Where is Arabah in the Bible?
The Arabah, also known as the desert or plain, is a geographic region mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament. Arabah appears in 19 verses across 6 books of the Bible.
What happened at Arabah?
The Arabah, also known as the desert or plain, is a geographic region mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament. It refers to the elongated depression that runs from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the Gulf of Aqaba in the south, including the Jordan Valley and the area south of the Dead Sea. In the book of Deuteronomy, the Arabah is mentioned in the context of Moses' farewell address to the Israelites, recounting their journey from Horeb (Sinai) to the Promised Land (Deu.1.1, 7; 2:8). The Arabah is described as part of the route they took and as a region they passed through. The Arabah is also mentioned in the book of Joshua as a reference point for the boundaries of the tribal allotments (Joshua 11:16; 12:1, 3, 8; 18:18). It served as a natural border between the territories of the tribes settling in Canaan. In the historical books, the Arabah is associated with events such as David's flight from Absalom (2Sa.2.29; 4:7) and the escape of King Zedekiah from Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion (2Ki.25.4; Jeremiah 39:4; 52:7). The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel mention the Arabah in their prophecies. Isaiah speaks of the Arabah as a place of desolation (Isaiah 33:9), while Ezekiel envisions a future restoration where the waters flowing from the temple will bring life to the Arabah (Ezk.47.8). The Arabah's arid climate and sparse vegetation make it a challenging environment. However, its strategic location along trade routes and its unique geological features, such as the Dead Sea, have made it a significant region throughout biblical history.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Arabah appear in the Bible?
Arabah is referenced in 19 verses across 6 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 2 Kings 25:4
- 2 Samuel 2:29
- 2 Samuel 4:7
- Deuteronomy 1:1
- Deuteronomy 1:7
- Deuteronomy 2:8
- Deuteronomy 3:17
- Deuteronomy 4:49
- Deuteronomy 11:30
- Ezekiel 47:8
- Jeremiah 39:4
- Jeremiah 52:7
- Joshua 8:14
- Joshua 11:2
- Joshua 11:16
- Joshua 12:1
- Joshua 12:3
- Joshua 12:8
- Joshua 18:18
What else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Arabah.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Arabah?
Arabah appears in 19 verses across 6 books, most often in Joshua, which accounts for 7 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Arabah?
Joshua, Deuteronomy, 2 Samuel, Jeremiah, 2 Kings, Ezekiel.
Where can I read every verse about Arabah?
This page lists 19 of them. Protos carries all 19, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
