Lexical Summary
ereb: Evening, dusk
Original Word: עֵרֶב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: `ereb
Pronunciation: EH-reb
Phonetic Spelling: (ay'-reb)
KJV: Arabia, mingled people, mixed (multitude), woof
Word Origin: [from H6148 (עָרַב - associate)]
1. the web (or transverse threads of cloth)
2. also a mixture, (or mongrel race)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Arabia, mingled people, mixed multitude, woof
Or mereb (1 Kings 10:15), (with the article prefix), {eh'-reb}; from arab; the web (or transverse threads of cloth); also a mixture, (or mongrel race) -- Arabia, mingled people, mixed (multitude), woof.
see HEBREW arab
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I.
Exodus 12:38 ; — heterogeneous body attached to a people; to Israel
Exodus 12:38 (E),
Nehemiah 13:3; to Egyptians
Jeremiah 25:20 ( joins to
Jeremiah 25:19, so Gie); to Chaldeans
Jeremiah 50:37; in
Jeremiah 25:24 strike out as doublet (so Gie, compare ); in
1 Kings 10:15 read (as "" 2 Chronicles 9:14, so Benz Kit and others);
Ezekiel 30:5 read probably
id. (Co).
II. (as mixed, interwoven, with warp); — Leviticus 13:48 + 8t. 13 (all opposed to warp), compare GFMPAOS 1889, clxxviii.
Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range עֵרֶב (ʿērev) binds two concrete ideas in Scripture: a “mixed multitude/people” and the “weft or woof” of woven cloth. In both nuances the word portrays diverse strands brought together, whether persons or threads.
Mixed Multitude in the Exodus Narrative
Exodus 12:38 records, “A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock.” The term underscores that Israel’s departure from Egypt included foreigners who aligned themselves with the covenant community. Their presence affirms God’s mercy extending beyond ethnic Israel while simultaneously foreshadowing later tensions when non-Israelite elements pressured Israel toward syncretism (Numbers 11:4).
Weaving Terminology in Ritual Purity Laws
Leviticus 13:48-59 employs עֵרֶב ten times to describe “warp or woof” in garments. The priest was to inspect even the hidden weave for signs of mildew. This meticulous concern mirrors God’s demand for holiness penetrating every fiber of life. Contaminated garments were burned (Leviticus 13:52), an image of judgment on corruption that spreads silently through what appears sound.
Mixed Peoples in Post-Exilic Reforms
Nehemiah 13:3 recounts, “When the people heard the Law, they excluded from Israel all who were of mixed descent.” After exile, leaders guarded the covenant community from alliances that had previously led to idolatry and exile (Ezra 9–10). The same word that once celebrated inclusive deliverance (Exodus 12:38) now signals a threat to spiritual purity, illustrating the biblical tension between gracious inclusion and sanctified separation.
Prophetic Warnings Against Syncretistic Alliances
Jeremiah denounces “all the kings of the mixed people” (Jeremiah 25:20, 25:24) and foretells Babylon’s downfall: “A sword is against her horses and chariots and all the mixed people in her midst” (Jeremiah 50:37). Ezekiel echoes, “Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all the mixed people, Chub, and the sons of the land in league shall fall with them by the sword” (Ezekiel 30:5). In each case, עֵרֶב represents nations entangled with Egypt or Babylon in idolatrous confederacy, destined for judgment. The prophets thus employ the term to spotlight human attempts at security through pluralistic coalitions rather than covenant fidelity.
Theological Themes
1. Holiness within Diversity: God welcomes outsiders (Exodus 12) yet calls His people to resist corruption (Leviticus 13; Nehemiah 13).
2. Hidden Contamination: Like mildew in the weft, sin infiltrates unnoticed unless examined by God’s revealed standard.
3. Judgment of Worldly Alliances: Mixed peoples bound to imperial powers share in their downfall (Jeremiah 50; Ezekiel 30), warning believers against yoking with unbelief (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
Christological and Missional Reflections
Jesus Christ fulfills the Exodus pattern by gathering a redeemed “multitude” from every nation (Revelation 7:9) while cleansing His bride “without spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27). The gospel welcomes all who trust the Passover Lamb yet demands a new creation purity wrought by His Spirit.
Contemporary Ministry Applications
• Gospel Inclusivity: Churches should invite all peoples to faith, echoing the mixed multitude’s Exodus participation.
• Doctrinal Vigilance: As priests inspected cloth, leaders must guard teaching and practice, lest subtle error spread.
• Wise Partnerships: Ministry cooperation requires common allegiance to Christ; alliances that dilute biblical truth risk corporate compromise.
Forms and Transliterations
בְעֵ֔רֶב בָעֵ֑רֶב בָעֵ֙רֶב֙ בערב הָעֵ֔רֶב הָעֵ֗רֶב הָעֵ֜רֶב הָעֵֽרֶב׃ הָעֶ֔רֶב הָעֶ֛רֶב הָעֶ֣רֶב הערב הערב׃ עֵ֖רֶב עֵ֥רֶב ערב ‘ê·reḇ ‘êreḇ ḇā‘êreḇ ḇā·‘ê·reḇ ḇə‘êreḇ ḇə·‘ê·reḇ Erev hā‘ereḇ hā‘êreḇ hā·‘e·reḇ hā·‘ê·reḇ haErev vaErev veErev
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