Word Study · Strong's H693 · Hebrew
אָרַב
arab
aw-rab'
Strong's 1890 spelling: ʼârab
“to lurk”
Strong's Dictionary · 1890 · public domain
to lurk
Rendered in the KJV as
(lie in) ambush(-ment), lay (lie in) wait.
- 41occurrencesin the Old Testament
- 12 of 39Old Testament bookswhere the word stands
- 39inflected formsdistinct spellings
Across 41 occurrences
The word itself
Inflected forms · 39
- אֹרֵ֥ב2
- לְאֹרֵ֖ב2
- אֹרֵ֛ב1
- אֹרֵ֗ב1
- אֱרָב־1
- אָֽרְב֡וּ1
- אָ֥רְבוּ1
- אֹרְבִ֤ים1
- אֹֽרְבִ֔ים1
- אָרָֽבְתִּי׃1
- הָֽאֹרֵב֙1
- הָ֣אֹרֵ֔ב1
and 27 more spellings in the ledger below.
How it is rendered · 26
- ambushers3
- an ambush3
- and the ambusher3
- the ambusher3
- they lie in wait3
- and he lay in wait2
- and they lay in wait2
- he lies in wait2
- she lies in wait2
- to an ambusher2
- [are] lying in wait1
- [are] to lie in wait for1
The sense the word carries at each spot — how the translators read it there, not a fixed translation.
How it parses · 24
- conjunction (“and”) + the definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singular4
- the definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singular4
- verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singular4
- Hc/Vqw3mp2
- preposition + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singular2
- verb · intensive (piel), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine plural2
- verb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person feminine singular2
- verb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person masculine plural2
- verb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person masculine singular2
- verb · simple (qal), completed action · 3rd person common plural2
- verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine plural2
- Hc/Vhw3ms1
Show the grammar codes as tagged
- HC/Td/Vqrmsa · 4
- HTd/Vqrmsa · 4
- HVqrmsa · 4
- Hc/Vqw3mp · 2
- HR/Vqrmsa · 2
- HVprmpa · 2
- HVqi3fs · 2
- HVqi3mp · 2
- HVqi3ms · 2
- HVqp3cp · 2
- HVqrmpa · 2
- Hc/Vhw3ms · 1
All 41, in canonical order
The ledger of occurrences
Where this word lives
Judges carries the most and opens below; every other book is one click.
Deuteronomy1 occurrence
Joshua7 occurrences
- Joshua 8:2אֹרֵ֛בʾorevverb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularAnd you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set up an ambush behind the city.”here: an ambush
- Joshua 8:4אֹרְבִ֤יםʾorevimverb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine pluralwith these orders: “Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready.here: [are] lying in wait
- Joshua 8:7מֵהָ֣אוֹרֵ֔בmehaorevpreposition + the definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularyou are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.here: from the ambush
- Joshua 8:12אֹרֵ֗בʾorevverb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularNow Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city.here: an ambush
- Joshua 8:14אֹרֵ֥בʾorevverb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularWhen the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.here: an ambush
- Joshua 8:19וְהָאוֹרֵ֡בvehaorevconjunction (“and”) + the definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularand as soon as he did so, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They rushed forward, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.here: and the ambush
- Joshua 8:21הָֽאֹרֵב֙haorevthe definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularWhen Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.here: the ambush
Judges14 occurrences
- Judges 9:25מְאָרְבִ֗יםmearevimverb · intensive (piel), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine pluralThe leaders of Shechem set up an ambush against Abimelech on the hilltops, and they robbed all who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.here: ambushers
- Judges 9:32וֶאֱרֹ֖בveeroconjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), command · 2nd person masculine singularNow then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields.here: and lie in wait
- Judges 9:34וַיֶּאֶרְב֣וּvaiyeervuHc/Vqw3mpSo Abimelech and all his troops set out by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies.here: and they lay in wait
- Judges 9:43וַיֶּאֱרֹ֖בvaiyeeroHc/Vqw3msSo he took his men, divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he rose up against them and attacked them.here: and he lay in wait
- Judges 16:2וַיֶּאֶרְבוּ־vaiyeervu-Hc/Vqw3mpWhen the Gazites heard that Samson was there, they surrounded that place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They were quiet throughout the night, saying, “Let us wait until dawn; then we will kill him.”here: and they lay in wait
- Judges 16:9וְהָאֹרֵ֗בvehaorevconjunction (“and”) + the definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularWhile the men were hidden in her room, she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But he snapped the bowstrings like a strand of yarn seared by a flame. So the source of his strength remained unknown.here: and the ambusher
