ע
ABARIM
Publications
Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary: The Old Testament Hebrew word: ערד

Source: https://www.abarim-publications.com/Dictionary/ay/ay-r-d.html

ערד

Abarim Publications' online Biblical Hebrew Dictionary

ערד

Besides as the name Arad, the word ערד ('rd) does not exist in the Hebrew of the Bible. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names, however, reports that this root occurs in at least three cognate languages:

In Arabic this word exists as verb meaning to flee. In Ethiopian it exists in the meaning of untamed. And the noun exists in Chaldean where it denotes the wild ass. This Aramaic noun did make it into the Bible. It occurs in Job 39:5 in the form ערוד ('arod).

A more common Hebrew word for wild ass is the somewhat similar noun עיר ('ayir), which looks quite like the word עיר ('ir), meaning city. See the name Irad.

Yet another word for wild ass is פרא (pere'), the root of the name Piram.


רוד

The above may or may not be etymologically related to the verb רוד (rud), meaning to wander or roam restlessly (Genesis 27:40, Hosea 12:1). This verb's only derivative is the noun מרוד (marod), meaning restlessness or homelessness (Lamentations 3:19, Isaiah 58:7).


Associated Biblical names