the collapse of Babylonian hegemony. The term is not used to designate a people group (such as Armenian or Urartian) but rather the land itself. Later translations, including the LXX ('Armenia') and Vulgate, interpret or conflate the region with the later Armenia, but this reflects the development of geographical knowledge rather than the precise biblical usage. The term is not ethnically marked in the biblical period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign origin; Ararat (or rather Armenia); Ararat, Armenia.
Bantu Hebrew
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אֲרָרַט (uncertain, foreign origin) (ʾ-r-r-ṭ (uncertain)) — foreign region name, mountainous land, highland territory
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H780-01 |
אֲרָרָֽט | ararat | HNp |
Ararat | Ararat highlands | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H780-01 |
Genesis 8:4 | אֲרָרָֽט | ararat | HNp |
Ararat | Ararat highlands |
H780-01 |
2 Kings 19:37 | אֲרָרָ֑ט | ararat | HNp |
Ararat | Ararat highlands |
H780-01 |
Isaiah 37:38 | אֲרָרָ֑ט | ararat | HNp |
Ararat | Ararat highlands |
H780-01 |
Jeremiah 51:27 | אֲרָרַ֖ט | ararat | HNp |
Ararat | Ararat highlands |