Original Word: מערכת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: maareketh
Pronunciation: mah-ar-eh'-keth
Phonetic Spelling: (mah-ar-eh'-keth)
Definition: Arrangement, setting, row
Meaning: an arrangement, a pile

Word Origin: Derived from the root verb ערך (arak), meaning "to arrange" or "to set in order."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Greek equivalent for "maareketh," the concept of the showbread is related to the Greek term "ἄρτος τῆς προθέσεως" (artos tēs protheseōs), which is used in the New Testament (e.g., Hebrews 9:2) to describe the bread of the Presence.

Usage: The term "maareketh" primarily refers to an arrangement or setting, often used in the context of the "showbread" or "bread of the Presence" that was arranged in rows on the table in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. It signifies an ordered or structured placement, emphasizing the importance of divine order and provision.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israelite worship, the showbread was a significant element of the Tabernacle and Temple rituals. Twelve loaves of bread, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, were placed in two rows (maareketh) on a special table in the Holy Place. This bread was a continual offering before the LORD, symbolizing God's perpetual covenant and provision for His people. The priests would replace the bread every Sabbath, and the old loaves were consumed by the priests in a holy place.

Word Origin
from arak
Definition
a row, line
NASB Translation
row (2), rows (1), showbread (3), showbread* (4).

מַּעֲרֶ֫נֶת noun feminine row, line; — only of the rows of 'shew'-bread; absolute ׳מ Leviticus 24:7, מַעֲרָ֑כֶת Leviticus 24:6 (P); elsewhere Chronicles: ׳לֶחֶם הַמּ 1 Chronicles 9:32; 1 Chronicles 23:29; Nehemiah 10:34, ׳שֻׁלְחַן הַמּ2Chronicles 29:18, compare 1 Chronicles 28:16; construct מַעֲרֶכֶת לֶחֶם2Chronicles 13:11 the row of bread, so ׳מ2Chron 2:3 the row of continuity, bread continually present in rows; plural absolute שׁתַּיִם מַעֲרָכוֺת Leviticus 24:6.

ערל (√ of following; meaning dubious; compare Arabic foreskin; Aramaic עוּרְלְתָא, ; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; also Egyptian karna θ a Brugsch^{ÄZ 1876, 128} Krall^{SB der Wlener Akkadian, hist.-phil. Cl. cxvi (1888), 659 f.}).

row, showbread

From arak; an arrangement, i.e. (concretely) a pile (of loaves) -- row, shewbread.

see HEBREW arak

הַֽמַּעֲרֶ֖כֶת הַֽמַּעֲרֶ֜כֶת הַֽמַּעֲרֶ֡כֶת הַֽמַּעֲרָ֑כֶת המערכת וּמַעֲרֶ֨כֶת ומערכת ham·ma·‘ă·rā·ḵeṯ ham·ma·‘ă·re·ḵeṯ hamma‘ărāḵeṯ hamma‘ăreḵeṯ hammaaRachet hammaaRechet ū·ma·‘ă·re·ḵeṯ ūma‘ăreḵeṯ umaaRechetInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts