Who was Arod in the bible?

Arod is named in the Bible as an Israelite associated with a clan among the sons of Gad. The name is glossed as meaning “fugitive,” and it appears as the source of the “family of the Arodites.”

Arod in Scripture

Arod is mentioned in the census listing of clans in Numbers 26, specifically within the enumeration of the sons of Gad “after their families.” The passage groups several clan names together, presenting Arod as one of the family-lines counted within Gad.

“The sons of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites;” (Numbers 26:15, WEB)

This list continues by naming additional clans, maintaining the same pattern—each name is followed by its corresponding family designation.

“of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;” (Numbers 26:16, WEB)

Arod then appears in the same formulaic style, paired with another name in the continuing sequence.

“of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites.” (Numbers 26:17, WEB)

The chapter context presented here identifies these as clan divisions belonging to Gad, and it summarizes the result of the count for these families as a whole.

“These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were counted of them, forty thousand and five hundred.” (Numbers 26:18, WEB)

Within the provided portion of the chapter’s flow, the census list then moves on from Gad to other tribal lines, showing that Arod’s mention functions as one entry within a larger register of Israelite families.

“The sons of Judah: Er and Onan. Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.” (Numbers 26:19, WEB)

“The sons of Judah after their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites.” (Numbers 26:20, WEB)

In these verses, Arod is not described by deeds, location, or personal actions; rather, Arod is presented as a name attached to a recognized family unit in Israel’s tribal structure, expressed as “the family of the Arodites.”

Name and Meaning

The name is written in Hebrew as אֲרוֹד and transliterated ’Arowd (pronounced ar-ode). Its derivation is given as an orthographical variation of another form, with the meaning “fugitive,” and it is noted to include a component connected with “Arvad (אַרְוַד),” identified as Arvad, “an island-city of Palestine.”

Observation

As Numbers 26 presents it, Arod’s significance lies in being counted as a family-line within Gad: “of Arod, the family of the Arodites” (Numbers 26:17, WEB).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Arod mean?

Arod means “fugitive.”