Word Study for H6201 (עָרַף) | Strong's Concordance

ʻâraph /aw-raf'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto droop; hence, to drip

KJV usagedrop (down).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻâraph — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʻâraph, represented by H6201, is a primitive root meaning to droop; hence, to drip; drop (down). It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. Its usage consistently evokes a sense of gentle, life-giving descent from a higher source, such as the heavens or God himself.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical contexts, H6201 is used both metaphorically and literally to describe divine blessing. In Deuteronomy, it illustrates the nature of God's teaching, stating "My doctrine shall drop as the rain" Deuteronomy 32:2. This compares the absorption of divine instruction to the way the earth receives gentle rain. The word is also used to describe God's physical provision for His people, where a promise of security includes the detail that "his heavens shall drop down dew" Deuteronomy 33:28, signifying sustenance and agricultural abundance.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of H6201 by appearing in close proximity:

H3948 leqach (doctrine, learning, fair speech): This word, defined as "something received, i.e. (mentally) instruction," is the very thing that is said to drop like rain, directly linking the action of H6201 to the reception of divine wisdom Deuteronomy 32:2.
H2919 ṭal (dew): This is what the heavens drop down in Deuteronomy 33:28. The action of H6201 produces this life-sustaining dew, which is presented as a sign of blessing and favor.
H5140 nâzal (distil, drop, flow): Used in parallel with H6201 in Deuteronomy 32:2, this verb reinforces the imagery of a gentle, trickling descent. It shows how God's speech is to "distil as the dew," emphasizing a slow, pervasive, and nourishing quality.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6201 is tied to its depiction of the character of God's provision.

Divine Instruction as Sustenance: The comparison of doctrine to rain and dew illustrates that God's word is not a harsh command but a nourishing element essential for spiritual life and growth Deuteronomy 32:2.
Covenant Blessing: The heavens dropping down dew is a tangible sign of God's covenant faithfulness to Israel, providing for them in a promised land of "corn and wine" Deuteronomy 33:28. It connects divine action directly to the prosperity and safety of His people.
Gentle Provision: The action of "dropping" or "dripping" highlights the gentle and pervasive nature of God's blessing, which comes down softly to bring life to the tender herb and grass Deuteronomy 32:2.

Summary

In summary, H6201 ʻâraph is a concise and potent verb that, while rare, carries significant meaning. It paints a picture of blessing, whether spiritual or physical, as a gentle and nourishing substance descending from above. Through its use, scripture portrays God's life-giving word and his sustaining provision not as a forceful torrent, but as a gentle, dripping dew that quietly and effectively brings life.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

יַעַרְפוּ
יַעֲרֹף

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

2 verses, all in Deuteronomy — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.