Original Word: עֲרַב
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `arab
Pronunciation: ah-RAHV
Phonetic Spelling: (ar-ab')
KJV: mingle (self), mix
NASB: combine, mixed
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H6148 (עָרַב - associate)]

1. to commingle

mingle self, mix

(Aramaic) corresponding to arab; to commingle -- mingle (self), mix.

see HEBREW arab

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to the root of ereb
Definition
to mix
NASB Translation
combine (2), mixed (2).

[עֲרַב] verb mix (ᵑ7 (often); Syriac (rare); see Biblical Hebrew I. ערב); —

Pa`el Passive participle מְעָרַב mixed with (ב) Daniel 2:41,43.

Hithpa. Participle id.: מִתְעָרַב Daniel 2:43 (עִם), plural רֲבִין- Daniel 2:43 (ב).

Overview

עֲרַב (Strong’s Hebrew 6151) appears only in the Aramaic portions of Scripture, all within Daniel 2. In every instance it conveys the idea of “mixing” or “mingling,” describing the union of iron and clay in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The term therefore serves as a vivid emblem of composite kingdoms, unstable alliances, and ultimately the transience of human power in contrast to the everlasting kingdom of God.

Occurrences in Daniel

Daniel 2:41

“And just as you saw the feet and toes which were partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom, yet some of the strength of iron will be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with clay.”

Daniel 2:43 (threefold repetition) likewise underscores the mixture:

“As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.”

The triple mention in verse 43 amplifies the theme of fragmentation and instability.

Prophetic Significance

1. Dual Nature of the Final Empire
• Iron symbolizes strength and military might, whereas clay represents fragility. The mingling (עֲרַב) foretells a confederation strong in some respects yet inherently brittle.
• The passage prepares readers for the stone “cut without hands” (Daniel 2:34–35) that shatters the statue, pointing to the Messiah’s indestructible reign.

2. Foreshadowing of Mixed Peoples
• Daniel 2:43 links the physical mixture to “the seed of men,” hinting at political marriages, federations of diverse cultures, and the eventual inability of such unions to cohere.
• Historically, successive empires—from the Hellenistic period through Rome—exhibited these qualities, validating the prophetic vision.

Historical Background

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream statue charts the course of Gentile world dominion: Babylon (gold), Medo-Persia (silver), Greece (bronze), Rome and its outgrowths (iron and iron-clay). The Aramaic vocabulary fits the court setting of sixth-century Babylon, while the concept of mixture parallels ancient practices of forging alliances through intermarriage and vassal treaties that often produced unstable composites.

Theological Themes

• Sovereignty of God: The fragility of mixed iron and clay underscores the supremacy of the “God of heaven” who “will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44).
• Human Limitations: Even the strongest earthly systems, when alloyed with incompatible elements, cannot endure apart from divine sanction.
• Purity versus Syncretism: The vision warns against diluting covenant faithfulness with foreign ideologies—a principle echoed in passages such as Ezra 9:1–4 and 2 Corinthians 6:14–18.

Ministry Applications

1. Preaching and Teaching
• Contrast the unstable alliances of the world with the unshakeable kingdom of Christ (Hebrews 12:28).
• Highlight the futility of trusting in political coalitions rather than in God’s rule (Psalm 146:3).

2. Personal Holiness
• Encourage believers to avoid “mingling” with the world’s value system (James 4:4), preserving the church’s distinct identity.

3. Eschatological Vigilance
• Use the iron-clay imagery to illuminate end-times passages regarding ten-kingdom coalitions (Revelation 17:12–14) and the ultimate victory of the Lamb.

Related Concepts

• Mixture and Division: Genesis 11:6–9 (Babel’s unified rebellion and subsequent scattering) contrasts with Daniel 2’s divided mixture, both demonstrating God’s control over nations.
• Surety and Pledging: Though a different root spelling, other forms of ערב (“to pledge,” Proverbs 6:1) remind readers of binding commitments that often fail, paralleling the brittle pledges of Daniel’s mixed empire.

Conclusion

עֲרַב in Daniel 2 functions as more than a descriptive verb; it stands as a theological motif exposing the inherent weakness of humanly forged unions and exalting the permanence of God’s kingdom. The term invites believers to place unwavering confidence in the Rock that fills the whole earth, rather than in the mixed and transient structures of worldly power.

מְעָרַ֖ב מְעָרַב֙ מִתְעָרְבִ֤ין מִתְעָרַ֖ב מערב מתערב מתערבין mə‘āraḇ mə·‘ā·raḇ meaRav miṯ‘āraḇ miṯ‘ārəḇîn miṯ·‘ā·raḇ miṯ·‘ā·rə·ḇîn mitaRav mitareVinInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts