עֲרָבָה

1. earliest use:
  a. arid steppe west of Dead Sea (in southern Judah) 1Sam 23:24, also Ezek 47:8; Isa 51:3, whence name ׳יָם הָע Josh 3:16 (JE) || יָם הַמֶּלַח), also 2Kgs 14:25; Deut 4:49, and (|| id.) Deut 3:17; Josh 12:3 (D); נַחַל הָעֲרָבָה Amos 6:14 must be east of Dead Sea, si vera lectio, but read probably מִצְרַיִם ׳נ see נַחַל.
  b. Jordan-valley west of river + adjacent plain; near ford (opposite Jericho) 2Sam 2:29, compare Josh 8:14 (JE); also Deut 11:30; 2Kgs 25:4 = Jer 39:4 = Jer 52:7 — 2Sam 15:28; 2Sam 17:16 see עֲבָרָה
  c. Jordan-valley east of river 2Sam 4:7.

2. in D:
  a. especially of east Jordan plain Deut 1:1 (probably) Josh 12:1; Josh 12:3, east half of Jordan-valley Deut 3:17; Deut 4:49 of entire Jordan-valley (between כִּנֶּרֶת and Dead Sea, modern El-Ghôr, the Depression) Deut 1:7; Josh 11:2; Josh 11:16 west Jordan plain only Josh 12:8 depression south of Dead Sea (modern Wady el-`Arabah) Deut 2:8.

3. in P always plural construct עַרְבוֺת מוֺאָב (east Jordan) Num 22:1 + 11 t. (see מוֺאָב); עְרֵחוֺ ׳ע (West Jordan) Josh 4:13; Josh 5:10, also 2Kgs 25:5 = Jer 39:5 = Jer 52:8.

4. apparently North Arabian desert Isa 40:3; Isa 41:19.

5. in general the steppe (often || מִדְבָּר), Jer 17:6; Jer 50:12; Isa 33:9; Isa 35:1; Isa 35:6; Job 24:5; Job 39:6; Ps 68:5 זְאֵב עֲרָבוֺת Jer 5:6 (figurative of invader); compare description of Exodus אֶרֶץ עֲרָבָה וְשׁוּחָה Jer 2:6 in simile, of a plain, of future land of Judah Zech 14:10. — See Dr^{Deut 1:1 and references} Buhl^{Geogr. 111}.