6148. arab
Lexical Summary
arab: To pledge, exchange, mix, become surety

Original Word: עָרַב
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `arab
Pronunciation: ah-RAHV
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-rab')
KJV: engage, (inter-)meddle (with), mingle (self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be(-come, put in) surety, undertake
NASB: associate, becomes surety, make a bargain, surety, became surety, become guarantors, become surety
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to braid, i.e. intermix
2. technically, to traffic (as if by barter)
3. also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
engage, intermeddle with, mingle self, mortgage, occupy, give pledges,

A primitive root; to braid, i.e. Intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange) -- engage, (inter-)meddle (with), mingle (self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be(-come, put in) surety, undertake.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to take on pledge, give in pledge, exchange
NASB Translation
associate (2), became surety (1), become guarantors (1), become surety (1), becomes (1), becomes surety (2), dare to risk (1), deal (1), dealers (1), guarantor (1), intermingled (1), make a bargain (2), mingled (1), mortgaging (1), security (1), share (1), surety (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. עָרַב verb take on pledge, give in pledge, exchange (Late Hebrew go surety for (rare); Phoenician ערב surety; Old Aramaic ערבא pledge; ᵑ7 עֲרַב, Syriac , go surety for; usually identified with I. ערבmix, exchange, pledge — but quite uncertain; compare BuhlLex LagBN 203); —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular ׳ע Genesis 44:32 4t.; 2 masculine singular עָרַבְתָּ Proverbs 6:1; Imperfect1singular suffix אֶעֶרְבֶנּוּ Genesis 43:9; Imperative עֲרֹב Psalm 119:122, suffix עָרְבֵנִי Isaiah 38:14, so Job 17:3 (but see below); Infinitive construct לַעֲרֹב Ezekiel 27:9; Participle עֹרֵב Proverbs 17:18, etc.; —

1 with accusative of person taken on pledge, i.e. go surety for the safety of, Genesis 43:9 (J), Genesis 44:32 (J; + מֵעִם person); for the debts of Proverbs 11:15; Proverbs 20:16; Proverbs 27:13; of God Isaiah 38:14 go surety for me, Psalm 119:122, so Job 17:3 (si vera lectio, see עֵרָבוֺן); accusative of person omitted, לְ ׳ע Proverbs 6:1 go surety to one (in behalf of another, "" תָּקַע לַזָּר כַּמֶּ֑יךָ); with accusative of thing Proverbs 22:26 ("" תֹּקְעֵיכָֿ֑ף).

2 give in pledge, with accusative of thing Nehemiah 5:3 (i.e. mortagage), figurative אֶתלִֿבּוֺ ׳ע Jeremiah 30:21 so עֲרֻבָּה לִפְנֵי רֵעֵהוּ ׳ע Proverbs 17:18 ("" תֹּקֵעַ כָּ֑ף).

3 exchange (in trade), with accusative of congnate meaning with verb מָעֲרָבֵךְ Ezekiel 27:9,27.

Hithpa`el 1. reciprocal: Imperative הִתְעָ֫רֶב נָא אֶתאֲֿדֹנִי 2 Kings 18:23 exchange pledges (make a bargain) with my lord = Isaiah 36:8.

2. a. have fellowship with, בְּ person, Perfect3plural הִתְעָֽרְבוּ Ezra 9:2; Imperfect3masculine plural וַיִּתְעָֽרְבוּ Psalm 106:35; 2masculine singular תִּתְעָרָ֑ב with לְ person Proverbs 20:19, with עִם person Proverbs 24:21.

b. share in, בְּ of thing, 3 masculine singular יִתְעָרַב Proverbs 14:10 in his joy no other shares..

Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and Themes

עָרַב moves along two main currents in Scripture: 1) the act of becoming answerable for another—pledging, guaranteeing, bargaining, mortgaging; and 2) the idea of mixing—social, spiritual, or verbal intermingling. Both currents converge in the notion of entanglement: one may be bound economically, relationally, politically, or spiritually for good or ill.

