Lexical Summary
ari: Lion
Original Word:אֲרִי
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:ariy
Pronunciation:ah-REE
Phonetic Spelling:(ar-ee')
KJV: (young) lion, + pierce (from the margin)
NASB:lions, lion, lions', lion's
Word Origin:[fromH717 (אָרָה - gathered) (in the sense of violence)]
1. a lion
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
young lion, pierce
Or (prolonged) earyeh {ar-yay'}; from'arah (in the sense of violence); a lion -- (young) lion, + pierce (from the margin).
see HEBREW'arah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
arahDefinitiona lion
NASB Translationlion (14), lion's (1), lions (15), lions' (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Proverbs 28:15 (Assyrian
aria, Ethiopic
wild beast, compare also below) —
Amos 3:12 13t.+
2 Samuel 23:20 Qr (Kt ),
Lamentations 3:10 (id.) +
Psalm 22:17 ( for wh .rd = compare De Pe Che critical note); plural
1 Kings 10:20; (also masculine)
Zephaniah 3:3 16t. (feminine
Jeremiah 51:38 ? but compare
Judges 14:5); —
lion, literal in narrative
Judges 14:5;
1 Samuel 17:34,36,37;
2 Samuel 23:20 =
1 Chronicles 11:22;
2 Kings 17:25,26;
Proverbs 22:13;
Proverbs 26:13;
Songs 4:8 compare
Amos 3:12;
Amos 5:19;
lion-images1 Kings 7:29 (twice in verse);
1 Kings 7:36;
1 Kings 10:19,20 2Chronicles 9:18,19; in comparison
Numbers 23:24;
Numbers 24:9;
Judges 14:18;
Isaiah 38:13;
Jeremiah 51:38;
2 Samuel 1:23;
Ezekiel 22:5;
Lamentations 3:10; metaphor
Nahum 2:12;
Zephaniah 3:3;
Jeremiah 50:17;
Ezekiel 19:2,6;
Proverbs 28:15. For
Psalm 22:17 read , cf above. compare also .
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe lion appears about seventy-eight times in the Old Testament, serving as a vivid emblem of strength, danger, royalty, and divine sovereignty. Narrative, poetry, wisdom sayings, prophetic oracles, and apocalyptic visions alike harness its imagery.
Lions in Israel’s Land and Life
David testifies that he killed both lion and bear while guarding sheep (1 Samuel 17:34-37). Samson tears a lion apart with his bare hands (Judges 14:5-6) and later discovers honey in its carcass (Judges 14:8-9). Benaiah descends into a pit on a snowy day to kill a lion (2 Samuel 23:20). Such events highlight God-granted courage and foreshadow greater victories for His people.
Agents of Divine Judgment
The prophet who disobeyed the LORD’s word is slain by a lion (1 Kings 13:24-28), and a careless soldier meets the same end (1 Kings 20:36). The episodes underscore that creation is at the Creator’s disposal to vindicate His holiness.
Metaphor for Human and National Foes
David laments enemies who “are like a lion eager to tear” (Psalms 17:12). Assyria and Babylon are pictured as lions leaving their lairs to ravage Judah (Jeremiah 4:7; 50:17). Amos warns, “The lion has roared—who will not fear?” (Amos 3:8), tying prophetic proclamation to imminent peril.
Emblem of Judah’s Royal Line
Jacob blesses his son: “Judah is a young lion… like a lion he crouches” (Genesis 49:9). The tribe’s standard came to feature a lion, prefiguring the Davidic monarchy and, ultimately, the Messiah hailed inRevelation 5:5 as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.”
God Himself as Lion
“As a lion or a young lion growls over its prey… so the LORD of Hosts will come down to fight on Mount Zion” (Isaiah 31:4). Hosea records, “I will be like a lion to Ephraim” (Hosea 5:14), revealing a love that both protects and disciplines.
Satan and Counterfeit Lions
The Old Testament groundwork for lethal, lurking lions prepares believers to heed the New Testament warning: “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8).
Prophetic and Apocalyptic Imagery
Ezekiel’s cherubim bear a lion’s face (Ezekiel 1:10). Daniel’s first beast is “like a lion” (Daniel 7:4), symbolizing imperial power. Prophets mourn, “The young lions roar over her” (Jeremiah 2:15), depicting nations that devour the covenant people.
