749. arak or arik

Lexical Summary

arak or arik: To be long, to prolong, to make long

Original Word: אֲרַךְ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: arak
Pronunciation: ah-RAHK or ah-REEK
Phonetic Spelling: (ar-ak')
KJV: be meet
NASB: fitting
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) properly, corresponding to H748 (אָרַך - prolong), but used only in the sense of reaching to a given point]

1. to suit

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

be meet

(Aramaic) properly, corresponding to 'arak, but used only in the sense of reaching to a given point; to suit -- be meet.

see HEBREW 'arak

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
(Aramaic) of uncertain derivation
Definition
fitting, proper
NASB Translation
fitting (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

II. ארך (√ of following; according to most, weakened from ערך (compare Biblical Hebrew) BeRy^{Ezra 4:14}; but אַרִיךְ loan-word from Persian (Old Iranian) ¹ryaka, worthy of an Aryan, Scheft⁷⁹).

אַרִיךְ verbal adjective fitting, proper (׳אַ Baer K^{§ 16, 5} M^{§ 82, Anm. 2}; van d. H. Gi Str אֲרִיךְ, compare D^{WB 39}; ᵑ7 id.; originally Participle pass. K^{§ 57 b}) 7)); — Ezra 4:14.

אַרְכֻבָּתֵהּ Daniel 5:6, see ברך.

Topical Lexicon

Canonical Setting

The term appears once, in the Aramaic section of Ezra (Ezra 4:14), within the adversaries’ letter to King Artaxerxes that successfully halts the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. The surrounding narrative (Ezra 4:6–23) documents political opposition during the early Persian period and provides a window into official court correspondence.

Immediate Literary Context

Ezra 4:14: “Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to see the king’s dishonor, we are sending to inform the king.”
• “Eat the salt” denotes covenantal obligation or loyal service (cf. 2 Chronicles 13:5).
• The writers present themselves as vigilant guardians of royal interests, masking hostility toward Judah’s restoration under the guise of loyalty.

Historical Background

• Date: Likely during the reign of Artaxerxes I (465–424 B.C.).
• Genre: A formal Persian administrative letter, preserved in Imperial Aramaic.
• Setting: Post-exilic Judah, where returning exiles rebuild temple and walls (Ezra–Nehemiah). The opposition employs diplomatic channels to stall covenant renewal in Jerusalem.

Linguistic Observations

• The hapax legomenon captures the nuance of serving at the king’s table—sharing his provisions, salaries, or protections.
• In the Ancient Near East, partaking of a ruler’s “salt” established a binding relationship of fidelity.

Theological Significance

1. Covenant and Loyalty
• Salt imagery elsewhere emphasizes permanence and faithfulness (Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).
• Ironically, those professing loyalty to Persia break faith with God’s redemptive plan by undermining Jerusalem’s restoration.

2. God’s Sovereignty over Political Powers
• Though human schemes temporarily succeed (Ezra 4:23), divine purposes prevail (Ezra 6:14).
• The single use of the term underscores how even minor vocabulary serves the overarching biblical narrative of God’s faithfulness to His covenant people.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Discernment: Believers must recognize that professed allegiance to earthly authority can mask opposition to God’s work.
• Integrity: “Eating the salt” calls Christians to genuine loyalty—first to God, then to legitimate human authorities (Romans 13:1–7; Acts 5:29).
• Perseverance: Post-exilic delays encourage modern servants of Christ to trust divine timing when facing bureaucratic or political resistance.

Christological Trajectory

• Jesus calls His disciples “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13), transforming the motif from courtly obligation to global witness.
• Just as Persian officials misused their privileged standing, Judas Iscariot’s table fellowship (John 13:18) became a context for betrayal—yet both betrayals advanced God’s salvific purposes.

Relation to Wider Biblical Themes

• Opposition to God’s program: Pharaoh (Exodus 5), Sanballat (Nehemiah 4), Herod (Acts 12).
• Divine reversal: Human obstruction turns into eventual advancement (Genesis 50:20; Acts 8:1–4).

Pastoral Application

Encourage congregations to maintain unwavering commitment to Christ while serving faithfully in secular vocations, remembering that true covenant loyalty transcends political expediency.

Summary

Though occurring only once, the word illumines ancient concepts of covenant service, exposes the duplicity of Jerusalem’s foes, and reinforces enduring biblical principles of loyalty, perseverance, and divine sovereignty.

Forms and Transliterations

אֲ‍ֽרִֽיךְ א‍ריך־ ’ărîḵ- arich

Englishman's Concordance

Ezra 4:14
HEB: מַלְכָּ֔א לָ֥א אֲ‍ֽרִֽיךְ לַ֖נָא לְמֶֽחֱזֵ֑א
NAS: of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see
KJV: and it was not meet for us to see
INT: the king's not fitting to see about

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 749
1 Occurrence

’ărîḵ- — 1 Occ.