Lexical Summary oreb: Raven Original Word: אֹרֶב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wait The same as 'ereb -- wait. see HEBREW 'ereb NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom arab Definition an ambuscade NASB Translation ambush (1), plotting (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [אֹ֫רֶב] noun [masculine] ambuscade only figurative — a. יָשִׂים אָרְבּוֺ Jeremiah 9:7 i.e. he planneth treachery. b. אָרְבָּם their intrigue Hosea 7:6 compare Nowp.126. Topical Lexicon Concept and Imagery אֹרֶב paints the picture of an ambush set by men whose hostility is hidden beneath a veneer of friendship. The term evokes the lethal patience of a hunter or the sudden strike of a bandit on a desert road. Scripture regularly uses such imagery to unveil sin’s deceitful nature and the danger posed by those who weaponize words. Biblical Usage Only once does אֹרֶב appear, in Jeremiah 9:8. There Judah’s citizens “with their mouths speak peace to their neighbors, but in their hearts they set an ambush”. The solitary occurrence intensifies its force: false speech is not merely careless talk; it is premeditated treachery waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Literary Context in Jeremiah Jeremiah 9 laments Judah’s collapse of covenant faithfulness. Verses 1–9 catalogue sins of tongue and heart. The prophet moves from tears (verse 1) to divine judgment (verse 9), framing אֹרֶב as evidence that relational life in Judah has become predatory. The ambush motif links the people’s speech with murder in God’s courtroom: lying words function as hidden daggers (compare Proverbs 12:6). Historical and Cultural Background Ancient Near Eastern warfare prized the ambush. Narrow wadis, city gates, and caravan routes offered ideal terrain for surprise attacks. Jeremiah leverages this cultural familiarity, but turns it inward—ambush tactics have migrated from battlefield to everyday conversation. The prophetic charge thus exposes a society where covenant brothers act as highwaymen toward one another. Theological Reflections 1. Deceit is violence. God views duplicitous speech as an assault on the image-bearing neighbor (James 3:9–10). Related Biblical Motifs • Animal imagery: “He lies in wait like a lion in cover” (Psalm 10:9). In each case the hidden attack motif stresses the need for spiritual vigilance. Christological Connections Jesus Christ endured continual verbal ambushes—trap questions, false witnesses, and conspiratorial plots (Mark 12:13; Matthew 26:59). Yet “no deceit was found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). He reversed the motif: instead of laying a snare, He was willingly “delivered up according to the plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23) to disarm every ambush of the evil one (Colossians 2:15). Practical Ministry Applications • Pastoral vigilance: shepherds guard flocks against hidden wolves (Acts 20:29–30). Pastoral Warnings and Encouragements Jeremiah’s image confronts any setting—in family, church, workplace—where smiles mask betrayal. The remedy is heart transformation, not merely improved manners. The Spirit makes hearts true so that “‘May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD’” becomes lived reality (Psalm 19:14). Summary אֹרֶב embodies the peril of hidden hostility and deceitful speech. Though the word appears but once, its thematic reach spans Scripture, climaxing in Christ’s triumph over every ambush of sin and Satan. The believer, therefore, walks in honesty, alert to covert threats while resting in the Lord who cannot be surprised and will one day expose every hidden snare. Forms and Transliterations אָרְבּֽוֹ׃ ארבו׃ ’ā·rə·bōw ’ārəbōw areBoLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 9:8 HEB: וּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹ יָשִׂ֥ים אָרְבּֽוֹ׃ NAS: he sets an ambush for him. KJV: but in heart he layeth his wait. INT: inwardly sets an ambush 1 Occurrence |