753. orek
Lexical Summary
orek: Length

Original Word: אֹרֶךְ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: orek
Pronunciation: OH-rek
Phonetic Spelling: (o'rek')
KJV: + forever, length, long
NASB: length, long, base, high
Word Origin: [from H748 (אָרַך - prolong)]

1. length

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
forever, length, long

From 'arak; length -- + forever, length, long.

see HEBREW 'arak

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from arak
Definition
length
NASB Translation
base (1), forbearance* (1), forever* (1), forevermore* (1), high (1), length (59), long (29), so long* (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
אֹ֫רֶךְ94 noun [masculine] length — only singular, ׳א absolute Exodus 27:1 +; construct Genesis 6:15 +; אָרְכּוֺ Exodus 25:10 +; אָרְכָּם2Chronicles 3:11; אָרְכָּן Ezekiel 42:11, etc. —

a. length of ark Genesis 6:15 (P), of land of Canaan Genesis 13:17 (J); most often of ark & other measurements in tabernacle & temple Exodus 25:10,17; Exodus 26:2,8; Exodus 27:1,9 + (22 t. Exodus, P), 1 Kings 6:2,3,20 + (13 t. Kings & Chronicles), Ezekiel 40:7,11,18 + (41 t. Ezekiel), etc.

b. of time יָמִים ׳א Deuteronomy 30:20; Job 12:12; Psalm 21:5; Psalm 23:6; Psalm 91:16; Psalm 93:5; Proverbs 3:2,16; Lamentations 5:20.

c. אַמַּיִם ׳א forbearance, self-restraint, Proverbs 25:15. — (Ezekiel 31:7 ᵐ5 ᵑ6 Co read רֹב for אֹרֶךְ, compare Ezekiel 31:5 where Co strike out verb ארך; Ezekiel 41:22 read probably אדנו ᵐ5 Sm, or אדניו Co = base.)

Topical Lexicon
Overview of Usage

The Hebrew noun אֹרֶךְ appears roughly ninety-five times across the Old Testament. While its primary sense concerns measurable “length,” the contexts span construction blueprints, geographic descriptions, poetic reflections on longevity, and metaphors for patience or divine forbearance. Narrative, legal, wisdom, and prophetic books alike employ the term, demonstrating Scripture’s integrated view of physical dimensions and spiritual realities.

Physical Dimensions of Objects and Structures

From the earliest narratives, אֹרֶךְ anchors precise engineering details. The ark that preserved Noah’s family was to be “three hundred cubits long” (Genesis 6:15). Such specificity underlines the historical reliability of Genesis and the practical obedience of faith.

Household items also receive exact measurements. For example, the wooden ark of the covenant had to be “two and a half cubits long” (Exodus 25:10). Even minor furnishings—tables (Exodus 25:23), altars (Exodus 27:1), and lampstands—are assigned definite length, teaching Israel that worship is not left to human improvisation but regulated by divine revelation.

Blueprints of the Tabernacle

Multiple references in Exodus detail the curtains, boards, and courtyard of the tabernacle. “The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits” (Exodus 26:2). These repeated uses of אֹרֶךְ highlight a portable sanctuary calibrated to divine holiness yet designed for wilderness mobility. Collectively, they remind ministry leaders of every era that careful craftsmanship and reverence go hand in hand.

Solomon’s Temple and Later Temple Visions

When Solomon built the permanent house of worship, the Chronicler notes, “The length by cubits according to the old standard was sixty cubits” (2 Chronicles 3:3). Centuries later, Ezekiel’s visionary temple brims with measurements: “He measured the temple, one hundred cubits long” (Ezekiel 41:13). In both historical and prophetic texts, the repeated mention of length underscores continuity between what God once required and what He will ultimately perfect.

Geographical and Military Measurements

Surveying boundaries also features אֹרֶךְ. In Joshua 3:16 the backed-up waters of the Jordan are said to pile “a great distance away,” an event authenticated by measurable extent. Isaiah employs the term militarily: “Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered” (Isaiah 7:8), implying a calculable span of judgment. Such passages teach that God governs both sacred space and national fate with equal precision.

