What does אָרַב (ʾārab) mean in the Bible?
אָרַב (ʾārab): To lie in concealment with hostile intent, often describing predatory ambush or deceptive entrapment
Hebrew · H693
אָרַב
To lurk
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אָרַב H693
Pronunciation ʾārab
What does אָרַב (ʾārab) mean in the Bible?
אָרַב (ʾārab): To lie in concealment with hostile intent, often describing predatory ambush or deceptive entrapment
Full entry for אָרַב (H693) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H693?
The BSB source-word alignment has 41 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include an ambush (5), and lay in wait (4), lie in wait (4), the men in ambush (4), the ambush (2).
Where does אָרַב (ʾārab) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Deuteronomy 19:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Judges (14), Joshua (7), Proverbs (6), 1 Samuel (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It an ambush 5× Joshua 8:2, Joshua 8:12, Joshua 8:14, Judges 9:25
and lay in wait 4× Judges 9:34, Judges 9:43, Judges 16:2, 1 Samuel 15:5
lie in wait 4× Proverbs 1:18, Proverbs 12:6, Proverbs 24:15, Micah 7:2
the men in ambush 4× Joshua 8:19, Joshua 8:21, Judges 20:37, Judges 20:38
the ambush 2× Judges 20:36, Jeremiah 51:12
to lie in wait 2× 1 Samuel 22:8, 1 Samuel 22:13
ambushes 1× 2 Chronicles 20:22
and ambushed 1× Lamentations 4:19
and bandits 1× Ezra 8:31
and lie in wait 1× Judges 9:32
and lies in wait 1× Deuteronomy 19:11
are to lie in ambush 1× Joshua 8:4
But while the men 1× Judges 16:12
from the ambush 1× Joshua 8:7
He lies in wait 1× Psalms 10:9
he lurks 1× Psalms 10:9
hide 1× Judges 21:20
how they lie in wait 1× Psalms 59:3
in ambush 1× Judges 20:33
let us lie in wait 1× Proverbs 1:11
lies in wait 1× Proverbs 23:28
lying in wait 1× Lamentations 3:10
or I have lurked 1× Job 31:9
she lurks 1× Proverbs 7:12
they 1× Judges 20:37
While the men 1× Judges 16:9
Show sample aligned rows
Deuteronomy 19:11 וְאָ֤רַב to and lies in wait Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Joshua 8:2 אֹרֵ֛ב to an ambush Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Joshua 8:4 אֹרְבִ֤ים to are to lie in ambush Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Joshua 8:7 מֵהָ֣אוֹרֵ֔ב to from the ambush Preposition-m, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Joshua 8:12 אֹרֵ֗ב to an ambush Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Joshua 8:14 אֹרֵ֥ב to an ambush Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Joshua 8:19 וְהָאוֹרֵ֡ב to the men in ambush Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Joshua 8:21 הָֽאֹרֵב֙ to the men in ambush Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Judges 9:25 מְאָרְבִ֗ים to an ambush Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural Judges 9:32 וֶאֱרֹ֖ב to and lie in wait Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Deuteronomy 19:11
Aligned rows 41
Books represented 12
Deuteronomy 1 Joshua 7 Judges 14 1 Samuel 3 2 Chronicles 1 Ezra 1 Job 1 Psalms 3 Proverbs 6 Jeremiah 1 Lamentations 2 Micah 1
Source forms
אֹרֵ֥ב 2x ’ō·rêḇ Joshua 8:14, Lamentations 3:10
לְאֹרֵ֖ב 2x lə·’ō·rêḇ 1 Samuel 22:8, 1 Samuel 22:13
אֹרֵ֛ב 1x ’ō·rêḇ Joshua 8:2
אֹרֵ֗ב 1x ’ō·rêḇ Joshua 8:12
אֱרָב־ 1x ’ĕ·rāḇ- Proverbs 12:6
אָֽרְב֡וּ 1x ’ā·rə·ḇū Psalms 59:3
אָ֥רְבוּ 1x ’ā·rə·ḇū Lamentations 4:19
אֹרְבִ֤ים 1x ’ō·rə·ḇîm Joshua 8:4
Parsing patterns
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 4x Joshua 8:21, Judges 20:36, Judges 20:37, Judges 20:38
Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 4x Joshua 8:19, Judges 16:9, Judges 16:12, Judges 20:37
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 4x Joshua 8:2, Joshua 8:12, Joshua 8:14, Lamentations 3:10
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Judges 9:34, Judges 16:2
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 2x 1 Samuel 22:8, 1 Samuel 22:13
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural 2x Judges 9:25, 2 Chronicles 20:22
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular 2x Proverbs 7:12, Proverbs 23:28
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Proverbs 1:18, Micah 7:2
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To lie in concealment with hostile intent, often describing predatory ambush or deceptive entrapment
Strong's H693
Lexical occurrences 41 verses Word forms 2 forms 20 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 12:6 Source Gloss
to lurk
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To lie in concealment with hostile intent, often describing predatory ambush or deceptive entrapment
to lurk BDB: lie in wait Usage: (lie in) ambush(-ment), lay (lie in) wait.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 20
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 18×
Participle active Josh 8:2 · Josh 8:4 · Josh 8:12 · Josh 8:14 · Judg 20:29 · Lam 3:10 6×
Imperfect Mic 7:2 · Prov 1:18 · Prov 7:12 · Prov 23:28 · Ps 10:9 6×
Perfect Lam 4:19 · Ps 59:4 · Job 31:9 3×
Cohortative Prov 1:11 1×
Infinitive construct Prov 12:6 1×
Jussive Prov 24:15 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 2×
Participle active 2Chr 20:22 · Judg 9:25 2×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
The words of the wicked lurk to harm, contrasted with righteous speech
Wicked person lying in ambush against the righteous dwelling, depicted as futile
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 41 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
אָרַב is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain