### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻârag**, represented by `{{H6165}}`, is a primitive root used to express a deep and intense desire. Defined as **to long for; cry, pant**, it appears only 3 times in 2 unique verses. Though rare, it powerfully conveys a sense of visceral need and longing.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word's usage illustrates a desperate yearning for a life-sustaining source. In [[Psalms 42:1]], it is used twice to compare the soul's desire for God to the physical desperation of an animal: "As the hart **panteth** after the water brooks, so **panteth** my soul after thee, O God." This sets a powerful emotional tone, equating spiritual need with a primal thirst. In [[Joel 1:20]], the word is translated as **cry**, describing how "The beasts of the field **cry** also unto thee" because a severe drought has dried up the rivers of water.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help build the context of desperation and need surrounding `{{H6165}}`:
* `{{H354}}` **ʼayâl** (hart): Defined as **a stag or male deer**, this is the subject in [[Psalms 42:1]] whose desperate panting illustrates the psalmist's own longing.
* `{{H4325}}` **mayim** (water): As the object of desire in both [[Psalms 42:1]] and [[Joel 1:20]], **water** represents the essential source of life that is desperately sought.
* `{{H3001}}` **yâbêsh** (to dry up): This root highlights the reason for the cry in [[Joel 1:20]], where the rivers of waters **are dried up**, creating a condition of extreme lack that provokes the desperate cry to God.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H6165}}` is centered on the concept of profound dependence.
* **The Soul's Thirst:** The primary use of the word in scripture is to create a metaphor for the human soul's relationship with God. The panting of the hart for water is presented as the ideal picture of how one should long for God's presence [[Psalms 42:1]].
* **A Universal Cry:** The word is not limited to human experience. In Joel, the "beasts of the field" also **cry** out to God, suggesting that all of creation is dependent on Him for sustenance, especially in times of crisis like a drought [[Joel 1:20]].
* **Longing from Lack:** The cry or panting expressed by `{{H6165}}` originates from a place of severe need. Whether it is a soul feeling distant from God or an animal suffering from a lack of water, the word captures an intense longing born out of absence.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6165}}` is a specific and evocative term for intense desire. While used sparingly, its appearances in Psalms and Joel establish a powerful theme of longing for a life-giving source. It masterfully illustrates that the yearning for God can be as fundamental and desperate as an animal's physical thirst for water.
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