H6186a H6186a
To arrange, set in order, draw up in battle array, prepare a table, or compare in value; fundamentally about placing things in proper arrangement.
At its core, עָרַךְ means to arrange or set things in their proper place — but the places where ancient Israelites needed order were remarkably varied. A priest arranges wood on the altar (Lev 1:7), a commander arrays troops for battle (Judg 20:20), a host prepares a table (Ps 23:5), and a sage compares the value of wisdom against gold (Job 28:17-19). Arabic عَرَكَ preserves the military connection ('contend in battle'), while Swahili -panga ('arrange, plan') captures the organizing core. The famous line 'you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies' (Ps 23:5) brilliantly condenses two senses — the domestic act of setting a table and the military context of doing so amid hostile forces.
3. prepare a table — To prepare or set up, especially a table or provisions, and by extension to present one's case. The shepherd psalm's 'you prepare a table before me' (Ps 23:5) is the iconic example. Job declares 'I have prepared my case' (Job 13:18), and the psalmist says 'in the morning I will arrange my prayer before you' (Ps 5:3). Arabic أَعَدَّ ('prepare, make ready') and Swahili -andaa ('make ready') isolate this preparatory nuance from mere physical ordering. Psalm 78:19 asks skeptically whether God 'can prepare a table in the wilderness,' linking provision with divine power. 9×
AR["أَعِدُّوا","أَنْ-يُرَتِّبَ","أُرَتِّبُ-","الْمُرَتِّبُونَ","تُرَتِّبُ","رَتَّبْتُ","مُعَدَّةٌ"]·ben["আপনি-প্রস্তুত-করেন","আমি-সাজাব-","আমি-সাজিয়েছি","প্রস্তুত-করা-হয়েছে","প্রস্তুত-করেছি","যারা-সাজায়","সাজাও","সাজাতে","সাজানো"]·DE["[ערכתי]","aufstellen","du-bereitest","ich-bereitest-","ich-haben-prepared","zu-bereitest"]·EN["I-have-prepared","I-prepare-","I-set-in-order","prepare","prepared","spread","to-prepare","who-prepare","you-prepare"]·FR["disposer","ranger","à-ranger"]·heb["אערוך-","ה-עורכים","ל-ערוך","ערוך","ערכו","ערכתי","תערוך"]·HI["तैयार-करो","मैं-सजाऊँगा","मैंने-तैयार-किया","मैंने-तैयार-किया-है","लगाने","सजाई-गई","सजाता-है-तू","सजाने-वाले","सजाया-हुआ"]·ID["Aku-menyiapkan","Siapkanlah","aku-menyiapkan","aku-menyusun-","menyiapkan","sudah-disiapkan","yang-disediakan","yang-menyiapkan"]·IT["schierare","schiero'"]·jav["Kawula-sampun-nyawisakaken","Panjenengan-nyawisaken","dipun-cawisaken","dipun-tatakaken","ingkang-masang","kawula-nyamektakaken","kula-tata-","nyawisaken","samektakna"]·KO["내가-준비했다","마련하였도다","예비되었다","준비하라","준비하리니","차려졌다","차려주시니","차리기-를","차리는-자들이다"]·PT["Preparai","Preparas","apresento","os-que-preparam","preparada","preparar","preparei"]·RU["hа-накрывающие","Готовьте","Ты-приготовляешь","перед-ней","приготовил","приготовить","приготовлю-","устроен"]·ES["dispondré-","disponer","he-dispuesto","he-preparado","los-que-preparáis","preparad","preparado","preparas","puesta"]·SW["Andaeni","Unaandaa","iliyoandaliwa","imeandaliwa","kuandaa","mnaoandaa","nimeandaa","nimetayarisha","nitaandaa"]·TR["düzenlerim-","haziirlandi","hazirlayanlar","hazırladım","hazırlamayı","hazırlanmış","hazırlarsın","hazırlayın"]·urd["تُو-سجاتا-ہے","تیار-کرو","تیار-کیا-میں-نے","تیار-کیا-گیا-ہے","تیار-کیا-ہے-میں-نے","سجائی-ہوئی","سجانے-والے","لِ-تیار-کرنے","میں-ترتیب-دیتا-ہوں"]
