אֶ֫רֶץ2407 H0776
earth, land, ground; the world, a nation's territory, or physical soil
A foundational Hebrew noun anchoring biblical geography, cosmology, and theology. In the creation account, אֶרֶץ pairs with שָׁמַיִם (heaven) to denote the cosmos, but throughout the historical books it narrows to specific territories—'the land of Egypt,' 'the land of Canaan'—making geography inseparable from covenant theology. The multilingual evidence is decisive: when referring to nations, translations use territorial vocabulary (Swahili nchi, Hindi देश), but when describing the created cosmos, they employ world-level terms (Swahili dunia, Hindi पृथ्वी). The ground-sense appears with verbs of falling or bowing, where physical surface is in view.
Senses
1. [split] land, country, territory — Territorial land or country, the dominant biblical sense covering covenant geography ('the land of X'). The Swahili use of nchi (nation/country) and Hindi देश confirm this geopolitical framing, distinguishing territorial specificity from cosmic generality. 2×
AR["ال-أَرْضُ", "الأرضِ", "الأَرضِ", "الأَرْضَ", "الأَرْضُ", "الأَرْضِ", "الْ-أَرْضُ", "الْ-أَرْضِ", "الْأَرْضَ", "الْأَرْضُ", "الْأَرْضِ"]·ben["-দেশের", "দেশ", "দেশ-", "দেশে", "দেশের"]·DE["Land", "das-Land", "der-Land", "des-Landes"]·EN["the-land"]·FR["la-terre", "le-pays"]·heb["ה-ארץ"]·HI["देश", "देश-की", "देश-के", "भुमि", "भूमि", "भूमि-की", "भूमि-के"]·ID["-tanah", "bumi", "negeri", "negeri-itu", "tanah", "tanah-ini", "tanah-itu"]·IT["il-terra", "la-terra"]·jav["bumi", "nagari", "negari", "tanah", "tanah,", "tanah-punika"]·KO["그-땅", "그-땅을", "그-땅의", "그-땅의-거주자들", "그-땅이", "땅", "땅을", "땅의", "땅이"]·PT["a-terra"]·RU["-земли", "-землю", "-земля", "земли", "землю", "земля"]·ES["la-tierra"]·SW["ardhi", "hili", "katika", "muja", "nchi", "nchi-hii", "siri", "ya-ardhi", "ya-nchi"]·TR["-diyar", "-diyarı", "-ülke", "-ülkenin", "-ülkeye", "-ülkeyi", "yerin", "ülke", "ülkeden", "ülkeye"]·urd["-سرزمین", "-سرزمین-کے", "اُس-زمین-کے", "زمین", "زمین-", "زمین-کی", "زمین-کے", "سرزمین", "سرزمین-کی", "سرزمین-کے"]
1. land, country (geopolitical territory) — Split from sense 84316. Criteria: Nation-states and territories with political/ethnic identity: 'the land of Egypt,' 'the land of Canaan,' 'his land' (a king's territory). Distinguished by cultural or political boundaries. 1708×
AR["ال-أَرْضُ", "الأرضِ", "الأَرضِ", "الأَرْضَ", "الأَرْضُ", "الأَرْضِ", "الْ-أَرْضُ", "الْ-أَرْضِ", "الْأَرْضَ", "الْأَرْضُ", "الْأَرْضِ"]·ben["-দেশের", "দেশ", "দেশ-", "দেশে", "দেশের"]·DE["Land", "das-Land", "der-Land", "des-Landes"]·EN["the-land"]·FR["la-terre", "le-pays"]·heb["ה-ארץ"]·HI["देश", "देश-की", "देश-के", "भुमि", "भूमि", "भूमि-की", "भूमि-के"]·ID["-tanah", "bumi", "negeri", "negeri-itu", "tanah", "tanah-ini", "tanah-itu"]·IT["il-terra", "la-terra"]·jav["bumi", "nagari", "negari", "tanah", "tanah,", "tanah-punika"]·KO["그-땅", "그-땅을", "그-땅의", "그-땅의-거주자들", "그-땅이", "땅", "땅을", "땅의", "땅이"]·PT["a-terra"]·RU["-земли", "-землю", "-земля", "земли", "землю", "земля"]·ES["la-tierra"]·SW["ardhi", "hili", "katika", "muja", "nchi", "nchi-hii", "siri", "ya-ardhi", "ya-nchi"]·TR["-diyar", "-diyarı", "-ülke", "-ülkenin", "-ülkeye", "-ülkeyi", "yerin", "ülke", "ülkeden", "ülkeye"]·urd["-سرزمین", "-سرزمین-کے", "اُس-زمین-کے", "زمین", "زمین-", "زمین-کی", "زمین-کے", "سرزمین", "سرزمین-کی", "سرزمین-کے"]