Wisdom Lessons
“The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion outside!’” (Proverbs 22:13), exposing excuses. Conversely, “The righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1), commending fearless righteousness. Agur observes, “The lion… turns not aside for any” (Proverbs 30:30), praising steadfast resolve.
Eschatological Peace
“The calf and the young lion… will be together, and a little child will lead them” (Isaiah 11:6). In the coming age, “No lion shall be there… but the redeemed shall walk” (Isaiah 35:9), signifying the reversal of curse and the restoration of harmony.
Pastoral Applications
1. Deliverance: God saves amid real peril, as with David and Samson.
2. Courage: Private victories over “lions” prepare God’s servants for public ministry.
3. Vigilance: Persistent lion imagery calls believers to spiritual alertness.
4. Hope: The Lion of Judah guarantees ultimate triumph and peace.
Key References
Genesis 49:9;Judges 14:5-9;1 Samuel 17:34-37;2 Samuel 23:20;1 Kings 13:24-28;Job 4:10-11; Psalms 22:13, 21; 57:4; 91:13;Proverbs 28:1; 30:30;Isaiah 31:4;Jeremiah 4:7;Ezekiel 1:10;Daniel 7:4;Hosea 5:14;Amos 3:8;Nahum 2:11-12;Zechariah 11:3.
Conclusion
Throughout Scripture the lion embodies majesty and menace, yet every roar ultimately serves the redemptive purpose of God. In the Messiah, the fierce power of Judah’s lion becomes the guarding strength of a shepherd who secures everlasting peace: “They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain” (Isaiah 11:9).
Forms and Transliterations
אֲ֝רִ֗י אֲרִ֖י אֲרִ֣י אֲרִי־ אֲרָי֔וֹת אֲרָי֖וֹת אֲרָי֗וֹת אֲרָי֣וֹת אֲרָי֤וֹת ׀ אֲרָיִ֗ים אֲרָיֽוֹת׃ אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה אַ֭רְיֵה אַרְיֵ֑ה אַרְיֵ֔ה אַרְיֵ֖ה אַרְיֵ֗ה אַרְיֵ֛ה אַרְיֵ֜ה אַרְיֵ֤ה אַרְיֵ֥ה אַרְיֵ֨ה אַרְיֵה֙ ארי ארי־ אריה אריות אריות׃ אריים הָ֣אֲרָי֔וֹת הָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה הָֽאֲרִי֙ הָֽאַרְיֵה֙ הָאֲרִ֔י הָאֲרִ֛י הָאֲרָי֗וֹת הָאַרְיֵ֑ה הָאַרְיֵ֖ה הָאַרְיֵ֨ה הארי האריה האריות וְאַרְיֵ֖ה וְאַרְיֵה֙ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה וְכַאֲרִ֖י ואריה והאריה וכארי כְּ֭אַרְיֵה כְּאַרְיֵ֛ה כְּאַרְיֵ֞ה כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה כְּאַרְיֵ֥ה כְּאַרְיֵ֬ה כְּאַרְיֵה֙ כַּאֲרִ֛י כַּאֲרִ֥י כָּֽאֲרִ֔י כארי כאריה לַאֲרָי֣וֹת לָאַרְיֵ֗ה לאריה לאריות מֵאֲרִ֑י מֵאֲרָי֖וֹת מארי מאריות ’ă·rā·yîm ’ă·rā·yō·wṯ ’ă·rî ’ă·rî- ’ar·yêh ’ărāyîm ’ărāyōwṯ ’ărî ’ărî- ’aryêh araYim araYot aRi arYeh hā’ărāyōwṯ hā’ărî hā’aryêh hā·’ă·rā·yō·wṯ hā·’ă·rî hā·’ar·yêh haaraYot haaRi haarYeh ka’ărî kā’ărî ka·’ă·rî kā·’ă·rî kaaRi kə’aryêh kə·’ar·yêh kearYeh la’ărāyōwṯ lā’aryêh la·’ă·rā·yō·wṯ lā·’ar·yêh laaraYot laarYeh mê’ărāyōwṯ mê’ărî mê·’ă·rā·yō·wṯ mê·’ă·rî mearaYot meaRi vearYeh vechaaRi veHaarYeh wə’aryêh wə·’ar·yêh wə·hā·’ar·yêh wə·ḵa·’ă·rî wəhā’aryêh wəḵa’ărî
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