▼ 3 more senses below
Senses
1. arrange in order — To arrange or set things in proper order, especially in cultic and domestic contexts. This is the broadest and most frequent sense: Abraham arranges wood on the altar (Gen 22:9), priests arrange showbread on the table (Exod 40:23), and Aaron arranges lamps (Exod 27:21). Leviticus uses it repeatedly for laying out pieces of a sacrifice in order upon the wood (Lev 1:7-8, 12). Arabic رَتَّبَ ('put in order') and Swahili -panga ('arrange') both match this methodical, careful placement. The emphasis falls on proper sequence and right positioning — things placed where they belong. 32×
AR["المَصفوفِ","لِ-يَصُفُّوا","لِـ-تَرْتِيبِ","لِيُرَتِّبُوا","مُرَتِّبُو","مُعَاوِنُو","وَ-تُرَتِّبُ","وَ-رَتَّبَ","وَ-يُرَتِّبُ","وَ-يُرَتِّبُونَ","وَيُرَتِّبْ","يُرَتِّبُ","يُرَتِّبُهُ","يُرَتِّبُونَ"]·ben["-সাজাতে","এবং-তুমি-সাজাবে","এবং-সাজাক","এবং-সাজাবে-তা","এবং-সে-সাজাল","ও-সাজালেন","সাজাও","সাজাতে","সাজানো-(যা)","সাজানোরা","সাজাবে","সারিবদ্ধকারীরা","সে-সাজাবে"]·DE["aufstellen","der-ordnete-an","er-soll-anordnen","soll-anordnen","und-arranged","und-aufstellen","und-du-soll-anordnen","und-er-soll-anordnen","und-ordnete","und-sie-soll-anordnen","und-soll-anordnen","zu-arrange","zu-array"]·EN["and-arranged","and-he-shall-arrange","and-set-in-order-it","and-shall-arrange","and-they-shall-arrange","and-you-shall-arrange","arrangers-of","he-shall-arrange","helpers-of","set","shall-arrange","the-arranged","to-arrange","to-array"]·FR["--arranger","devra-arranger","disposer","et-arrangea","et-arranged","et-devra-arranger","et-il-devra-arranger","et-ils-devra-arranger","et-ranger","et-tu---arranger","il-devra-arranger","le-arranged","ranger","à-arrange","à-array"]·heb["ה-ערוכות","ו-יערך","ו-יערכה","ו-ערך","ו-ערכו","ו-ערכת","יערוך","ל-ערוך","ל-ערך","עדרי","ערוך","ערך","ערכי"]·HI["और-क्रम-से-रखेगा-उसे","और-सजाई","और-सजाए","और-सजाएं","और-सजाएगा","और-सजाया","बिछाई-हुई","सजवत-बनन","सजाए","सजाओ","सजाने","सजानेवाले","सहायक"]·ID["Dan-menyusun","Siapkanlah","akan-mengatur","dan-engkau-akan-menyusun","dan-menyusun","dan-menyusunnya","harus-dia-mengatur","harus-mengatur","untuk-mengatur","untuk-menyusun","yang-disusun","yang-mengatur-barisan","yang-menyiapkan","yang-menyusun"]·IT["a-arrange","a-array","disporre","dovra-disporre","e-dispose","e-dovra-disporre","e-egli-dovra-disporre","e-essi-dovra-disporre","e-schierare","e-tu-shall-disporre","egli-dovra-disporre","il-arranged","schierare","shall-disporre"]·jav["Harun-sami-nata","Lan-nata","Lan-natani","ingkang-ditata","kanggé-natakaken","kanggé-ngatur","kanggé-nyusun","lan-nata","lan-natani","lan-nyusun","lan-tatana","ngurutaken","nyusun","piyambakipun-badhé-nata","sami-nata","tata"]·KO["그리고-그-가-배열하라","그리고-그들-이-배열하라","그리고-배열했다","그리고-정돈하라","그리고-정돈하리오-그것을","그리고-정렬하라","놓여진","돕는-자들-의","에-정렬하다","정돈하리라","정돈하여라","정렬하기를","정렬하는-자들-의","정렬하려고-","차리라"]·PT["E-arranjarão","E-arranjou","Põe","a-dispor","arranjará","e-arranjará","e-arranjarão","e-disporá-a","e-disporás","ordenadores-de","os-arranjados","para-formar","para-ordenar","¶ E-arrumou"]·RU["будет-поддерживать","выстраивать","выстраивающие","и-разложат","и-разложил","и-разложит","и-расставишь","и-упорядочивает-это","накрыть","пусть-устраивает","разложенном","строить"]·ES["Prepara","Y-dispondrán","Y-puso-en-orden","a-ordenar","dispondrá","formadores-de","los-ordenados","para-formar","preparadores-de","y-dispondrá","y-dispondrán","y-dispondrás","y-dispuso","y-lo-ordenará"]·SW["Na-watapanga","Weka","ataipanga","atapanga","atazipanga","kupanga","na-aipange","na-akapanga","na-atapanga","na-utapanga","na-watapanga","waandaaji-wa","yaliyopangwa"]·TR["-düzenlenen","Hazirla","dizenler","dizmek-için","düzenleyecek","hazırlayacak","ve-dizecek","ve-dizecekler","ve-düzenledi","ve-düzenleyeceksin","ve-siralayacak-onu"]·urd["اور-ترتیب-دیا","اور-ترتیب-دیں","اور-ترتیب-دے","اور-ترتیب-دےگا","بچھاؤ","ترتیب-دینے-والے","ترتیب-دینے-کو","ترتیب-دے","ترتیب-دے-گا","صف-باندھنے-کو","لگی-ہوئی","مددگار"]
2. draw up for battle — To draw up or array troops in battle formation. When Israel 'arranged battle' against Benjamin (Judg 20:20, 22, 30, 33) or when Abijah 'set the battle in array' (2 Chr 13:3), the verb describes the deliberate marshaling of soldiers into fighting order. Arabic cognate مَعْرَكَةٌ ('battle-ground') and the idiom عَرَكَ ('contend in battle') preserve this military register. Korean 전열을 갖추다 ('form battle ranks') captures the image well. Jeremiah's oracle depicts Babylon's enemies told to 'arrange against her round about' (Jer 50:14). The sense extends from the act of arranging to the state of being arrayed — soldiers standing in ordered ranks. 24×
AR["اصْطَفُّوا","صَفُّوا","مُصْطَفٍّ","مُصْطَفُونَ","وَ-رَتَّبَتْ","وَ-رَتَّبُوا","وَ-صَفَّ","وَ-صَفُّوا","وَرَتَّبوا","وَصَفَّ","وَصَفُّوا"]·ben["আর-সাজাল","আর-সাজালেন","এবং-সাজাল","এবং-সাজালেন","ও-সাজালেন","সাজ","সাজানো","সাজিয়েছিল"]·DE["[ערוך]","arrayed","aufstellen","und-arranged","und-arrayed","und-aufstellen","und-er-zog-hinauf","und-sie-arranged","und-sie-zog-hinauf","und-stellten-auf"]·EN["and-arranged","and-arrayed","and-drew-up","and-he-drew-up","and-they-arranged","and-they-arrayed","and-they-drew-up","array","arrayed","arrayed-for"]·FR["et-arranged","et-disposer","et-il-tira-en-haut","et-ils-arranged","et-ils-revêtu","et-ils-tira-en-haut","et-rangé","ranger","rangé"]·heb["ו-יערוך","ו-יערך","ו-יערכו","ו-ערכה","ו-ערכו","ערוּך","ערוך","ערכו"]·HI["उन्होंने-सजाई","और-उनहोने-सजय","और-उन्होंने-सजाई","और-सजयि","और-सजवत-बनयि","और-सजाई","और-सजाए","और-सजाया","तैयार","पंक्ति-बांधो"]·ID["berbarislah","bersusun","dan-ia-mengatur-barisan","dan-mengatur-barisan","dan-mengatur-barisan-mereka","dan-mengaturlah","dan-mereka-mengatur","dan-mereka-mengatur-barisan","lalu-menyusun-barisan","mereka-mengatur","tersusun"]·IT["e-disporre","e-dispose","e-egli-trasse-su","e-essi-arrayed","e-essi-dispose","e-essi-trasse-su","e-schierato","schierare","schierato"]·jav["lan-nabuh","lan-nata","lan-natakaken","lan-ngatur","lan-sami-nata","lan-sami-tata","piyambakipun-sedaya-natakaken","siyagakna","tata"]·KO["그리고-벌여-놓았다","그리고-정렬했다","그리고-진-쳤다","대열하라","정렬되었다","정렬된","정렬했던"]·PT["E-formou-se","Formai","Preparado","dispuseram","e-dispuseram-em-ordem","e-dispuseram-se","e-dispôs","e-dispôs-se","e-formaram","e-ordenaram","e-ordenou","ordenado"]·RU["Выстройтесь","выстроенный","выстроились","и-выстроил","и-выстроили","и-выстроились","и-выстроился"]·ES["Y-formó","dispongan","dispuesto","dispuestos","ordenaron","y-formaron","y-ordenaron","y-ordenó"]·SW["Jiandaeni","akapanga","na-akapanga","na-wakapanga","na-wakapanga-vita","wakapanga","walipanga","wamepangwa"]·TR["Ve-dizdi","dizilim","dizilmiş","dizilmişlerdi","ve-dizdi","ve-dizdiler","ve-dizildiler","ve-düzlediler"]·urd["اور-صف-باندھی","اور-صف-باندھے","اور-صف-بندی-کی","صف-باندھو","صف-باندھے","صف-بستہ"]
Gen 14:8, Judg 20:20, Judg 20:22, Judg 20:30, Judg 20:33, 1 Sam 4:2, 1 Sam 17:2, 1 Sam 17:21, 2 Sam 10:8, 2 Sam 10:9, 2 Sam 10:10, 2 Sam 10:17 (+12 more)
4. compare or equal — To compare, match, or equal in value — a figurative extension where the 'arranging' becomes placing things side by side for evaluation. Job asks 'can gold or crystal equal it?' (Job 28:17) and declares that no precious stone 'can compare' to wisdom (Job 28:19). The psalmist affirms 'who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?' (Ps 89:6), and Isaiah challenges 'to whom will you liken God?' (Isa 40:18). Arabic قارَنَ ('compare') and Korean 비교하다 ('compare') capture this evaluative sense. The metaphor is of setting two things in a row to measure them against each other — arrangement repurposed as assessment. 5×
AR["تُقَارِنُونَ","مُقارَنَةَ","يُعادِلُها","يُعَادِلُ"]·ben["তার-সমান-হবে","তুলনা","তুলনা-করতে-পারে","সাজাবে"]·DE["[יערכנה]","aufstellen","comparing","kann-compare"]·EN["can-compare","comparing","equals-it","to-Him"]·FR["disposer","ranger"]·heb["יערוך","יערכנה","ערוך","תערכו"]·HI["उसकी-बराबरी-होगी","गिने-जा-सकते","तुम-ठहराओगे","तुलना-हो-सकता-है"]·ID["dapat-dibandingkan","menyamainya","yang-kamu-bandingkan"]·IT["schierare","schiero'"]·jav["ingkang-sami","katandhingaken","panjenengan-badhé-nyamèkaken","saged-dipun-bandhing"]·KO["비교되지-않는다","비교하겠느뇨","비교하리이까","비교함-이"]·PT["a-igualará","comparar","ordenareis","pode-se-comparar"]·RU["сравните","сравнится","сравнится-с-нею","сравниться"]·ES["comparación","la-igualará","le-comparareis","se-comparará"]·SW["anayelingana","haiwezi-kulinganishwa","kulinganisha","mtaweka"]·TR["duzenliyeceksiniz","eşitlenebilir-ona","karşılaştıracak","kıyaslanabilir"]·urd["برابر ہے-اُس-کے","برابر-ہو-سکتا-ہے","تم-مقرر-کرو-گے","شمار"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† עָרַךְ vb. arrange or set in order (NH id.; also roll dough, 𝔗 עֲרַךְ id.; Ph. ערכת CISNo. 132, 4 valuation, Bloch, but dub.; Arabic عَرَكَ iii. contend in battle, مَعْرَكٌ, مَعْرَكَةٌ, battle-ground);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. ע׳ Jb 32:14; 2 Ch 13:3, וְע׳ consec. Lv 1:12; 6:5; עָרַכְתִּי Nu 23:4 +, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יַעֲרֹךְ Ex 27:21 +, etc.; Imv. עֶרְכָה Jb 33:5, עִרְכוּ Je 46:3; 50:14 (Ges§ 481); Inf.…