6175. arum
Lexical Summary
arum: Shrewd, crafty, prudent, cunning

Original Word: עָרוּם
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: `aruwm
Pronunciation: ah-ROOM
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-room')
KJV: crafty, prudent, subtil
NASB: prudent man, crafty, prudent, sensible, sensible man, shrewd
Word Origin: [passive participle of H6191 (עָרַם - become shrewd)]

1. cunning (usually in a bad sense)

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 Origin
from 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:
• “A fool’s anger is known at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult” (Proverbs 12:16).
• “A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools proclaims folly” (Proverbs 12:23).
• “Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly” (Proverbs 13:16).
• “The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them” (Proverbs 14:8).
• “The simple believe every word, but the prudent consider their steps” (Proverbs 14:15).
• “The prudent are crowned with knowledge” (Proverbs 14:18).
• “The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences” (Proverbs 22:3; 27:12).

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.
2. Guard Speech: The Proverbs passages highlight restrained, thoughtful words as evidence of godly wisdom.
3. Anticipate Consequences: Pastoral care and personal discipleship benefit from the prudence that foresees danger and steers the flock away from harm.
4. Resist Deception: Recognizing the serpent’s prototype equips the church to expose and oppose contemporary distortions of God’s word.

Practical Application for Believers

• Cultivate biblical prudence through regular intake of Scripture and prayer.
• Weigh information and counsel against the character of God revealed in Christ.
• Respond to provocation with measured grace rather than impulsive anger.
• Plan with humility, acknowledging the LORD’s sovereignty over every endeavor.

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·rūm
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman'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
HEB: מֵ֭פֵר מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת עֲרוּמִ֑ים וְֽלֹא־ תַעֲשֶׂ֥ינָה
NAS: the plotting of the shrewd, So that their hands
KJV: the devices of the crafty, so that their hands
INT: frustrates the plotting of the shrewd cannot attain

Job 15:5
HEB: וְ֝תִבְחַ֗ר לְשׁ֣וֹן עֲרוּמִֽים׃
NAS: the language of the crafty.
KJV: the tongue of the crafty.
INT: choose the language of the crafty

Proverbs 12:16
HEB: וְכֹסֶ֖ה קָל֣וֹן עָרֽוּם׃
NAS: at once, But a prudent man conceals
KJV: known: but a prudent [man] covereth
INT: conceals dishonor A prudent

Proverbs 12:23
HEB: אָדָ֣ם עָ֭רוּם כֹּ֣סֶה דָּ֑עַת
NAS: A prudent man conceals
KJV: A prudent man concealeth
INT: man A prudent conceals knowledge

Proverbs 13:16
HEB: כָּל־ עָ֭רוּם יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה בְדָ֑עַת
NAS: Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
KJV: Every prudent [man] dealeth
INT: Every prudent acts knowledge

Proverbs 14:8
HEB: חָכְמַ֣ת עָ֭רוּם הָבִ֣ין דַּרְכּ֑וֹ
NAS: The wisdom of the sensible is to understand
KJV: The wisdom of the prudent [is] to understand
INT: the wisdom of the sensible understand his way

Proverbs 14:15
HEB: לְכָל־ דָּבָ֑ר וְ֝עָר֗וּם יָבִ֥ין לַאֲשֻׁרֽוֹ׃
NAS: everything, But the sensible man considers
KJV: every word: but the prudent [man] looketh well
INT: everything word the sensible considers to his going

Proverbs 14:18
HEB: פְתָאיִ֣ם אִוֶּ֑לֶת וַֽ֝עֲרוּמִ֗ים יַכְתִּ֥רוּ דָֽעַת׃
NAS: foolishness, But the sensible are crowned
KJV: folly: but the prudent are crowned
INT: the naive foolishness the sensible are crowned knowledge

Proverbs 22:3
HEB: עָר֤וּם ׀ רָאָ֣ה רָעָ֣ה
NAS: The prudent sees the evil
KJV: A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil,
INT: the prudent sees the evil

Proverbs 27:12
HEB: עָר֤וּם רָאָ֣ה רָעָ֣ה
NAS: A prudent man sees evil
KJV: A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil,
INT: A prudent sees the evil

11 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6175
11 Occurrences


‘ā·rūm — 7 Occ.
‘ă·rū·mîm — 2 Occ.
wa·‘ă·rū·mîm — 1 Occ.
wə·‘ā·rūm — 1 Occ.

6174
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