2. [split] ground, soil, surface — The earth as created order, the whole world in the 'heaven and earth' merism (Gen 1:1). Multilingual glosses shift to cosmic vocabulary—Swahili dunia, Hindi पृथ्वी, Arabic الْأَرْضِ with universal scope—distinguishing this from the territorial sense. 1×
AR["أرضاً", "أرضًا", "أَرضاً", "أَرْضًا", "إِلَى-الْأَرْضِ", "عَلى الأَرضِ", "عَلَى-الأَرْضِ", "عَلَى-الْأَرْضِ", "ٱلْأَرْضَ"]·ben["ভূমিতে", "ভূমির-দিকে", "মাটিতে"]·DE["Boden-ward", "Erdboden", "Land", "auf-der-Erdboden", "zu-Erdboden", "zu-Erde", "zu-der-Erdboden", "zu-der-Erde", "zur-Erde"]·EN["earth-ward", "ground", "ground-ward", "on-the-ground", "to-earth", "to-ground", "to-the-earth", "to-the-ground"]·FR["moulu-garde", "pays", "sol", "sur-le-sol", "terre-garde", "à-le-moulu", "à-le-sol", "à-le-terre", "à-sol", "à-terre"]·heb["ארץ-ה", "ארצ-ה", "ארצה"]·HI["आर्त्साह-पर", "ज़मीन-पर", "ज़मेएन-पर", "धरती-तक", "भुमि-तक", "भूमि-की-ओर", "भूमि-तक", "भूमि-पर"]·ID["ke-tanah", "tanah"]·IT["a-il-suolo", "a-il-terra", "a-suolo", "a-terra", "su-il-suolo", "suolo", "suolo-ward", "terra", "terra-ward"]·jav["bumi", "dhateng-bumi", "dhateng-siti", "dhumateng-siti", "dumugi-siti", "ing-siti", "siti"]·KO["땅-에", "땅-으로", "땅-을", "땅에", "땅으로"]·PT["em-terra", "na-terra", "para-terra", "por-terra", "terra", "terra-a", "à-terra"]·RU["до-земли", "землю", "на-землю"]·ES["a-tierra", "en-tierra", "tierra"]·SW["ardhini", "chini", "ndani-yake"]·TR["yerde", "yere"]·urd["زمین-تک", "زمین-پر", "زمین-پر۔", "زمین-کی-طرف"]
2. earth, ground (physical surface, soil) — Split from sense 84316. Criteria: Physical soil, ground surface, or earth as material: 'dust of the ground,' 'tilling the earth,' 'creatures of the earth.' Focus on physical substrate rather than political entity. 615×
AR["الأرضِ", "الأَرْضَ", "الأَرْضُ", "الأَرْضِ", "الْ-أَرْضُ", "الْ-أَرْضِ", "الْأَرْضِ"]·ben["-পৃথিবীর", "-মেঝের", "-সেই-পৃথিবীর", "পৃথিবী", "পৃথিবীর", "সেই-পৃথিবী", "সেই-পৃথিবীর"]·DE["Erde", "das-Land", "der-Erde", "die-Erde"]·EN["the-earth", "the-ground"]·FR["la-terre", "le-pays"]·heb["ה-ארץ"]·HI["पृथ्वी", "पृथ्वी-की", "पृथ्वी-के", "प्रिथवि", "प्रिथवि-क", "प्रिथवी", "प्रिथवी-के", "भूमि-की", "भूमि-के"]·ID["-bumi", "bumi", "bumi-itu", "tanah"]·IT["la-terra"]·jav["bumi", "ing-bumi", "ing-siti", "siti"]·KO["그-땅", "그-땅-의", "그-땅-이", "그-땅의", "땅", "땅의", "땅이"]·PT["a-terra", "do-chão"]·RU["-земли", "-землю", "-земля", "земле", "земли", "земля", "землёй", "земном"]·ES["el-suelo", "la-tierra"]·SW["ardhi", "ardhi-", "ardhini", "dunia", "nchi", "nchi-", "ya-dunia"]·TR["-dünyanın", "-yeryüzü", "-yeryüzünden", "-yeryüzünü", "-yeryüzünün", "-ülkenin", "dünyanın", "yerin"]·urd["زمین", "زمین-اس", "زمین-اس-کے", "زمین-سے", "زمین-نے", "زمین-کو", "زمین-کی", "زمین-کے"]
