Lexical Summary arum: Shrewd, crafty, prudent, cunning Original Word: עָרוּם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance crafty, prudent, subtil Passive participle of aram; cunning (usually in a bad sense) -- crafty, prudent, subtil. see HEBREW aram NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom arom Definition crafty, shrewd, sensible NASB Translation crafty (2), prudent (2), prudent man (3), sensible (2), sensible man (1), shrewd (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs עָרוּם adjective crafty, shrewd, sensible; — 1 crafty, ׳ע as predicate, of serpent Genesis 3:1; plural as substantive מַחְשְׁבוֺת עֲרוּמִים Job 5:12, ׳לְשׁוֺן ע Job 15:5. 2 in Proverbs, in good sense (opposed to אֱוִיל, כְּסִיל, מֶּתִי); as attributive אָדָם עָרוּם Proverbs 12:23 a shrewd or sensible man; ׳ע as substantive = id., Proverbs 12:16; Proverbs 13:16, so ׳חָכְמַת ע Proverbs 13:8; = prudent man Proverbs 14:15; Proverbs 22:3; Proverbs 27:12; plural עֲרוּמִים Proverbs 14:18. עֵרָן, עֵרָנִי see below I. עור. ערס (√ of following). Topical Lexicon Overview עָרוּם (’ārûm) appears eleven times in the Old Testament. Its context-driven nuance oscillates between sinful “craftiness” and godly “prudence.” The word’s placement at watershed passages—beginning with the serpent in Genesis and recurring through Job’s dialogues and the Proverbs of Solomon—creates a literary thread that contrasts deceptive self-reliance with discerning reliance on the LORD. Genesis 3:1 – The Paradigm of Fallen Cunning “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made” (Genesis 3:1). Here עָרוּם introduces the first instance of satanic manipulation. The term frames the serpent’s strategy: misquoting divine command, fostering doubt, and appealing to autonomous wisdom. This foundational text establishes the negative pole of עָרוּם—subtlety that subverts the revealed word of God. Job – Human Schemes Confronted by Divine Wisdom Job 5:12: “He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.” Job 15:5: “Your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.” Eliphaz’s speeches highlight עָרוּם as a trait of those who oppose God’s purposes. These verses affirm that the LORD frustrates manipulative designs and that self-justifying speech is rooted in sin, not true wisdom. Proverbs – Prudence Versus Folly In Proverbs, עָרוּם shifts toward commendable foresight. The Spirit-inspired maxims distinguish between prudent conduct and naïve impulsiveness: Here עָרוּם denotes discernment rooted in “the fear of the LORD” (Proverbs 1:7). Prudence guards speech, plans responsibly, and anticipates consequences, contrasting sharply with the serpent’s destructive subtlety. Historical and Cultural Insight Ancient Near Eastern literature often applauded cunning heroes; Scripture, however, filters cunning through covenantal ethics. Deceptive subtlety is condemned, while foresight anchored in reverence for God is praised. This redirection elevates עָרוּם from mere intellectual acumen to moral discernment. Biblical-Theological Trajectory Genesis introduces a counterfeit wisdom that alienates humanity from God. Proverbs then redeems the term by portraying prudence as a facet of divine wisdom available through submission to the LORD. The pattern anticipates the New Testament call to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16), urging believers to exercise sanctified discernment without deceit. Ministry Significance 1. Discern Motives: Leaders must distinguish between clever manipulation and Spirit-led prudence. Practical Application for Believers • Cultivate biblical prudence through regular intake of Scripture and prayer. Summary עָרוּם traverses Scripture as both warning and invitation: warning against the destructive craftiness that rebels against God, and invitation to embrace prudent wisdom that flows from the fear of the LORD. In Christ, believers are empowered to reject deceptive subtlety and to walk in discerning, humble, and faithful prudence. Forms and Transliterations וְ֝עָר֗וּם וַֽ֝עֲרוּמִ֗ים וערום וערומים עֲרוּמִ֑ים עֲרוּמִֽים׃ עָ֭רוּם עָר֔וּם עָר֤וּם עָר֤וּם ׀ עָרֽוּם׃ ערום ערום׃ ערומים ערומים׃ ‘ă·rū·mîm ‘ā·rūm ‘ārūm ‘ărūmîm aRum aruMim vaaruMim veaRum wa‘ărūmîm wa·‘ă·rū·mîm wə‘ārūm wə·‘ā·rūmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 3:1 HEB: וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת NAS: was more crafty than KJV: was more subtil than any beast INT: now the serpent was crafty any beast Job 5:12 Job 15:5 Proverbs 12:16 Proverbs 12:23 Proverbs 13:16 Proverbs 14:8 Proverbs 14:15 Proverbs 14:18 Proverbs 22:3 Proverbs 27:12 11 Occurrences |
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