Original Word: אַרְעִית
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: ar`iyth
Pronunciation: ah-REE
Phonetic Spelling: (arh-eeth')
KJV: bottom
NASB: bottom
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) feminine of H77 (אֶבֶץ - Ebez)2]

1. the bottom

bottom

(Aramaic) feminine of ara'; the bottom -- bottom.

see HEBREW ara'

Word Origin
(Aramaic) from ara
Definition
the bottom
NASB Translation
bottom (1). [] (so ; compare also lower); — construct Daniel 6:25.

Canonical Setting

In Daniel 6:24 the term denotes the “bottom” of the lions’ den into which Daniel’s accusers were hurled. This is its only appearance in Scripture, found within the Aramaic narrative of Daniel that chronicles God’s preservation of His faithful servant and the swift judgment of the wicked.

Narrative Function

“Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones” (Daniel 6:24). The word draws a stark contrast: Daniel had spent the entire night at the place of greatest danger, yet emerged unscathed (6:22-23); his opponents never reached that same spot before divine retribution fell. The detail heightens the drama, proving that God’s control extends to the floor of the pit itself.

Theological Themes

1. Vindication of the Righteous – Echoing Psalm 7:15-16 and Proverbs 26:27, the accusers fall into the calamity they intended for another.
2. Swift Divine Justice – Judgment comes “before” contact with the ground, illustrating God’s immediacy (Psalm 73:18-19; Galatians 6:7).
3. Sovereignty over the Depths – The pit motif (Genesis 37:24; Psalm 40:2) is inverted: what signifies death for some becomes a stage for deliverance of God’s own.

Historical Background

Royal Persian practice included execution by wild beasts. Lion pits excavated in Mesopotamian sites reveal deep shafts with stone floors. Mentioning the “bottom” reinforces the authenticity of the account and the terror such punishments evoked.

Ministry Significance

• Assurance under Persecution – Faithfulness amid hostile decree (Daniel 6:10) is upheld and rewarded.
• Warning Against Malice – False accusation invites God’s abrupt judgment (Matthew 18:6).
• Hope of Final Justice – The incident foreshadows eschatological reversal when the wicked meet sudden ruin (1 Thessalonians 5:3; Revelation 20:15).

Christological Echoes

Daniel’s rescue anticipates Jesus’ triumph over the grave; the destruction of the schemers prefigures the ultimate defeat of Satan and evil (Hebrews 2:14).

Homiletical Aids

Sermon Title: “Before They Touched the Bottom.”

Outline:

1. Plotting the Pit (6:1-9)
2. Faith in the Face of Lions (6:10-18)
3. Shut Mouths, Open Eyes (6:19-23)
4. Unreached Ground, Unmatched Justice (6:24)
5. A Decree of Praise (6:25-28)

Summary

The single occurrence of Strong’s 773 fixes our gaze on the very floor of judgment’s arena, showcasing the Lord’s power to preserve the faithful and to fell the wicked with unerring speed. The bottom of the pit, unreachable to evildoers and harmless to God’s servant, proclaims that no depth lies outside His sovereign hand.

לְאַרְעִ֣ית לארעית lə’ar‘îṯ lə·’ar·‘îṯ learItInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts

Daniel 6:24
HEB: וְלָֽא־ מְט֞וֹ לְאַרְעִ֣ית גֻּבָּ֗א עַ֠ד
NAS: and they had not reached the bottom of the den
KJV: they came at the bottom of the den.
INT: ever reached the bottom of the den until

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 773
1 Occurrence

lə·’ar·‘îṯ — 1 Occ.