Length of Days and Covenant Blessing

Wisdom literature often shifts from spatial to temporal length. “Long life is in her right hand” (Proverbs 3:16) shows that fearing the Lord not only structures space but also extends time. “The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be cut short” (Proverbs 10:27). Here אֹרֶךְ becomes a covenant key: obedience nurtures longevity; rebellion invites abbreviation.

Metaphorical Usage in Wisdom Literature

Beyond literal dimensions, אֹרֶךְ appears in compound phrases describing character. “Slow to anger” is literally “long of nostrils” (Exodus 34:6; Ecclesiastes 7:8). The metaphor pictures a long-suffering God and calls believers to forbearance. Proverbs 14:29 links patience to wisdom, urging ministries to cultivate deliberate, measured responses—spiritual “length” that mirrors divine patience.

Prophetic and Eschatological Horizons

In Messianic Psalm 21, David rejoices: “You delivered it—length of days forever and ever” (Psalm 21:4). The promise of endless length merges spatial and temporal ideas, projecting an eternal reign fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Isaiah 66:22 anticipates “the new heavens and the new earth,” an unending expanse where redeemed time and space converge.

Messianic and Christological Echoes

The Gospels never quote אֹרֶךְ directly, yet its theological trajectory culminates in Christ. He is the true temple (John 2:21), the ark of preservation, and the embodiment of divine patience (2 Peter 3:15). His resurrection guarantees “length of days forever and ever,” and His return will raise Ezekiel’s measurements from vision to reality (Revelation 21:16 speaks of a city whose “length, width, and height are equal,” drawing the typological thread to its climax).

Implications for Ministry Today

1. Precision in Worship: God’s concern for length encourages accuracy in doctrine and practice.
2. Stewardship of Time: The promise of extended days for the righteous challenges believers to use every hour purposefully.
3. Patience in Character: “Long of spirit” leadership reflects God’s own temperament, essential for pastoral care and congregational unity.
4. Eschatological Hope: Measured promises assure the church that history is neither random nor endless but directed toward a perfectly dimensioned kingdom.

אֹרֶךְ therefore invites the contemporary reader to measure life—its spaces, its character, its duration—by the unerring standard of God’s revealed Word.

Forms and Transliterations
אָרְכָּ֑הּ אָרְכָּ֔הּ אָרְכָּ֖ם אָרְכָּ֗הּ אָרְכָּֽהּ׃ אָרְכָּהּ֙ אָרְכּ֔וֹ אָרְכּ֖וֹ אָרְכּ֗וֹ אָרְכּ֛וֹ אָרְכּ֜וֹ אָרְכּ֞וֹ אָרְכּוֹ֙ אָרְכּוֹ֩ אֹ֑רֶךְ אֹ֔רֶךְ אֹ֕רֶךְ אֹ֖רֶךְ אֹ֗רֶךְ אֹ֙רֶךְ֙ אֹ֚רֶךְ אֹ֜רֶךְ אֹ֣רֶךְ אֹ֣רֶךְ ׀ אֹ֥רֶךְ אֹֽרֶךְ־ אֹרֶךְ֩ ארך ארך־ ארכה ארכה׃ ארכו ארכם בְּאֹ֖רֶךְ בְּאֹ֣רֶךְ בָּאֹ֔רֶךְ בָּאֹ֜רֶךְ בארך הָאֹ֜רֶךְ הָאֹ֡רֶךְ הארך וְאָרְכּ֖וֹ וְאָרְכּ֣וֹ וְאָרְכּ֥וֹ וְאֹ֖רֶךְ וְאֹ֗רֶךְ וְאֹ֜רֶךְ וְאֹ֣רֶךְ וארך וארכו כְּאָרְכָּ֖ן כארכן לְאָרְכָּ֖הּ לְאֹ֣רֶךְ לְאֹ֥רֶךְ לארך לארכה ’ā·rə·kāh ’ā·rə·kām ’ā·rə·kōw ’ārəkāh ’ārəkām ’ārəkōw ’ō·reḵ ’ō·reḵ- ’ōreḵ ’ōreḵ- areKah areKam areKo bā’ōreḵ bā·’ō·reḵ baOrech bə’ōreḵ bə·’ō·reḵ beOrech hā’ōreḵ hā·’ō·reḵ haOrech kə’ārəkān kə·’ā·rə·kān keareKan lə’ārəkāh lə’ōreḵ lə·’ā·rə·kāh lə·’ō·reḵ leareKah leOrech Orech veareKo veOrech wə’ārəkōw wə’ōreḵ wə·’ā·rə·kōw wə·’ō·reḵ
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Englishman's Concordance
Genesis 6:15
HEB: מֵא֣וֹת אַמָּ֗ה אֹ֚רֶךְ הַתֵּבָ֔ה חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים
NAS: you shall make it: the length of the ark
KJV: And this [is the fashion] which thou shalt make it [of]: The length of the ark
INT: hundred cubits the length of the ark fifty

Genesis 13:17
HEB: הִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בָּאָ֔רֶץ לְאָרְכָּ֖הּ וּלְרָחְבָּ֑הּ כִּ֥י
NAS: about the land through its length and breadth;
KJV: through the land in the length of it and in the breadth
INT: walk the land length and breadth for

Exodus 25:10
HEB: אַמָּתַ֨יִם וָחֵ֜צִי אָרְכּ֗וֹ וְאַמָּ֤ה וָחֵ֙צִי֙
NAS: cubits long, and one and a half
KJV: and a half [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit
INT: cubits half long cubits half

Exodus 25:17
HEB: אַמָּתַ֤יִם וָחֵ֙צִי֙ אָרְכָּ֔הּ וְאַמָּ֥ה וָחֵ֖צִי
NAS: cubits long and one and a half
KJV: and a half [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit
INT: cubits half long cubits half

Exodus 25:23
HEB: שִׁטִּ֑ים אַמָּתַ֤יִם אָרְכּוֹ֙ וְאַמָּ֣ה רָחְבּ֔וֹ
NAS: two cubits long and one cubit wide
KJV: two cubits [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit
INT: of acacia cubits long cubit wide

Exodus 26:2
HEB: אֹ֣רֶךְ ׀ הַיְרִיעָ֣ה הָֽאַחַ֗ת
NAS: The length of each curtain
KJV: The length of one curtain
INT: the length curtain of each

Exodus 26:8
HEB: אֹ֣רֶךְ ׀ הַיְרִיעָ֣ה הָֽאַחַ֗ת
NAS: The length of each curtain
KJV: The length of one curtain
INT: the length curtain of each

Exodus 26:13
HEB: מִזֶּה֙ בָּעֹדֵ֔ף בְּאֹ֖רֶךְ יְרִיעֹ֣ת הָאֹ֑הֶל
NAS: of what is left over in the length of the curtains
KJV: on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains
INT: side is left the length of the curtains of the tent

Exodus 26:16
HEB: עֶ֥שֶׂר אַמּ֖וֹת אֹ֣רֶךְ הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ וְאַמָּה֙
NAS: cubits [shall be] the length of each board
KJV: cubits [shall be] the length of a board,
INT: Ten cubits the length board cubits

Exodus 27:1
HEB: חָמֵשׁ֩ אַמּ֨וֹת אֹ֜רֶךְ וְחָמֵ֧שׁ אַמּ֣וֹת
NAS: five cubits long and five cubits
KJV: five cubits long, and five cubits
INT: five cubits long and five cubits

Exodus 27:9
HEB: מֵאָ֤ה בָֽאַמָּה֙ אֹ֔רֶךְ לַפֵּאָ֖ה הָאֶחָֽת׃
NAS: one hundred cubits long for one side;
KJV: cubits long for one
INT: hundred cubits long side one

Exodus 27:11
HEB: לִפְאַ֤ת צָפוֹן֙ בָּאֹ֔רֶךְ קְלָעִ֖ים מֵ֣אָה
NAS: side in length [there shall be] hangings
KJV: side in length [there shall be] hangings
INT: side the north length hangings hundred

Exodus 27:11
HEB: קְלָעִ֖ים מֵ֣אָה אֹ֑רֶךְ [וְעַמְדּוּ כ]
NAS: one hundred [cubits] long, and its twenty
KJV: of an hundred [cubits] long, and his twenty
INT: hangings hundred long pillars twenty

