Strong's Hebrew: 738. אֲרִי (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: [from H717 (אָרָה - gathered) (in the sense of violence)]

1. a lion

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

Word Origin
from arah
Definition
a lion
NASB Translation
lion (14), lion's (1), lions (15), lions' (1).

אֲרִי noun masculine^{Proverbs 28:15} lion (Assyrian aria, Ethiopic wild beast, compare also אַרְיֵה below) — אֲרִי Amos 3:12 13t.+ 2 Samuel 23:20 Qr (Kt אריה), Lamentations 3:10 (id.) + Psalm 22:17 (כָּֽאֲרִי for wh .rd כאדו = כָּרוּ compare De Pe Che critical note); plural אֲרָיִים 1 Kings 10:20; אֲרָיוֺת (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-images 1 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 כארי Psalm 22:17 read כארו, cf above. compare also אַרְיֵה.

[フレーム]Overview

The 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 in Revelation 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).

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’ărîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts

Genesis 49:9
HEB: גּ֤וּר אַרְיֵה֙ יְהוּדָ֔ה מִטֶּ֖רֶף
KJV: Judah [is] a lion's whelp:
INT: whelp a lion's Judah the prey

Genesis 49:9
HEB: כָּרַ֨ע רָבַ֧ץ כְּאַרְיֵ֛ה וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֥י
KJV: he couched as a lion, and as an old lion;
INT: couches lies A lion A lion who

Numbers 23:24
HEB: כְּלָבִ֣יא יָק֔וּם וְכַאֲרִ֖י יִתְנַשָּׂ֑א לֹ֤א
NAS: like a lioness, And as a lion it lifts
KJV: and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down
INT: A lioness rises A lion lifts It will not

Numbers 24:9
HEB: כָּרַ֨ע שָׁכַ֧ב כַּאֲרִ֛י וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֣י
NAS: he lies down as a lion, And as a lion,
KJV: he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion:
INT: couches lies A lion A lion who

Deuteronomy 33:22
HEB: דָּ֖ן גּ֣וּר אַרְיֵ֑ה יְזַנֵּ֖ק מִן־
KJV: Dan [is] a lion's whelp:
INT: Dan whelp a lion's leaps from

Judges 14:5
HEB: וְהִנֵּה֙ כְּפִ֣יר אֲרָי֔וֹת שֹׁאֵ֖ג לִקְרָאתֽוֹ׃
NAS: a young lion [came] roaring
KJV: and, behold, a young lion roared
INT: and behold A young lion roaring against

Judges 14:8
HEB: אֵ֖ת מַפֶּ֣לֶת הָאַרְיֵ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה עֲדַ֧ת
KJV: the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm
INT: to look the carcass of the lion and behold A swarm

Judges 14:8
HEB: דְּבוֹרִ֛ים בִּגְוִיַּ֥ת הָאַרְיֵ֖ה וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
KJV: and honey in the carcase of the lion.
INT: of bees the body of the lion and honey

Judges 14:9
HEB: כִּ֛י מִגְּוִיַּ֥ת הָאַרְיֵ֖ה רָדָ֥ה הַדְּבָֽשׁ׃
KJV: out of the carcase of the lion.
INT: out of the body of the lion had scraped the honey

Judges 14:18
HEB: וּמֶ֥ה עַ֖ז מֵאֲרִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם
NAS: than a lion? And he said
KJV: and what [is] stronger than a lion? And he said
INT: What is stronger lion said If

1 Samuel 17:34
HEB: בַּצֹּ֑אן וּבָ֤א הָֽאֲרִי֙ וְאֶת־ הַדּ֔וֹב
NAS: sheep. When a lion or a bear
KJV: and there came a lion, and a bear,
INT: sheep came A lion A bear and took

1 Samuel 17:36
HEB: גַּ֧ם אֶֽת־ הָאֲרִ֛י גַּם־ הַדּ֖וֹב
NAS: both the lion and the bear;
KJV: slew both the lion and the bear:
INT: both the lion both and the bear

