or אֲרֻכָה; feminine passive participle of אָרַךְ (in the sense of restoring to soundness); wholeness (literally or figuratively); health, made up, perfected.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʼărûwkâh**, represented by `{{H724}}`, describes a state of **wholeness** and **health**. Derived from a root meaning to restore to soundness, it appears 6 times in 6 unique verses. The term is applied both literally, as in something being **perfected** or **made up**, and figuratively, referring to the restoration of health to a person or a nation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical usage, `{{H724}}` signifies a complete restoration. In a literal sense, it is used to describe the repair of physical structures, such as when the walls of Jerusalem were **made up** [[Nehemiah 4:7]] and the work on the house of God was **perfected** by the workmen [[2 Chronicles 24:13]]. Figuratively, it is most often used in the context of divine healing and national restoration. God promises to restore **health** to his people [[Jeremiah 30:17]] and bring them **health** and cure [[Jeremiah 33:6]]. This restoration is often presented as a dynamic event, where **health** is promised to "spring forth speedily" as a result of righteousness [[Isaiah 58:8]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help to clarify the concept of restoration and wholeness:
* `{{H7495}}` **râphâʼ** (to cure, heal): This word is often used in parallel with `{{H724}}`. God promises not only to restore **health** (ʼărûwkâh) but also to **heal** (râphâʼ) the wounds of His people [[Jeremiah 30:17]].
* `{{H4832}}` **marpêʼ** (a cure, remedy): This term appears alongside `{{H724}}` to emphasize the active provision of healing. God promises to bring both **health** (ʼărûwkâh) and **cure** (marpêʼ) to Jerusalem [[Jeremiah 33:6]].
* `{{H6779}}` **tsâmach** (to sprout, spring forth): This verb illustrates the vibrant, living nature of the restoration promised by God. In Isaiah, the people's **health** (ʼărûwkâh) is depicted as something that will **spring forth** (tsâmach) like a plant [[Isaiah 58:8]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H724}}` centers on the theme of divine restoration.
* **Source of Wholeness:** The restoration signified by **ʼărûwkâh** is consistently presented as a divine action. It is God who declares, "I will restore **health** unto thee" [[Jeremiah 30:17]] and "I will bring it **health** and cure" [[Jeremiah 33:6]].
* **Literal and Figurative Restoration:** The term bridges the physical and the spiritual. It describes the mending of breaches in a wall [[Nehemiah 4:7]] as well as the healing of a nation's wounds, questioning why the **health** of the people is not recovered [[Jeremiah 8:22]].
* **Consequence of Righteousness:** The promise of **health** is explicitly linked to right living. In Isaiah, wholeness is the result of obedience, where one's **health** shall "spring forth speedily" after their **righteousness** `{{H6664}}` goes before them [[Isaiah 58:8]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H724}}` conveys a concept far deeper than mere physical recovery. It signifies a complete and thorough restoration to a state of soundness and perfection. Whether applied to the literal mending of a temple wall or the figurative healing of a nation, **ʼărûwkâh** consistently points to God as the ultimate source of wholeness and the one who makes all things new.
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