Bible Word Study
עֲבָרִים
ʻĂbârîym · Abarim, a place in Palestine
עֲבָרִים
Abarim, a place in Palestine
Definition
Abarim is a proper noun referring to a mountain range or region located east of the Jordan River, in the territory of Moab, opposite the city of Jericho. In the Bible, it is most notably the location from which God showed Moses the Promised Land before his death (Deuteronomy 32:49). The term is used consistently to denote this specific geographical area, which includes Mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 34:1). Its name, meaning 'regions beyond,' reflects its position from the perspective of the Israelites west of the Jordan.
Biblical Usage
The word 'Abarim' is used exclusively in the context of the Israelites' wilderness journey in the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. It appears in itineraries listing the stages of Israel's travel (Numbers 33:47-48) and as the specific location for a key theological event—Moses viewing Canaan. All four occurrences (Numbers 27:12; 33:47-48; Deuteronomy 32:49) are connected to the final stages of the Exodus, just before entering the land.
Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew root עבר (ʿābar, H5676), meaning 'to cross over' or 'to pass through.' 'Abarim' is the masculine plural form, essentially meaning 'the regions on the other side' or 'the parts beyond.' It directly relates to the crossing of the Jordan River, designating the territory on the eastern side from the perspective of Canaan.
Semantic Range
Abarim is theologically significant as the place of Moses' final prophetic vision and his death. God directs Moses to ascend this mountain range to see the Promised Land he would not enter due to his sin at Meribah (Numbers 20:12, Deuteronomy 32:51). This event underscores themes of divine promise, prophetic leadership, consequence for disobedience, and the transition of leadership to Joshua. The location marks the poignant end of the Exodus journey and God's faithfulness to His covenant. In its ancient Near Eastern context, 'Abarim' identified a known mountainous region in Moab. Mountains were often seen as places of divine encounter. For the Israelites, this specific range held profound national and religious significance as the vantage point for viewing the land promised to their ancestors, making it a sacred landmark in their historical memory. Nebo (Nəbô, H5015) — Mount Nebo is a specific peak within the Abarim range where Moses stood. Pisgah (Pisgâ, H6449) — Refers to the ridge or summit of the Abarim mountains, often used interchangeably with Nebo (Deuteronomy 34:1).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]