1 Samuel 17:37
HEB: הִצִּלַ֜נִי מִיַּ֤ד הָֽאֲרִי֙ וּמִיַּ֣ד הַדֹּ֔ב
NAS: me from the paw of the lion and from the paw
KJV: me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw
INT: delivered the paw of the lion the paw of the bear

2 Samuel 1:23
HEB: מִנְּשָׁרִ֣ים קַ֔לּוּ מֵאֲרָי֖וֹת גָּבֵֽרוּ׃
NAS: They were stronger than lions.
KJV: they were stronger than lions.
INT: eagles were swifter lions were stronger

2 Samuel 17:10
HEB: לִבּ֛וֹ כְּלֵ֥ב הָאַרְיֵ֖ה הִמֵּ֣ס יִמָּ֑ס
KJV: [is] as the heart of a lion, shall utterly
INT: heart the heart of a lion will completely lose

2 Samuel 23:20
HEB: [הָאֲרִיַּה כ] (הָאֲרִ֛י ק) בְּת֥וֹךְ
KJV: also and slew a lion in the midst
INT: went and killed lion the middle of a pit

1 Kings 7:29
HEB: בֵּ֣ין הַשְׁלַבִּ֗ים אֲרָי֤וֹת ׀ בָּקָר֙ וּכְרוּבִ֔ים
NAS: the frames [were] lions, oxen
KJV: that [were] between the ledges [were] lions, oxen,
INT: were between the frames lions oxen and cherubim

1 Kings 7:29
HEB: מִמָּ֑עַל וּמִתַּ֙חַת֙ לַאֲרָי֣וֹת וְלַבָּקָ֔ר לֹי֖וֹת
NAS: and beneath the lions and oxen
KJV: above: and beneath the lions and oxen
INT: above Thahash the lions and oxen wreaths

1 Kings 7:36
HEB: ק) כְּרוּבִ֖ים אֲרָי֣וֹת וְתִמֹרֹ֑ת כְּמַֽעַר־
NAS: cherubim, lions and palm trees,
KJV: cherubims, lions, and palm trees,
INT: border cherubim lions and palm to the clear

1 Kings 10:19
HEB: הַשָּׁ֑בֶת וּשְׁנַ֣יִם אֲרָי֔וֹת עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֥צֶל
NAS: and two lions standing
KJV: and two lions stood
INT: of the seat and two lions standing beside

1 Kings 10:20
HEB: וּשְׁנֵ֧ים עָשָׂ֣ר אֲרָיִ֗ים עֹמְדִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם
NAS: Twelve lions were standing there
KJV: And twelve lions stood
INT: both ten lions were standing there

1 Kings 13:24
HEB: וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ וַיִּמְצָאֵ֧הוּ אַרְיֵ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ
KJV: And when he was gone, a lion met
INT: had gone met A lion the way and killed

1 Kings 13:24
HEB: עֹמֵ֣ד אֶצְלָ֔הּ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֥צֶל
KJV: by it, the lion also stood
INT: standing beside the lion was standing beside

1 Kings 13:25
HEB: בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְאֶת־ הָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֣צֶל
KJV: in the way, and the lion standing
INT: thrown the road and the lion standing beside

1 Kings 13:26
HEB: וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּ יְהוָ֜ה לָאַרְיֵ֗ה וַֽיִּשְׁבְּרֵ֙הוּ֙ וַיְמִתֵ֔הוּ
KJV: hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn
INT: has given the LORD the lion has torn and killed

78 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 738
78 Occurrences

’ă·rā·yîm — 1 Occ.
’ă·rā·yō·wṯ — 13 Occ.
’ă·rî — 4 Occ.
’ar·yêh — 19 Occ.
hā·’ă·rā·yō·wṯ — 2 Occ.
hā·’ă·rî — 7 Occ.
hā·’ar·yêh — 10 Occ.
ka·’ă·rî — 3 Occ.
kə·’ar·yêh — 10 Occ.
la·’ă·rā·yō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
lā·’ar·yêh — 1 Occ.
mê·’ă·rā·yō·wṯ — 1 Occ.
mê·’ă·rî — 1 Occ.
wə·’ar·yêh — 2 Occ.
wə·ḵa·’ă·rî — 1 Occ.
wə·hā·’ar·yêh — 2 Occ.