Lexical Summary Arumah: Arumah Original Word: אֲרוּמָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Arumah A variation of Ruwmah; height; Arumah, a place in Palestine -- Arumah. see HEBREW Ruwmah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a place near Shechem NASB Translation Arumah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [אֲרוּמָה] proper name, of a location home of Abimelek (Thes Add below ארם) Judges 9:41 בָּארוּמָה, probably = רוּמָה 2 Kings 23:36, compare Jerome LagOnomast. 146, 2nd ed. 178. It must have lain near Shechem; identified by MV and others with El `Ormah, 2 hours southeast from Shechem (van de VeldeReisen ii. 268), but this place not otherwise known; compare Surveyii. 387. Topical Lexicon Arumah (Strong’s Hebrew 725) Geographical Setting Arumah was a small fortified settlement in the central highlands of Canaan, situated a short distance south-west of ancient Shechem in the territory later allotted to Ephraim. Its elevation commanded a strategic view of the Shechem valley, making it a natural rallying point for military movements in the hill country. Though not excavated with certainty, scholars often place it at modern-day Khirbet el-‘Ormeh, whose substantial ruins overlook the same approaches Abimelech would have used. Biblical Context Key Text: Judges 9:41 – “Then Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, so that they could not remain in Shechem.” The single mention of Arumah occurs amid the narrative of Abimelech’s suppression of the Shechemite revolt (Judges 9:22-57). After treacherously killing his seventy brothers and declaring himself king, Abimelech confronted opposition from Gaal son of Ebed. When Gaal stirred the people of Shechem to rebellion, Zebul, the city’s governor, secretly informed Abimelech. Abimelech moved his forces to Arumah, using its height both for concealment and for the element of surprise. From this staging ground he descended before dawn, divided his troops into companies, and routed the rebels. Arumah thus functions as the tactical hinge in Abimelech’s campaign. Historical Background • Period of the Judges: A time of political fragmentation when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Theological Significance 1. Divine Justice in History – The hilltop of Arumah serves as a visible reminder that the Lord can turn even the secret counsel of the wicked (Zebul’s covert message) to expose and judge rebellion (Psalm 2:1-6). Ministry Applications • Strategic Retreat for Discernment: Just as Arumah offered Abimelech a pause to assess and act, believers are wise to step back for prayerful evaluation before engaging spiritual conflict (Mark 1:35). Archaeological and Geographical Notes Khirbet el-‘Ormeh preserves massive stone foundations and cisterns consistent with a Late Bronze and Iron Age strongpoint overlooking the road network that joins the Shechem valley to the coastal plain. Survey pottery dates corroborate activity in the era of the Judges, lending credibility to the biblical reference. Related Sites and Passages for Study • Shechem – Genesis 12:6-7; Joshua 24:1-27; Judges 9:1-57 Key Takeaways Arumah, though mentioned only once, anchors a pivotal episode illustrating the sovereignty of God over nations, the perils of self-appointed leadership, and the certainty that hidden sin will find exposure. Its hilltop ruins still testify that the Lord “brings the counsel of the nations to nothing” (Psalm 33:10) while advancing His redemptive purposes through time and place. Forms and Transliterations בָּארוּמָ֑ה בארומה bā·rū·māh baruMah bārūmāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 9:41 HEB: וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בָּארוּמָ֑ה וַיְגָ֧רֶשׁ זְבֻ֛ל NAS: remained at Arumah, but Zebul KJV: dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul INT: remained Abimelech Arumah drove Zebul 1 Occurrence |
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