Original Word: מַעֲרָכָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: ma`arakah
Pronunciation: mah-ar-aw-KAW
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-ar-aw-kaw')
KJV: army, fight, be set in order, ordered place, rank, row
NASB: battle line, armies, army, ranks, arrangement, battle array, battle formation
Word Origin: [feminine of H4633 (מַעֲרָך - plans)]

1. an arrangement
2. (concretely) a pile
3. (specifically) a military array

army, fight, be set in order, ordered place, rank, row

Feminine of ma'arak; an arrangement; concretely, a pile; specifically a military array -- army, fight, be set in order, ordered place, rank, row.

see HEBREW ma'arak

Word Origin
from arak
Definition
row, rank, battle line
NASB Translation
armies (3), army (3), arrangement (1), battle array (1), battle formation (1), battle line (5), battlefield* (1), orderly manner (1), ranks (3).

מַעֲרָכָה noun feminine row, rank, battle-line; —

1. a. ׳מ battle-line 1 Samuel 4:2,12,16 (twice in verse); ׳וַיָּ֑רָץ הַמּ 1 Samuel 17:22 and he ran to the battle-line, so 1 Samuel 17:28 (on reference here to Israel's line of. HPS), ׳לפְרַאת מ ׳מ 1 Samuel 17:21; ׳עֹדְרֵי מ 1 Chronicles 12:39 (van d. H. v.1 Chronicles 12:38); nearly= battle הַחַיִל ׳הַאיּצֵא אֶלהַֿמּ 1 Samuel 17:20.

b. plural ranks = army; construct ׳מַעַרְכוֺת יִשׂ 1 Samuel 17:10,45, ׳מַעַרְכֹת יִשׂ 1 Samuel 17:8; ׳מ אֱלּהִים חַיִּים 1 Samuel 17:26; 1 Samuel 17:36; מְּלִשְׁתִּים ׳מ 1 Samuel 23:3; and 1 Samuel 17:23 Qr, so ᵐ5^A (v. omitted by B) Vulgate ᵑ7; singular ᵐ5^L ᵑ6 (> Kt מערות).

2 נֵרוֺת הַמַּעֲרָכָה Exodus 39:37 lamps of the row, i.e. arranged in a row. **

3 order, arrangement: ׳בַּמּ Judges 6:26 in the (proper or usual) arrangement of an alter, compare עָרַךְ 1a Numbers 23:4 of altar.

Overview

מַעֲרָכָה speaks of an ordered arrangement. In the Old Testament it describes (1) sacred rows in worship and (2) the ordered battle line in warfare. In both settings it underscores that covenant life—whether in the sanctuary or on the battlefield—must be conducted in God-given order.

Cultic Usage: Rows of the Bread of the Presence

• Exodus 39:37 records the construction of the table furniture on which the loaves would later be set “in order.”
• Leviticus 24:6 details their placement: “Set them in two rows, six per row, on the table of pure gold before the LORD.” The strict arrangement symbolized the twelve tribes continually presented to God, sustained by Him and sustained for Him. The weekly replacement (Leviticus 24:8) anticipated perpetual fellowship and, ultimately, the true Bread of Life (John 6:35).

Implications:

1. God ordains both the elements and the sequence of worship.
2. Fellowship with the Holy One is sustained by provision He Himself supplies.
3. Corporate identity (twelve loaves, one table) is preserved only as the people remain “in order” before Him.

Cultic Usage: Ordered Wood upon the Altar

Judges 6:26 instructs Gideon to “build an altar…in the proper arrangement and offer the second bull as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” Even in a moment of radical reform, sacrifice is not haphazard; obedience includes careful preparation. The orderly stack of wood prefigures the Cross where the true offering was laid in perfect submission (Philippians 2:8).

Military Usage: The Battle Line

From Shiloh to the Valley of Elah, מַעֲרָכָה denotes the deployed ranks of Israel or her enemies.

• 1 Samuel 4:2—“The Philistines lined up against Israel…Israel was defeated.” Disorder preceded defeat; the ark was viewed superstitiously rather than reverently.
• 1 Samuel 17 (eight occurrences)—the word dominates the David and Goliath narrative:

– Goliath jeers, “Why have you come out to line up for battle?” (17:8)

– David later charges, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the battle lines of the living God?” (17:26)

Divine victory came when faith, not mere formation, ordered the ranks.
• 1 Samuel 23:3; 1 Chronicles 12:39 show later mobilizations under David, highlighting unity and readiness.

Lessons:

1. Order without faith invites collapse (1 Samuel 4).
2. Faith aligned with order secures triumph (1 Samuel 17).
3. Spiritual warfare still requires disciplined alignment under the Captain of salvation (Hebrews 2:10).

Patterns of Divine Order

The same term binds sanctuary and skirmish, teaching that life before God is holistic. Worship fuels warfare; warfare protects worship. Wherever the Lord places His people—at the table or at the front—He demands arrangement that reflects His character: “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Christological Fulfillment

• As the loaves were arrayed on the golden table, so Jesus, “the bread that came down from heaven,” is set before the Father on our behalf.
• As the wood was laid in order, so the Cross was no accident but the pre-arranged plan (Acts 2:23).
• As the armies were arrayed, so the redeemed will “follow Him on white horses” (Revelation 19:14), marching in perfect order behind the victorious Lamb.

Ministry Application

• Corporate worship should be thoughtful and scriptural, neither careless nor self-invented.
• Leaders must arrange spiritual resources—prayer, Word, fellowship—as carefully as priests arranged the showbread.
• Believers engage the present spiritual conflict most effectively when standing in orderly unity, “striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

Key References

Exodus 39:37; Leviticus 24:6; Judges 6:26; 1 Samuel 4:2, 12, 16; 1 Samuel 17:8, 10, 20-22, 26, 36, 45, 48; 1 Samuel 23:3; 1 Chronicles 12:39

בַּמַּֽעֲרָכָ֑ה בַמַּֽעֲרָכָה֙ במערכה הַמַּ֣עֲרָכָ֔ה הַמַּֽעֲרָכָ֖ה הַמַּעֲרָכָ֑ה הַמַּעֲרָכָ֔ה הַמַּעֲרָכָ֖ה המערכה מֵהַמַּ֣עֲרָכָ֔ה מַֽעֲרָכ֖וֹת מַֽעַרְכ֖וֹת מַעֲרָכָ֖ה מַעֲרָכָֽה׃ מַעֲרָכָה֒ מַעַרְכ֖וֹת מַעַרְכ֥וֹת מַעַרְכֹ֖ת מַעַרְכֹ֣ת מהמערכה מערכה מערכה׃ מערכות מערכת bam·ma·‘ă·rā·ḵāh ḇam·ma·‘ă·rā·ḵāh bamma‘ărāḵāh ḇamma‘ărāḵāh bammaaraChah ham·ma·‘ă·rā·ḵāh hamma‘ărāḵāh hammaaraChah ma‘ărāḵāh ma‘ărāḵōwṯ ma‘arḵōṯ ma‘arḵōwṯ ma·‘ă·rā·ḵāh ma·‘ă·rā·ḵō·wṯ ma·‘ar·ḵō·wṯ ma·‘ar·ḵōṯ maaraChah maaraChot maarChot mê·ham·ma·‘ă·rā·ḵāh mêhamma‘ărāḵāh mehamMaaraChah vammaaraChahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts