What does אָרַשׂ (erastikh) mean in the Bible?
אָרַשׂ (erastikh): Contractual commitment to marriage with legal standing; marks transition from betrothal to covenant bond
Hebrew · H781
אָרַשׂ
To engage for matrimony
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אָרַשׂ H781
Pronunciation erastikh
What does אָרַשׂ (erastikh) mean in the Bible?
אָרַשׂ (erastikh): Contractual commitment to marriage with legal standing; marks transition from betrothal to covenant bond
Full entry for אָרַשׂ (H781) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H781?
The BSB source-word alignment has 11 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include pledged in marriage (3), a betrothed (1), And I will betroth you (1), become pledged (1), I betrothed (1).
Where does אָרַשׂ (erastikh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 22:16. Its strongest book concentrations include Deuteronomy (6), Hosea (3), 2 Samuel (1), Exodus (1).
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 pledged in marriage 3× Exodus 22:16, Deuteronomy 22:23, Deuteronomy 22:28
a betrothed 1× Deuteronomy 22:25
And I will betroth you 1× Hosea 2:20
become pledged 1× Deuteronomy 20:7
I betrothed 1× 2 Samuel 3:14
I will betroth you 1× Hosea 2:19
So I will betroth you 1× Hosea 2:19
the betrothed 1× Deuteronomy 22:27
You will be pledged in marriage 1× Deuteronomy 28:30
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 22:16 אֹרָ֖שָׂה to pledged in marriage Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular Deuteronomy 20:7 אֵרַ֤שׂ to become pledged Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Deuteronomy 22:23 מְאֹרָשָׂ֖ה to pledged in marriage Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular Deuteronomy 22:25 הַמְאֹ֣רָשָׂ֔ה to a betrothed Article | Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular Deuteronomy 22:27 הַמְאֹ֣רָשָׂ֔ה to the betrothed Article | Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular Deuteronomy 22:28 אֹרָ֔שָׂה to pledged in marriage Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular Deuteronomy 28:30 תְאָרֵ֗שׂ to You will be pledged in marriage Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 2 Samuel 3:14 אֵרַ֣שְׂתִּי to I betrothed Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular Hosea 2:19 וְאֵרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ to So I will betroth you Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular Hosea 2:19 וְאֵרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ to I will betroth you Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 22:16
Aligned rows 11
Books represented 4
Exodus 1 Deuteronomy 6 2 Samuel 1 Hosea 3
Source forms
וְאֵרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ 3x wə·’ê·raś·tîḵ Hosea 2:19, Hosea 2:20
הַמְאֹ֣רָשָׂ֔ה 2x ham·’ō·rā·śāh Deuteronomy 22:25, Deuteronomy 22:27
אֵרַ֤שׂ 1x ’ê·raś Deuteronomy 20:7
אֹרָ֖שָׂה 1x ’ō·rā·śāh Exodus 22:16
אֹרָ֔שָׂה 1x ’ō·rā·śāh Deuteronomy 22:28
אֵרַ֣שְׂתִּי 1x ’ê·raś·tî 2 Samuel 3:14
מְאֹרָשָׂ֖ה 1x mə·’ō·rā·śāh Deuteronomy 22:23
תְאָרֵ֗שׂ 1x ṯə·’ā·rêś Deuteronomy 28:30
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular 3x Hosea 2:19, Hosea 2:20
Article | Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular 2x Deuteronomy 22:25, Deuteronomy 22:27
Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular 2x Exodus 22:16, Deuteronomy 22:28
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 1x Deuteronomy 28:30
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular 1x 2 Samuel 3:14
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Deuteronomy 20:7
Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular 1x Deuteronomy 22:23
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Contractual commitment to marriage with legal standing; marks transition from betrothal to covenant bond
Strong's H781
Lexical occurrences 11 verses Word forms 2 forms 6 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Hosea 2:14-23 Source Gloss
to engage for matrimony
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Contractual commitment to marriage with legal standing; marks transition from betrothal to covenant bond
to engage for matrimony BDB: betroth Usage: betroth, espouse.
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 6
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 3×
Perfect Deut 22:28 · Exod 22:15 2×
Participle passive Deut 22:23 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 3×
Perfect 2Sam 3:14 · Deut 20:7 2×
Imperfect Deut 28:30 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
I will betroth you
Showing 1 selected witness from 11 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
אָרַשׂ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Formal covenant re-engagement. Hosea 2:14-23
Canonical Themes
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