Lexical Summary arba: four Original Word: אַרְבַּע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance four (Aramaic) corresponding to arba' -- four. see HEBREW arba' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to arba Definition four NASB Translation four (7). Brown-Driver-Briggs אַרְבַּע, אַרְבְּעָה noun masculine and feminine four; — 1. masculine: before feminine plural noun Daniel 7:2,3; noun feminine singular מְאָה ׳א Ezra 6:17; after feminine plural noun Daniel 7:6; as predicate אַרְבַּ֑ע Daniel 7:17. 2. feminine: before masculine plural noun Daniel 7:6,16; after masculine plural noun Daniel 3:25. Topical Lexicon Numerical Symbolism and Thematic Emphasis The number four stands in Scripture as a frequent emblem of completeness within the created order. The four corners of the earth (Isaiah 11:12), the four winds (Jeremiah 49:36), the four living creatures around the throne (Revelation 4:6-8), and the fourfold punishment of sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts (Ezekiel 14:21) all testify that “four” often gathers the totality of the world or of God’s providential dealings with it. In the eight occurrences of אַרְבַּע listed under Strong’s 703, that same universal scope is prominent, particularly in Daniel’s visions. Cultic and Covenant Dedication (Ezra 6:17) At the dedication of the Second Temple the returned exiles offered “four hundred lambs” (Ezra 6:17). The number’s appearance here subtly underscores the sufficiency and completeness of the offering. The restoration community is not presenting a token sacrifice but a whole, fitting complement, signaling their desire that worship in the new house of God match His covenantal fullness. In ministry application, the verse challenges modern assemblies to present whole-hearted and proportionate offerings whenever they dedicate persons, buildings, or endeavors to the Lord. Deliverance in the Furnace (Daniel 3:25) Nebuchadnezzar’s astonished cry, “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire” (Daniel 3:25), frames four as a number of divine intervention. Three faithful Hebrews go in; a mysterious Fourth appears and preserves them. The additional figure transforms a tyrant’s instrument of execution into a theater of salvation. Pastors and teachers often draw on this passage to remind believers that Christ Himself walks with His people through trial; the “fourth” completes the group and secures their deliverance. Four Winds and Four Beasts (Daniel 7:2-3, 6, 17) Daniel’s night vision opens with “the four winds of heaven” (Daniel 7:2) agitating the sea of nations, out of which emerge “four great beasts” (7:3). Later the angelic interpreter states, “These four great beasts are four kingdoms that will arise from the earth” (7:17). The number marks: 1. Universality—The winds blow from every direction, symbolizing God’s sovereign stirring of world history. For conservative interpreters, the vision authenticates Scripture’s predictive precision and its coherent message: earthly kingdoms, though fearsome, are finite; the Son of Man’s everlasting dominion follows (Daniel 7:13-14). The fourfold imagery thus steadies the church to endure present hostility with the confidence of ultimate triumph. Interplay with Progressive Revelation The distribution of אַרְבַּע through priestly history (Ezra) and apocalyptic prophecy (Daniel) bridges Israel’s past worship and her future hope. The Temple dedication looks back to covenant foundations; Daniel’s visions look forward to the consummation. Both rest on the same divine reliability. Wherever the number appears, it intimates that God oversees the whole scene—past, present, and future. Christological Foreshadowing The “Fourth” in the furnace typifies the incarnate Son who enters mankind’s fiery judgment to liberate His own. Likewise, the four beasts yield, in Daniel’s sequence, to the One “like a Son of Man” (Daniel 7:13), echoing the Gospel declaration that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18). Thus the thematic arc of four moves from creation’s completeness to redemptive completion in Christ. Practical Ministry Application • Dedications: Follow the pattern of completeness—offer God the full measure. Summary אַרְבַּע in its eight highlighted occurrences quietly threads together themes of wholeness, divine intervention, and prophetic certainty. Whether numbering sacrificial animals, men in a furnace, winds of heaven, or beasts of empire, “four” consistently magnifies the God who governs the entirety of creation and history for His covenant purposes in Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations אַרְבְּעָ֗ה אַרְבְּעָ֥ה אַרְבַּ֑ע אַרְבַּ֛ע אַרְבַּ֣ע אַרְבַּע֙ ארבע ארבעה וְאַרְבְּעָ֤ה וְאַרְבַּ֤ע וארבע וארבעה ’ar·ba‘ ’ar·bə·‘āh ’arba‘ ’arbə‘āh arBa arbeAh vearBa vearbeAh wə’arba‘ wə’arbə‘āh wə·’ar·ba‘ wə·’ar·bə·‘āhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 6:17 HEB: מָאתַ֔יִן אִמְּרִ֖ין אַרְבַּ֣ע מְאָ֑ה וּצְפִירֵ֨י KJV: two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; INT: hundred lambs four hundred male Daniel 3:25 Daniel 7:2 Daniel 7:3 Daniel 7:6 Daniel 7:6 Daniel 7:17 Daniel 7:17 8 Occurrences |
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