### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻărôwʻêr**, represented by `{{H6176}}`, refers to a juniper or heath, often associated with a "nudity of situation." It appears only **1 times** across **1 unique verses** in the Bible, making its meaning entirely dependent on its singular context. Its base definition also includes the concept of health, suggesting a state of being fit for survival in a desolate environment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole use of `{{H6176}}` is found in a command of urgent warning. In the prophecy against Moab, the people are told to "Flee, save your lives, and be like the **heath** in the wilderness" [[Jeremiah 48:6]]. The imagery is one of complete isolation and self-preservation in the face of widespread destruction. To be like the heath is to adopt a solitary, stripped-down existence in a desolate place, the wilderness `{{H4057}}`, in order to survive.
### Related Words & Concepts
The context of `{{H6176}}` is framed by several key action and location words:
* `{{H5127}}` **nûwç** (to flit, i.e. vanish away... flee): This is the primary command given, emphasizing a rapid escape from danger. It is used to describe enemies being scattered or sorrow itself fleeing away [[Isaiah 51:11]].
* `{{H4422}}` **mâlaṭ** (to escape... deliver... save): This word defines the purpose of fleeing—the preservation of life. It is used for both physical escape, as in Lot fleeing the mountain [[Genesis 19:17]], and for divine deliverance from trouble [[Psalms 41:1]].
* `{{H4057}}` **midbâr** (a pasture... a desert... wilderness): This specifies the destination and character of the refuge. The wilderness is portrayed as a place of testing [[Deuteronomy 8:2]] but also a place where God can prepare a way [[Isaiah 40:3]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6176}}` is concentrated in its powerful imagery of judgment and survival.
* **A Symbol of Judgment:** The necessity of becoming like a lonely heath underscores the severity of God's judgment. Normal society and its protections are gone, forcing individuals into a state of stark desolation to save their own lives `{{H5315}}`.
* **A State of Being for Survival:** The command uses the verb **be** `{{H1961}}`, which means "to exist, i.e. be or become." This implies a required transformation into something that can endure the harshness of the wilderness, not just reside within it [[Jeremiah 48:6]].
* **Forced Isolation:** The image of the heath in the wilderness `{{H4057}}` is one of isolation. In this context, it is not a punishment but the only path to deliverance `{{H4422}}` when destruction is imminent.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6176}}` is a highly specific term whose meaning is entirely shaped by its single appearance in scripture. While rare, **ʻărôwʻêr** provides a potent and memorable image of what is required to endure a time of overwhelming judgment: to flee `{{H5127}}`, to embrace a solitary and unadorned existence, and to become like the resilient heath that survives alone in the wilderness [[Jeremiah 48:6]].
TRV