Who was Areli in the bible?
Areli was a son of Gad listed among Jacob’s family, appearing in Genesis 46:16 and in Gad’s census clans in Numbers 26:17.
Tribal Listing
In a later enumeration of Gad’s families, “of Areli, the family of the Arelites” is named (Numbers 26:17).
Learn More →Name Meaning
Strong’s derives the name from a root meaning “heroic,” and the gloss identifies Areli as an Israelite whose descendants were called Arelites.
Learn More →Areli was an Israelite named among the sons of Gad, and the name also appears collectively in connection with his descendants as “the family of the Arelites.” Lexically, the name is explained as meaning “heroic,” tied to a component word glossed as “a hero (collectively).”
Areli in Scripture
Areli appears first in a list that situates several family lines within Jacob’s larger household. Immediately before the mention of Gad’s sons, the passage provides nearby context about Jacob’s family totals and other sons’ lines.
Genesis 46:15: “These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three.”
Within that broader family listing, Areli is identified as one of Gad’s sons, alongside his brothers.
Genesis 46:16: “The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.”
The surrounding verses continue the same cataloging pattern by naming the sons of other patriarchal lines, showing that Areli’s mention functions as part of an organized record of descendants.
Genesis 46:17: “The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.”
Genesis 46:18: “These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls.”
Genesis 46:19: “The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin.”
The second appearance of Areli occurs in a later census-style listing of tribal families, again under Gad. This section explicitly connects named ancestors with family designations, setting Areli alongside other Gadite families.
Numbers 26:15: “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 26:16: “of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;”
Numbers 26:17: “of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites.”
In this same sequence, the chapter closes the Gadite segment by summarizing the counted families and their total, indicating that “the family of the Arelites” is one component within a larger enumeration of Gad.
Numbers 26:18: “These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were counted of them, forty thousand and five hundred.”
The listing then moves on to other tribes’ lines, reinforcing that Areli’s second mention is part of a structured tribal register.
Numbers 26:19: “The sons of Judah: Er and Onan. Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.”
Numbers 26:20: “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.”
Name and Meaning
Areli is written in Hebrew as אַרְאֵלִי, transliterated ’Ar’eliy and pronounced “ar-ay-lee’.” Lexically, the name is derived from a root (Strong’s H691) and is explained as meaning “heroic.” It is also linked by component to ’er’el (אֶרְאֵל), glossed as “a hero (collectively),” and the identity gloss describes Areli (or, collectively, an Arelite) as an Israelite and his descendants.
Observation
Across its two occurrences, Scripture presents Areli both as an individual son of Gad—“and Areli” (Genesis 46:16)—and as a named source of an enduring family designation—“the family of the Arelites” (Numbers 26:17).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Areli mean?
The name Areli means “heroic.”
How many times does Areli appear in the Bible?
Areli appears 2 times.
Who was Areli?
Areli was an Israelite and the ancestor of the Arelites. He is listed among the sons of Gad in Genesis 46:16.
Where is Areli mentioned as the origin of a family group?
Numbers 26:17 mentions “the family of the Arelites” as descending from Areli.
Explore Further
If you found this page about Areli interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.
Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