3. earth, world, created order — Physical ground or soil, the surface beneath one's feet where things fall, are cast down, or upon which one bows. Swahili ardhini (on the ground) and Hindi भूमि (soil) mark this tactile, immediate sense. 73×
AR["شَيْئاً-في-الأرْضِ", "في-الأَرض", "في-الأَرضِ", "في-الأَرْضِ", "فِي-", "فِي-الأَرْضِ", "فِي-الْ-أَرْضِ", "فِي-الْأَرْضِ"]·ben["-পৃথিবীতে", "দেশে", "পৃথিবীতে", "পৃথিবীতে।"]·DE["Erde", "auf-der-Erde", "auf-der-Erde-ist", "im-Land", "in-der-Erde"]·EN["anything-on-the-earth", "in-the-earth", "in-the-land"]·FR["dans-la-terre", "dans-le-terre", "terre"]·heb["ב-ארץ", "ב-ה-ארץ"]·HI["उस-पृथ्वी-में", "पृथ्वी-पर", "पृथ्वी-में", "प्रिथवि-मे", "प्रिथवी-पर", "भूमि-में", "में-पृथ्वी"]·ID["di-bumi"]·IT["nel-terra", "nella-terra"]·jav["ing-bumi", "ing-nagari", "ing-siti", "ing-tanah", "kaleresan", "wonten-ing-siti"]·KO["-땅-에서", "땅-에", "땅-에서", "땅에서", "에-그-땅", "에-땅"]·PT["na-terra"]·RU["на-земле", "на-земле,"]·ES["en-la-tierra", "en-tierra"]·SW["ardhi", "ardhini", "duniani", "katika-ardhi", "katika-nchi", "nchini", "ya-kufa"]·TR["-yeryüzünde", "-ülkede", "dünyada", "yeryuzunde", "yeryüzünde", "yeryüzünde-"]·urd["بَ-زمین", "بِ-ہَ-زمین-پر", "زمین-میں", "زمین-پر", "میں-زمین", "میں-زمین-اس"]
3. physical ground, soil, surface beneath feet — Split from sense 84324. Criteria: The immediate surface one stands on, falls to, or bows upon; local earthen surface; consistently glossed with 'ground/soil' vocabulary (chini, bhumi, ardh, 땅에) 83×
AR["أرضاً", "أرضًا", "أَرضاً", "أَرْضًا", "إِلَى-الْ-أَرْضِ", "إِلَى-الْأَرْضِ", "عَلَى-الأَرْضِ", "عَلَى-الْأَرْضِ", "ٱلْأَرْضَ"]·ben["ভূমিতে", "ভূমির-দিকে", "মাটিতে"]·DE["Boden-ward", "Erdboden", "Land", "zu-Erdboden", "zu-Erde", "zu-der-Erdboden", "zu-der-Erde", "zur-Erde"]·EN["earth-ward", "ground", "ground-ward", "to-earth", "to-ground", "to-the-earth", "to-the-ground"]·FR["moulu-garde", "pays", "sol", "terre-garde", "à-le-moulu", "à-le-sol", "à-le-terre", "à-sol", "à-terre"]·heb["ארץ-ה", "ארצ-ה", "ארצה"]·HI["आर्त्साह-पर", "ज़मीन-पर", "ज़मेएन-पर", "धरती-तक", "भुमि-तक", "भूमि-की-ओर", "भूमि-तक", "भूमि-पर"]·ID["ke-tanah", "tanah"]·IT["a-il-suolo", "a-il-terra", "a-suolo", "a-terra", "suolo", "suolo-ward", "terra", "terra-ward"]·jav["bumi", "dhateng-bumi", "dhateng-siti", "dhumateng-siti", "dumugi-siti", "ing-siti", "ngantos-siti", "siti"]·KO["땅-에", "땅-으로", "땅-을", "땅에", "땅으로"]·PT["em-terra", "na-terra", "para-terra", "por-terra", "terra", "terra-a", "à-terra"]·RU["до-земли", "землю", "на-землю"]·ES["a-tierra", "en-tierra", "tierra"]·SW["ardhini", "chini", "mgongo", "ndani-yake"]·TR["yere"]·urd["زمین-تک", "زمین-پر", "زمین-پر۔", "زمین-کی-طرف"]
4. lands, territories (plural) — Plural lands or multiple territories, denoting scattered regions or nations. Arabic أَرَاضِي (broken plural), Korean 땅들, and Swahili nchi za (plural agreement) all signal the morphologically and semantically plural sense. 21×