Personal Surety and Covenant Responsibility

The earliest usage (Genesis 43:9; 44:32) presents Judah voluntarily taking Benjamin’s liability upon himself, a living picture of substitutionary responsibility that secures the family’s future. Job appeals to God, “Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand” (Job 17:3), while the psalmist pleads, “Ensure Your servant’s well-being” (Psalm 119:122). Human surety is shown to be frail; ultimate safety rests in divine guaranty.

Economic Ethics and Social Justice

Nehemiah 5:3 exposes systemic distress: “We have mortgaged our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.” The Proverbial corpus repeatedly cautions against rash cosigning (Proverbs 6:1; 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26; 27:13). Wisdom urges compassion without imprudence, defending neighborly aid while guarding families from needless ruin. Biblical stewardship balances generosity with discernment, honoring both mercy and responsibility.

International Bargains and Political Reliance

Assyria’s envoy taunts Jerusalem, “Now therefore, make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria” (2 Kings 18:23; Isaiah 36:8). The call to stake Judah’s security on foreign cavalry exposes the danger of misplaced trust. Scripture consistently contrasts such horizontal alliances with vertical dependence on the Lord.

Mingling that Dilutes Holiness

Ezra 9:2 grieves that “the holy seed has been mixed with the peoples of the land,” echoing Psalm 106:35, “but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs.” Hosea 9:4 adds that impure offerings “will not please Him.” The verb warns that compromise, however subtle, erodes covenant distinctiveness and invites discipline.

Verbal and Social Entanglements

Proverbs 20:19 counsels, “avoid the one who flatters with his lips,” and 24:21 warns not to “join with the rebellious.” Intermingling with gossips or agitators infects character as surely as financial entanglements endanger assets. Proverbs 14:10 underscores that even legitimate intimacy has limits—certain inner joys and sorrows are not to be “shared” indiscriminately.

Supplication for Divine Pledge

Isaiah’s death-bed prayer distills human helplessness: “O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security” (Isaiah 38:14). When mortals fail, Yahweh Himself becomes Surety, culminating in the New-Covenant affirmation, “Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22).

Prophetic and Redemptive Trajectory

Jeremiah 30:21 foretells a ruler who will “approach Me,” bridging God and people at personal cost—language that aligns with the servant-king who later lays down His life as the believer’s guarantor. Thus עָרַב anticipates the Gospel logic: substitutionary responsibility leading to restored fellowship.

Maritime Commerce and the Fall of Tyre

Ezekiel 27 twice employs the root for ship-repair and trade partners (verses 9, 27), portraying a global network “mixed” into Tyre’s fortunes. When the hub collapses, every intertwined party sinks with it—a sobering illustration that shared ventures without regard for righteousness invite collective judgment.

Pastoral and Discipleship Implications

• Encourage believers to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) while heeding Scriptural cautions against unwise pledges.
• Teach financial integrity: generosity coupled with prudence protects families and honors God.
• Guard fellowship purity; relational or doctrinal compromise spreads imperceptibly but decisively.
• Model Christlike surety—standing with the vulnerable, even at cost—because the Savior first stood in our place.

Summary

עָרַב paints a multifaceted portrait of entanglement. It commends sacrificial responsibility yet warns against entanglements that eclipse reliance on God or erode holiness. By tracing the word from Judah’s pledge to the Messiah’s ultimate guarantee, Scripture summons believers to wise stewardship, pure devotion, and Christ-centered confidence.

