Lexical Summary arab or arabah: Desert, plain, steppe, wilderness Original Word: עָרָב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance willow From arab; a willow (from the use of osiers as wattles) -- willow. see HEBREW arab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as oreb Definition (a kind of tree) perhaps poplar, also a wadi in Moab NASB Translation Arabim (1), poplars (1), willows (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. [עֲרָבָה] noun [masculine] poplar (populus Euphratica = Arabic  We in DeGn (4), 568 KerstenZPV ii. 209 DeIs (4) 44, 4 Löwp. 300 Anm.; Late Hebrew עֲרָבָה √ obscure); — plural absolute עֲרָבִים עַליִֿבְלֵימָֿ֑יִם Isaiah 44:4, compare Psalm 137:2; construct עַרְבֵינָֿ֑חַלLeviticus 23:40 (H), Job 40:22; נַחַלהָֿעֲרָבִים Isaiah 15:7 (a wady in Moab; identification dubious, see conjectures in BuhlGeogr. 124). Topical Lexicon Botanical identity עָרָב (ʿărāḇ) designates the willow, most likely the white willow (Salix alba) or a closely related species common along the Jordan and its tributaries. Characterized by long, pliable branches and lance-shaped leaves, the tree thrives where water is abundant—a fact that shapes every biblical use of the term. Geographical setting Willows form thickets on the banks of the Jordan, the Kishon, and the wadis of Moab and Gilead. Their preference for “streams of water” (cf. Isaiah 44:4) made them a familiar sight to travelers, shepherds, and worshipers journeying to Jerusalem for the annual festivals. Canonical occurrences Leviticus 23:40 joins willows with palm, myrtle, and “leafy trees” as materials for rejoicing before the Lord during the Feast of Tabernacles. Job 40:22 pictures Behemoth sheltered beneath “the willows of the brook.” Psalm 137:2 locates Judah’s harps “upon the willows” along Babylon’s rivers, a poignant emblem of exile. Isaiah 15:7 foresees Moab’s wealth swept away “to the Brook of the Willows,” a prophecy of dispossession. Isaiah 44:4 compares the future flourishing of Jacob’s offspring to “willows by flowing streams,” an image of covenant renewal. Cultic and liturgical significance At Tabernacles (Sukkoth) the willow branches, waved in procession and set around the altar, enacted Israel’s gratitude for the Lord’s provision of water at harvest’s end. Rabbinic memory preserved the joyful circling of the altar (the hoshana) in which the willow featured prominently, reinforcing the theme of dependence on God for life-giving rain. By commanding willows at this feast, Leviticus 23 binds physical refreshment to spiritual rejoicing, foreshadowing the Messiah’s later invitation, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37), issued on the great day of Tabernacles. Symbol of shelter and rest Job’s Behemoth finds shade beneath the willow. The scene underlines creation’s ordered harmony: even the largest land animal depends on a modest streamside tree for comfort. Pastoral ministry may draw from this picture the reassurance that God provides fitting shelter for every creature He has fashioned. Image of lament and loss “In the willow trees in its midst we hung our harps” (Psalm 137:2). The same branches that adorned the festival now bear silent instruments, turning celebration into mourning. The exile’s grief is intensified by the contrast—trees created for rejoicing become mute witnesses to covenant breach. Those who counsel the downcast can point to this verse: the Lord records tears as carefully as songs, and both can rest on the same bough. Figure of judgment Isaiah 15:7 pictures Moab’s survivors dragging their possessions toward “the Brook of the Willows,” only to lose all to invading forces. The willow here marks the boundary of Moab’s territory and the limit of its security. Judgment reaches even the watered places, reminding nations that abundance without righteousness invites loss. Emblem of renewal and promise “They will sprout among the grass like willows by flowing streams” (Isaiah 44:4). In contrast to exile and judgment, the prophet envisions a Spirit-given future in which descendants thrive as willows in perpetual supply. The metaphor assures restored Israel—and, by extension, the Church grafted into the same promise—that life rooted in God’s provision cannot wither. Theological synthesis Taken together, the five texts trace a redemptive arc: provision (Leviticus), shelter (Job), lament (Psalm), judgment (Isaiah 15), and renewal (Isaiah 44). The willow’s need for constant moisture mirrors humanity’s need for ongoing grace. Where that grace is received, worship flourishes; where it is spurned, music falls silent. Applications for ministry today • Worship planning: Incorporate physical symbols (branches, water) to remind congregations of Tabernacles’ call to rejoicing and dependence. Conclusion From festival courts to foreign rivers, עָרָב circles the biblical account like its own supple branches: bending but not breaking, losing leaves yet sprouting anew. Its quiet presence by the waters urges every generation to root itself where the river of God never runs dry. Forms and Transliterations הָעֲרָבִ֖ים הערבים וְעַרְבֵי־ וערבי־ כַּעֲרָבִ֖ים כערבים עֲרָבִ֥ים עַרְבֵי־ ערבי־ ערבים ‘ă·rā·ḇîm ‘ar·ḇê- ‘ărāḇîm ‘arḇê- araVim arvei hā‘ărāḇîm hā·‘ă·rā·ḇîm haaraVim ka‘ărāḇîm ka·‘ă·rā·ḇîm kaaraVim vearvei wə‘arḇê- wə·‘ar·ḇê-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 23:40 HEB: עֵץ־ עָבֹ֖ת וְעַרְבֵי־ נָ֑חַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם NAS: trees and willows of the brook, KJV: trees, and willows of the brook; INT: trees of leafy and willows of the brook shall rejoice Job 40:22 Psalm 137:2 Isaiah 15:7 Isaiah 44:4 5 Occurrences |
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