Hebrew word · H706
אַרְבַּעְתַּיִם
'arba'tayim
fourfold
"Fourfold, four times over." It is a pair-form (dual) of 'arba' (four) used as a multiplier, the way shiv'atayim means "sevenfold" (Gen 4:15, 24; Ps 79:12). This exact form appears only here.
Appears once in the Hebrew Old Testament. ·
What it means
fourfold
A grammatical form of ar.ba (אַרְבַּע "four" H0702)
Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
From the study of 2 Samuel 12:6
- Range of meaning
"Fourfold, four times over." It is a pair-form (dual) of 'arba' (four) used as a multiplier, the way shiv'atayim means "sevenfold" (Gen 4:15, 24; Ps 79:12). This exact form appears only here.
- Against the English
English versions agree on "fourfold" or "four times over". NLT makes it concrete as four lambs. The Greek Septuagint says "sevenfold" (see textual notes).
- Used elsewhere in the period
Exodus 21:37 (22:1 Eng.) sets the rate: a sheep stolen and then slaughtered or sold is repaid with four sheep, and an ox with five. Ancient Near Eastern law codes also set multiple restitution for theft. Hammurabi §8 sets up to thirtyfold for temple or palace property and tenfold for a commoner's, and the Hittite Laws set graded multiples for stolen livestock.
Where it appears
2 Samuel · 1
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2 Samuel 12:6 אַרְבַּעְתָּ֑יִם fourfold
Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”
Here: A pair-form (dual) of "four" used to mean "four times over." This exact word occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible. The amount matches the law for a stolen and slaughtered sheep (Exod 21:37 / 22:1 Eng.).
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.