Lexical Summary urvah: Nakedness, shame, indecency Original Word: אֻרְוָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance stall Or rarayah {ar-aw'-yah'}; from 'arah (in the sense of feeding); a herding-place for an animal -- stall. see HEBREW 'arah Topical Lexicon Semantic Rangeאֻרְוָה denotes a covered space set apart for housing large animals—most clearly horses, but by extension other livestock. The idea is not merely shelter but orderly storage, an organized bay or compartment suited to royal or agrarian management. Occurrences in Scripture 1 Kings 4:26; 2 Chronicles 9:25; 2 Chronicles 32:28. In every case the setting is the royal estate, and the context is abundance. Solomon’s Military-Economic Infrastructure “Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen” (1 Kings 4:26). Chariot forces were the armored divisions of the Ancient Near East. The stalls reveal: • Centralization – a network of regional depots allowed rapid mobilization. Textual Note on Numbers 1 Kings records 40,000 stalls; 2 Chronicles 9:25 reads 4,000. Harmonizations include (a) Chronicles counts major buildings that each contained ten sub-stalls, (b) a scribal slip in the transmission of Kings. Either way, both writers emphasize scale, not contradiction; God’s Word stands consistent in its testimony of Solomon’s opulence. Royal Prosperity under Hezekiah 2 Chronicles 32:28 lists “stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds.” Here the same term broadens from war-horses to food-producing herds. Hezekiah’s reforms followed the Assyrian invasion; fortified husbandry secured Judah’s food supply. The stalls thus symbolize prudent leadership under divine blessing (2 Chronicles 31:21). Theological Reflections • Resource stewardship – Facilities for animals mattered because creatures belong to the Lord (Psalm 50:10). Good kings guarded that trust. Practical Implications for Ministry 1. Administration glorifies God. Orderly structures—whether barns, budgets, or church programs—demonstrate responsible dominion. Typological Glimpse While the Hebrew term is not used of the humble shelter in which Christ was born, the contrast between regal stalls brimming with horses and a manger holding the King of kings sharpens the wonder of the Incarnation (Philippians 2:6-8). Summary אֻרְוָה appears rarely yet opens a window on Israel’s royal economy, the responsibilities of leadership, and the enduring call to trust God above material strength. Through careful stewardship and covenant fidelity, barns and stalls become instruments for advancing the purposes of the Lord in every generation. Forms and Transliterations אֻֽרְי֤וֹת אֻרְוֹ֥ת ארות אריות וְאֻֽרָוֹת֙ וארות ’ur·wōṯ ’ur·yō·wṯ ’urwōṯ ’uryōwṯ urVot urYot veuraVot wə’urāwōṯ wə·’u·rā·wōṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 4:26 HEB: אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אֻרְוֹ֥ת סוּסִ֖ים לְמֶרְכָּב֑וֹ NAS: had 40,000 stalls of horses KJV: thousand stalls of horses INT: had forty thousand stalls of horses his chariots 2 Chronicles 9:25 2 Chronicles 32:28 3 Occurrences |
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