Exodus 27:18
HEB: אֹ֣רֶךְ הֶֽחָצֵר֩ מֵאָ֨ה
NAS: The length of the court
KJV: The length of the court
INT: the length of the court hundred

Exodus 28:16
HEB: כָּפ֑וּל זֶ֥רֶת אָרְכּ֖וֹ וְזֶ֥רֶת רָחְבּֽוֹ׃
NAS: a span in length and a span
KJV: a span [shall be] the length thereof, and a span
INT: folded A span length span width

Exodus 30:2
HEB: אַמָּ֨ה אָרְכּ֜וֹ וְאַמָּ֤ה רָחְבּוֹ֙
NAS: Its length [shall be] a cubit,
KJV: A cubit [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit
INT: a cubit length A cubit width

Exodus 36:9
HEB: אֹ֜רֶךְ הַיְרִיעָ֣ה הָֽאַחַ֗ת
NAS: The length of each curtain
KJV: The length of one curtain
INT: the length curtain of each

Exodus 36:15
HEB: אֹ֜רֶךְ הַיְרִיעָ֣ה הָאַחַ֗ת
NAS: The length of each curtain
KJV: The length of one curtain
INT: the length curtain of each

Exodus 36:21
HEB: עֶ֥שֶׂר אַמֹּ֖ת אֹ֣רֶךְ הַקָּ֑רֶשׁ וְאַמָּה֙
NAS: cubits [was] the length of each board
KJV: The length of a board [was] ten
INT: Ten cubits the length board cubits

Exodus 37:1
HEB: אַמָּתַ֨יִם וָחֵ֜צִי אָרְכּ֗וֹ וְאַמָּ֤ה וָחֵ֙צִי֙
NAS: wood; its length was two and a half
KJV: and a half [was] the length of it, and a cubit
INT: cubits half length cubits half

Exodus 37:6
HEB: אַמָּתַ֤יִם וָחֵ֙צִי֙ אָרְכָּ֔הּ וְאַמָּ֥ה וָחֵ֖צִי
NAS: cubits long and one and a half
KJV: and a half [was] the length thereof, and one cubit
INT: cubits half long cubits half

Exodus 37:10
HEB: שִׁטִּ֑ים אַמָּתַ֤יִם אָרְכּוֹ֙ וְאַמָּ֣ה רָחְבּ֔וֹ
NAS: wood, two cubits long and a cubit wide
KJV: two cubits [was] the length thereof, and a cubit
INT: of acacia cubits long cubit wide

Exodus 37:25
HEB: שִׁטִּ֑ים אַמָּ֣ה אָרְכּוֹ֩ וְאַמָּ֨ה רָחְבּ֜וֹ
NAS: wood: a cubit long and a cubit wide,
KJV: wood: the length of it [was] a cubit,
INT: of acacia A cubit long cubit wide

Exodus 38:1
HEB: חָמֵשׁ֩ אַמּ֨וֹת אָרְכּ֜וֹ וְחָֽמֵשׁ־ אַמּ֤וֹת
NAS: five cubits long, and five cubits
KJV: cubits [was] the length thereof, and five
INT: five cubits long and five cubits

Exodus 38:18
HEB: וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים אַמָּה֙ אֹ֔רֶךְ וְקוֹמָ֤ה בְרֹ֙חַב֙
NAS: linen. And the length [was] twenty
KJV: cubits [was] the length, and the height
INT: twenty cubits and the length and the height the breadth

95 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 753
95 Occurrences


’ā·rə·kāh — 6 Occ.
’ā·rə·kām — 1 Occ.
’ā·rə·kōw — 21 Occ.
bā·’ō·reḵ — 2 Occ.
bə·’ō·reḵ — 3 Occ.
hā·’ō·reḵ — 2 Occ.
kə·’ā·rə·kān — 1 Occ.
lə·’ā·rə·kāh — 1 Occ.
lə·’ō·reḵ — 3 Occ.
’ō·reḵ — 47 Occ.
wə·’ā·rə·kōw — 3 Occ.
wə·’ō·reḵ — 5 Occ.

752
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