Forms and Transliterations
אֶֽעֶרְבֶ֔נּוּ אערבנו בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים בערבים הִתְעָ֣רֶב התערב וְֽעֹרְבֵ֣י וְהִתְעָֽרְבוּ֙ וַיִּתְעָרְב֥וּ והתערבו ויתערבו וערבי יִתְעָ֥רַב יֶֽעֶרְבוּ־ יערבו־ יתערב לַעֲרֹ֖ב לערב עֲרֹ֣ב עָ֣רַב עָרְבֵ֣נִי עָרְבֵֽנִי׃ עָרַ֣ב עָרַ֣בְתָּ עָרַ֧ב עֹרְבִ֑ים עֹרֵ֥ב ערב ערבים ערבני ערבני׃ ערבת תִּתְעָרָֽב׃ תִתְעָרָֽב׃ תתערב׃ ‘ā·raḇ ‘ā·raḇ·tā ‘ā·rə·ḇê·nî ‘ă·rōḇ ‘āraḇ ‘āraḇtā ‘ārəḇênî ‘ărōḇ ‘ō·rə·ḇîm ‘ō·rêḇ ‘ōrêḇ ‘ōrəḇîm ’e‘erḇennū ’e·‘er·ḇen·nū aRav aRavta areVeni aRo ba‘ōrəḇîm ba·‘ō·rə·ḇîm baoreVim eerVennu hiṯ‘āreḇ hiṯ·‘ā·reḇ hitArev la‘ărōḇ la·‘ă·rōḇ laaRo oRev oreVim tiṯ‘ārāḇ ṯiṯ‘ārāḇ tiṯ·‘ā·rāḇ ṯiṯ·‘ā·rāḇ titaRav vaiyitareVu vehitareVu veoreVei way·yiṯ·‘ā·rə·ḇū wayyiṯ‘ārəḇū wə‘ōrəḇê wə·‘ō·rə·ḇê wə·hiṯ·‘ā·rə·ḇū wəhiṯ‘ārəḇū ye‘erḇū- ye·‘er·ḇū- yeervu yiṯ‘āraḇ yiṯ·‘ā·raḇ yitArav
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Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 43:9
HEB: אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֶֽעֶרְבֶ֔נּוּ מִיָּדִ֖י תְּבַקְשֶׁ֑נּוּ
NAS: I myself will be surety for him; you may hold
KJV: I will be surety for him; of my hand
INT: myself will be surety of my hand require

Genesis 44:32
HEB: כִּ֤י עַבְדְּךָ֙ עָרַ֣ב אֶת־ הַנַּ֔עַר
NAS: For your servant became surety for the lad
KJV: For thy servant became surety for the lad
INT: For your servant became the lad unto

2 Kings 18:23
HEB: וְעַתָּה֙ הִתְעָ֣רֶב נָ֔א אֶת־
NAS: therefore, come, make a bargain with my master
KJV: Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord
INT: Now make come with

Ezra 9:2
HEB: לָהֶם֙ וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם וְהִתְעָֽרְבוּ֙ זֶ֣רַע הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ
NAS: race has intermingled with the peoples
KJV: seed have mingled themselves with the people
INT: and for their sons has intermingled race the holy

Nehemiah 5:3
HEB: וּבָתֵּ֖ינוּ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ עֹרְבִ֑ים וְנִקְחָ֥ה דָגָ֖ן
NAS: said, We are mortgaging our fields,
KJV: that said, We have mortgaged our lands,
INT: and our houses we are mortgaging get grain

Job 17:3
HEB: שִֽׂימָה־ נָּ֭א עָרְבֵ֣נִי עִמָּ֑ךְ מִֽי
KJV: Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who [is] he [that] will strike
INT: Lay now A surety with Who

Psalm 106:35
HEB: וַיִּתְעָרְב֥וּ בַגּוֹיִ֑ם וַֽ֝יִּלְמְד֗וּ
NAS: But they mingled with the nations
KJV: But were mingled among the heathen,
INT: mingled the nations and learned

Psalm 119:122
HEB: עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב
NAS: Be surety for Your servant for good;
KJV: Be surety for thy servant for good:
INT: be surety your servant good

Proverbs 6:1
HEB: בְּ֭נִי אִם־ עָרַ֣בְתָּ לְרֵעֶ֑ךָ תָּקַ֖עְתָּ
NAS: if you have become surety for your neighbor,
KJV: My son, if thou be surety for thy friend,
INT: my son if have become your neighbor have given

Proverbs 11:15
HEB: יֵ֭רוֹעַ כִּי־ עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וְשֹׂנֵ֖א
NAS: He who is guarantor for a stranger
KJV: He that is surety for a stranger
INT: suffer for is guarantor A stranger hates

Proverbs 14:10
HEB: וּ֝בְשִׂמְחָת֗וֹ לֹא־ יִתְעָ֥רַב זָֽר׃
NAS: And a stranger does not share its joy.
KJV: and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
INT: joy does not share stranger