- Judges 16:12וְהָאֹרֵ֖בvehaorevconjunction (“and”) + the definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularSo Delilah took new ropes, tied him up with them, and called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But while the men were hidden in her room, he snapped the ropes off his arms like they were threads.here: and the ambusher
- Judges 20:29אֹֽרְבִ֔יםʾorevimverb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine pluralSo Israel set up an ambush around Gibeah.here: ambushers
- Judges 20:33וְאֹרֵ֧בveorevconjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)So all the men of Israel got up from their places and arrayed themselves at Baal-tamar, and the Israelites in ambush charged from their positions west of Gibeah.here: and [the] ambusher of
- Judges 20:36הָ֣אֹרֵ֔בhaorevthe definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularThen the Benjamites realized they had been defeated. Now the men of Israel had retreated before Benjamin because they were relying on the ambush they had set against Gibeah.here: the ambusher
- Judges 20:37וְהָאֹרֵ֣בvehaorevconjunction (“and”) + the definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularThe men in ambush rushed suddenly against Gibeah; they advanced and put the whole city to the sword.here: and the ambusher
- Judges 20:37הָאֹרֵ֔בhaorevthe definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularThe men in ambush rushed suddenly against Gibeah; they advanced and put the whole city to the sword.here: the ambusher
- Judges 20:38הָאֹרֵ֑בhaorevthe definite article (“the”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularThe men of Israel had arranged a signal with the men in ambush: When they sent up a great cloud of smoke from the city,here: the ambusher
- Judges 21:20וַאֲרַבְתֶּ֥םvaaravtemHc/Vqq2mpSo they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyardshere: and you will lie in wait
1 Samuel3 occurrences
- 1 Samuel 15:5וַיָּ֖רֶבvaiyarevHc/Vhw3msSaul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.here: and he lay in wait
- 1 Samuel 22:8לְאֹרֵ֖בleorevpreposition + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularIs that why all of you have conspired against me? Not one of you told me that my own son had made a covenant with the son of Jesse. Not one of you has shown concern for me or revealed to me that my son has stirred up my own servant to lie in wait against me, as is the case today.”here: to an ambusher
- 1 Samuel 22:13לְאֹרֵ֖בleorevpreposition + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularAnd Saul asked him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him so that he could rise up against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today.”here: to an ambusher
Psalms3 occurrences
- Psalms 10:9יֶאֱרֹ֬בyeeroverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person masculine singularHe lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.here: he lies in wait
- Psalms 10:9יֶ֭אֱרֹבyeeroverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person masculine singularHe lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.here: he lies in wait
- Psalms 59:3אָֽרְב֡וּʾarevuverb · simple (qal), completed action · 3rd person common pluralSee how they lie in wait for me. Fierce men conspire against me for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD.here: they lie in wait
Proverbs6 occurrences
- Proverbs 1:11נֶאֶרְבָ֥הneervahverb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”) · 1st person common pluralIf they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,here: let us lie in wait
- Proverbs 1:18יֶאֱרֹ֑בוּyeerouverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person masculine pluralBut they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.here: they lie in wait
- Proverbs 7:12תֶאֱרֹֽב׃teeroverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person feminine singularNow in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.here: she lies in wait
- Proverbs 12:6אֱרָב־ʾerov-verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.here: [are] to lie in wait for
- Proverbs 23:28תֶּֽאֱרֹ֑בteeroverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person feminine singularLike a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.here: she lies in wait
- Proverbs 24:15תֶּאֱרֹ֣בteeroverb · simple (qal), jussive (“let him”) · 2nd person masculine singularDo not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.here: you lie in wait
Lamentations2 occurrences
- Lamentations 3:10אֹרֵ֥בʾorevverb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularHe is a bear lying in wait, a lion hiding in ambush.here: lying in wait
- Lamentations 4:19אָ֥רְבוּʾarevuverb · simple (qal), completed action · 3rd person common pluralThose who chased us were swifter than the eagles in the sky; they pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.here: they lay in wait