🔼The name Arkite: Summary
- Meaning
- Fugitives, Gnawers
- Etymology
- From the verb ערק (araq), to gnaw or to flee.
🔼The name Arkite in the Bible
🔼Etymology of the name Arkite
The ethnonym Arkite probably comes from the Hebrew verb ערק (araq), probably meaning gnaw:
ערק
The verb ערק (araq) occurs only twice in the Bible and probably means to gnaw. It appears to be connected to cognate verbs that mean to flee.
Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names derives the name Arkite from the above mentioned root ערק as well, but shares insight with Klein and boldly adds the meaning of to flee. BDB Theological Dictionary treats the same root but lists no connection to fleeing.
🔼Arkite meaning
To a Hebrew audience, the name Arkite would doubtlessly have meant Gnawers.
For a meaning of the name Arkite, NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Belonging To Arka, but does not explain who Arka is. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Fugitive.