Proverbs 17:18
HEB: תּוֹקֵ֣עַ כָּ֑ף עֹרֵ֥ב עֲ֝רֻבָּ֗ה לִפְנֵ֥י
NAS: pledges And becomes guarantor
KJV: hands, [and] becometh surety
INT: striketh hands and becomes guarantor the presence

Proverbs 20:16
HEB: בִּ֭גְדוֹ כִּי־ עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וּבְעַ֖ד
NAS: when he becomes surety for a stranger;
KJV: his garment that is surety [for] a stranger:
INT: his garment when becomes A stranger about

Proverbs 20:19
HEB: שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִתְעָרָֽב׃
NAS: secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.
KJV: secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth
INT: his lips not associate

Proverbs 22:26
HEB: בְתֹֽקְעֵי־ כָ֑ף בַּ֝עֹרְבִ֗ים מַשָּׁאֽוֹת׃ אִם־
NAS: pledges, Among those who become guarantors for debts.
KJV: hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts.
INT: strike hands become debts lo

Proverbs 24:21
HEB: שׁ֝וֹנִ֗ים אַל־ תִּתְעָרָֽב׃
NAS: and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change,
KJV: and the king: [and] meddle not with them that are given to change:
INT: to change not associate

Proverbs 27:13
HEB: בִּ֭גְדוֹ כִּי־ עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וּבְעַ֖ד
NAS: when he becomes surety for a stranger;
KJV: his garment that is surety for a stranger,
INT: his garment when becomes A stranger and for

Isaiah 36:8
HEB: וְעַתָּה֙ הִתְעָ֣רֶב נָ֔א אֶת־
NAS: therefore, come make a bargain with my master
KJV: Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master
INT: Now make come with

Isaiah 38:14
HEB: עָֽשְׁקָה־ לִּ֥י עָרְבֵֽנִי׃
NAS: I am oppressed, be my security.
KJV: I am oppressed; undertake for me.
INT: the Lord I am oppressed be my security

Jeremiah 30:21
HEB: הוּא־ זֶ֜ה עָרַ֧ב אֶת־ לִבּ֛וֹ
NAS: Me; For who would dare to risk his life
KJV: and he shall approach unto me: for who [is] this that engaged his heart
INT: he he dare his life to approach

Ezekiel 27:9
HEB: הָ֣יוּ בָ֔ךְ לַעֲרֹ֖ב מַעֲרָבֵֽךְ׃
NAS: and their sailors were with you in order to deal in your merchandise.
KJV: with their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise.
INT: and their sailors become to deal your merchandise

Ezekiel 27:27
HEB: מַחֲזִיקֵ֣י בִדְקֵ֣ך וְֽעֹרְבֵ֣י מַ֠עֲרָבֵךְ וְכָל־
NAS: of seams, your dealers in merchandise
KJV: thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise,
INT: your repairers of seams your dealers merchandise and all

Hosea 9:4
HEB: יַיִן֮ וְלֹ֣א יֶֽעֶרְבוּ־ לוֹ֒ זִבְחֵיהֶ֗ם
INT: of wine not engage their sacrifices bread

23 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6148
23 Occurrences


‘ā·raḇ — 5 Occ.
‘ā·raḇ·tā — 1 Occ.
‘ā·rə·ḇê·nî — 2 Occ.
‘ă·rōḇ — 1 Occ.
ba·‘ō·rə·ḇîm — 1 Occ.
’e·‘er·ḇen·nū — 1 Occ.
hiṯ·‘ā·reḇ — 2 Occ.
la·‘ă·rōḇ — 1 Occ.
‘ō·rêḇ — 1 Occ.
‘ō·rə·ḇîm — 1 Occ.
ṯiṯ·‘ā·rāḇ — 2 Occ.
way·yiṯ·‘ā·rə·ḇū — 1 Occ.
wə·hiṯ·‘ā·rə·ḇū — 1 Occ.
wə·‘ō·rə·ḇê — 1 Occ.
ye·‘er·ḇū- — 1 Occ.
yiṯ·‘ā·raḇ — 1 Occ.

6147
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