Lexical Summary arab: pleasing, sweet, pleasant Original Word: עָרֵב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be pleasant, take pleasure in, be sweet A primitive root (identical with arab through the idea of close association); to be agreeable -- be pleasant(-ing), take pleasure in, be sweet. see HEBREW arab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be sweet or pleasing NASB Translation pleasant (1), please (1), pleasing (3), sweet (2), took pleasure (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs III. [עָרַב] verb be sweet, pleasing (Late Hebrew id. (rare); Hiph`il Imperfect יעריבו Ecclus 40:21; ᵑ7 עָרִיב adjective pleasant, sweet); — Qal Perfect3feminine singular עָֽרְבָה Jeremiah 31:26 my sleep was sweet to me (לִי), שְׁנָתֶ֑ךָ ׳וְע consecutive Proverbs 3:24; of offering ׳לי ׳לֹא ע Malachi 3:4; 2feminine singular עָרַבְתְּ Ezekiel 16:37 with עַל person, to whom thou wast pleasing; 3 plural לֹא עָֽרְבוּ לִי Jeremiah 6:20 (of sacrifice); Imperfect3masculine singular יֶעֱרַב עָלָיו שִׂיחִי Psalm 104:34 let my meditation be pleasing unto him!3feminine singular תֶּעֱרַב לְ Proverbs 13:19 (of realized wish); 3 masculine plural לֹא יֶעֶרְבוּ לוֺ Hosea 9:4 (of sacrifice; but Kue Che We GASm Now read יַעַרְכוּ). Topical Lexicon Overviewעָרֵב (Strong’s Hebrew 6149) functions as a vivid descriptor of what is “sweet,” “pleasant,” or “pleasing,” whether to God or to humankind. Its eight uses trace a line from the intimate realm of personal rest and desire to the public sphere of worship and judgment, revealing how Scripture measures true delight. Scriptural Distribution 1. Personal Devotion and Worship: Psalm 104:34 Delight in Communion with God (Psalm 104:34) “May my meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the LORD.” Here עָרֵב portrays the believer’s inner thoughts offered like a fragrant sacrifice. The psalmist assumes that God not only hears but savors worship shaped by joy. This verse grounds all other uses: sweetness is first defined by what God enjoys. Sweetness of Restful Trust (Proverbs 3:24; Jeremiah 31:26) Proverbs promises, “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.” Jeremiah echoes the theme when the prophet awakens to find that his sleep “had been pleasant.” Rest becomes a moral and spiritual gift, secured by covenant faithfulness rather than by circumstances. True repose comes when the heart is aligned with divine wisdom. Desire Realized—A Legitimate Pleasure (Proverbs 13:19) “Desire realized is sweet to the soul.” Scripture does not disparage godly aspiration; it celebrates fulfillment that accords with righteousness. The verse balances aspiration with moral responsibility by contrasting sweetness with the folly of refusing to depart from evil. Counterfeit Sweetness (Proverbs 20:17) “Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is filled with gravel.” Here עָרֵב exposes the transient nature of sin’s rewards. Pleasure divorced from truth disintegrates, becoming a metaphorical mouthful of stones. The warning stands against every form of gain that bypasses integrity. Acceptable and Unacceptable Worship (Jeremiah 6:20; Malachi 3:4) Jeremiah records divine rejection: “Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me.” The sweetest incense fails when the heart is corrupt. Malachi anticipates a future renewal: “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in days of old.” The prophetic tension highlights that God, not human ritual, defines what is pleasant. Genuine repentance restores sweetness to worship. Illicit Pleasure and Judgment (Ezekiel 16:37) God gathers the lovers “with whom you found pleasure.” The same root that speaks of holy delight now brands covenant unfaithfulness. Pleasure sought outside divine boundaries leads to exposure and shame. Sweetness severed from covenant love becomes the grounds for judgment. Theological Trajectory 1. God-Centered Measure: Pleasantness originates in God’s character; what pleases Him defines true sweetness. Ministry Implications • Worship Planning: Evaluate corporate and private worship by its Godward orientation, not by sensory appeal alone. Conclusion עָרֵב threads through Scripture as a moral gauge of delight. Whether in night-time sleep, fulfilled longing, worship’s fragrance, or sinful compromise, the word presses every reader to ask: “Is this sweet to the LORD?” The answer determines whether pleasure endures or crumbles, both now and in eternity. Forms and Transliterations וְֽעָרְבָ֥ה וְעָֽרְבָה֙ וערבה יֶעֱרַ֣ב יערב עָ֥רְבָה עָ֥רְבוּ עָרֵ֣ב עָרַ֣בְתְּ ערב ערבה ערבו ערבת תֶּעֱרַ֣ב תערב ‘ā·raḇt ‘ā·rə·ḇāh ‘ā·rə·ḇū ‘ā·rêḇ ‘āraḇt ‘ārêḇ ‘ārəḇāh ‘ārəḇū aRavt aRev Arevah Arevu ṯe‘ĕraḇ ṯe·‘ĕ·raḇ teeRav veareVah wə‘ārəḇāh wə·‘ā·rə·ḇāh ye‘ĕraḇ ye·‘ĕ·raḇ yeeRavLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 104:34 HEB: יֶעֱרַ֣ב עָלָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י NAS: Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad KJV: My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad INT: be pleasing and my meditation Proverbs 3:24 Proverbs 13:19 Proverbs 20:17 Jeremiah 6:20 Jeremiah 31:26 Ezekiel 16:37 Malachi 3:4 8 Occurrences |
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