Lexical Summary arah: To uncover, to expose, to bare Original Word: אָרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gather, pluck A primitive root; to pluck -- gather, pluck. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to gather, pluck NASB Translation gathered (1), pick (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [אָרָה] verb pluck, gather (Ethiopic  ) — Qal Perfect1singular אָרִיתִי Songs 5:1; 3plural suffix וְאָרוּהָ Psalm 80:13 pluck (grapes from) vine Psalm 80:13, myrrh Songs 5:1. ארה (√ of following; Biblical Hebrew ארה, אַרְיֵה). Topical Lexicon Root Meaning and Nuances אָרָה denotes the deliberate act of plucking or gathering ripe produce by hand. It is more specific than general verbs for “harvest,” stressing personal attention to each fruit. The term therefore carries nuances of care, ownership, and the enjoyment of what has reached maturity. Occurrences in Scripture • Psalm 80:12 — “Why have You broken down its walls, so that all who pass by pick its fruit?”. These are the only instances in the Hebrew canon, yet they frame two contrasting settings: covenant judgment and covenant delight. Agricultural Setting in Ancient Israel Viticulture and orchard-keeping demanded seasonal vigilance. Stone walls and thorn hedges protected vines from animals and thieves; when those barriers failed, passers-by could reach in and pluck (אָרָה) the fruit. In an era without mechanized harvesters, gathering by hand also revealed rightful possession. A landowner personally picking signified enjoyment of his labor; strangers plucking suggested vulnerability or judgment. Theological Significance in Psalm 80 Psalm 80 uses Israel’s vine imagery to lament national calamity. God had “transplanted a vine from Egypt” (Psalm 80:8), yet now He allows its hedges to be broken, so outsiders pluck its fruit. אָרָה thus becomes a picture of covenant discipline: when protection is withdrawn, spiritual fruit is seized by the nations. The psalm pleads for restoration, intimating that only divine favor can safeguard and ripen the harvest of righteousness. Nuances of Intimacy in Song of Solomon In Song of Solomon 5:1 the Bridegroom’s declaration, “I have gathered (אָרָה) My myrrh with My spice,” portrays completion and satisfaction. The garden represents the bride’s person; her fragrance and sweetness are now personally appropriated. Where Psalm 80 depicts loss because God departs, Song 5 reveals fulfillment because the beloved arrives. The same verb that marks judgment in the Psalm expresses consummation in the Song, showing how context governs the emotional tone of אָרָה. Christological and Prophetic Echoes John 15:1–8 describes the true vine whose branches must “bear much fruit.” The warning that fruitless branches are removed parallels Psalm 80’s breached wall, while the joy of answered prayer in fruitful abiding recalls Song 5’s celebratory harvest. Hebrews 12:11 likewise contrasts painful pruning with the “peaceful fruit of righteousness.” In each case, gathering ripened produce resonates with divine evaluation, either reward or reproof. Ministry Implications 1. Guarding Spiritual Hedging: Congregations cultivate environments of discipline and sound teaching that function like vineyard walls. Neglect invites spiritual plunder. Summary Though אָרָה appears only twice, it traces a line from forfeited fruit in Psalm 80 to fulfilled fruit in Song of Solomon 5. The verb highlights divine ownership, human responsibility, and the climactic joy when God Himself gathers what He has caused to grow. Forms and Transliterations אָרִ֤יתִי אריתי וְ֝אָר֗וּהָ וארוה ’ā·rî·ṯî ’ārîṯî aRiti veaRuha wə’ārūhā wə·’ā·rū·hāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 80:12 HEB: פָּרַ֣צְתָּ גְדֵרֶ֑יהָ וְ֝אָר֗וּהָ כָּל־ עֹ֥בְרֵי NAS: who pass [that] way pick its [fruit]? KJV: by the way do pluck her? INT: broken hedges pick all pass Songs 5:1 2 Occurrences |
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