AR["أَراضي", "أَرَاضِي", "الْأَرَاضِي", "عَلَى-الْأَرَاضِي", "في-الأَراضي", "فِي-أَرَاضِي", "فِي-أَرَاضِيهِمْ", "فِي-الْأَرَاضِي", "فِي-ٱلْأَرَاضِي"]·ben["-তে-দেশগুলিতে", "-দেশগুলিতে", "-দেশগুলোতে", "তাদের-দেশে", "দেশগুলিতে", "দেশগুলিতে।", "দেশে"]·DE["Laender", "in-Laender", "in-Laender-von", "in-der-Erde", "in-ihren-Ländern"]·EN["against-the-lands", "among-the-lands", "in-lands-of", "in-the-lands", "in-their-lands", "into-the-lands", "lands-of"]·FR["dans-les-pays", "dans-leur-terres", "dans-pays-de", "dans-terres", "pays"]·heb["ארץ", "ב-ארץ", "ב-ארץ-ם", "ב-ארצות"]·HI["अपने-देशोन-मेइन", "देशों", "देशों-में", "में-देशों"]·ID["di-negeri-negeri", "di-negeri-negeri-itu", "di-negeri-negeri.", "di-negeri-negeri;", "di-tanah", "di-tanah-tanah-mereka", "ke-negeri-negeri", "tanah-tanah", "tanah-tanah-"]·IT["in-loro-lands", "in-terre", "in-terre-di", "paese"]·jav["dhateng-nagari-nagari", "ing-antawisipun-nagari-nagari", "ing-nagari-nagari", "ing-nagari-nagari.", "ing-tanah-tanah", "ing-tanah-tanahipun", "tanah", "wonten-ing-bumi-bumi", "wonten-ing-tanah-tanah", "wonten-nagari"]·KO["그-땅들-안에서", "그들의-땅들에서", "그들의-땅에서", "땅들", "땅들-에", "땅들-의", "땅들에서", "땅들에서-", "에-그-땅들에", "에-땅들에"]·PT["em-terras-de", "em-terras-deles", "nas-terras", "pelas-terras", "terras-de"]·RU["в-земли", "в-землях", "в-землях-их", "земли", "землях", "на-земли", "по-землям", "тебя"]·ES["en-las-tierras", "en-sus-tierras", "en-tierras", "en-tierras-de", "por-las-tierras", "por-las-tierras;", "tierras-de"]·SW["katika-nchi", "katika-nchi-za-", "katika-nchi-zao", "nchi-za"]·TR["-de-topraklarında", "ba-ülkelere", "bölgelerine", "dağıttım", "diyarlarda", "kutsal-yere", "onları", "siz", "toprakları", "ülkelerde", "ülkelere", "ülkelerinde"]·urd["بَ-ممالک", "زمینوں-میں", "سرزمینوں", "سرزمینوں-میں", "ملکوں-اپنے-میں", "ملکوں-میں", "ممالک-میں", "مملکتوں-میں", "میں-سرزمینوں"]
Gen 10:5, Gen 10:20, Gen 10:31, Lev 26:36, Lev 26:39, 1 Chr 13:2, 2 Chr 11:23, Ps 106:27, Ps 116:9, Ezek 6:8, Ezek 11:16, Ezek 11:16 (+9 more)
6. the earth, the world, created order — Split from sense 84324. Criteria: The entire earth as part of the 'heaven and earth' merism (Gen 1:1); cosmic/universal scope; glossed with world vocabulary (dunia, पृथ्वी, al-ard with universal scope) 5×
AR["أَرْضًا", "الأَرْضَ"]·ben["পৃথিবীকে", "পৃথিবীতে", "মাটিতে"]·DE["Erde", "Land", "zum-Land"]·EN["earth", "to-earth", "to-the-earth"]·FR["pays", "terre"]·heb["ארץ", "ארצה", "ל-ארץ"]·HI["पृथ्वी-पर", "पृथ्वी-से", "भूमि-पर"]·ID["ke-bumi", "ke-tanah", "kepada-bumi"]·IT["al-terra", "terra"]·jav["bumi", "dhateng-bumi", "dhateng-siti", "dhumateng-bumi"]·KO["땅-에", "땅-에게", "땅-으로", "땅에"]·PT["por-terra", "terra", "à-terra"]·RU["земле", "на-землю"]·ES["a-la-tierra", "a-la-tierra,", "a-tierra", "tierra"]·SW["ardhini", "duniani", "nchi"]·TR["yere"]·urd["زمین-سے", "زمین-پر"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
אֶ֫רֶץ2407 n.f. Gn 10:11 & (seld.) m. Ez 21:24 earth, land (Ph. MI ארץ, Assyrian irṣitu COTGloss, Arabic أَرْضٌ, Sab. ארץֿ e.g. Os 9 DHMZMG 1875, 594, 614; Sem. Sprachf. 12, cf. PräBAS i. 374 n., Aramaic אֲרַע, ܐܰܪܥܳܐ )—א׳ abs. Gn 1:24 +; cstr. 2:11 +; אָ֑רֶץ 1:10 +; c. art. always הָאָ֫רֶץ 1:11 +; c. ה—ָloc. אַ֫רְצָה 11:31 +, (poet. = אָרֶץ Jb 34:13; cf. 1 S 25:23 1 K 1:31); sf. אַרְצִי 20:15 +…