Arabia

Biblical Text

Arabia appears in both the Old and New Testaments.

• Old Testament: 1 Kings 10:15 and 2 Chronicles 9:14 record that the kings of Arabia brought gold and silver to Solomon. In the time of Jehoshaphat, the Arabians brought him flocks (2 Chronicles 17:11). Among those who mocked and opposed the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem was "Geshem the Arabian" (Nehemiah 2:19). The name also occurs in the prophetic books. Isaiah 21:13 contains a burden upon Arabia, and in Jeremiah 25:24 the kings of Arabia are listed among the nations that must drink the cup of judgment. Ezekiel 27:21 records that Arabia and the princes of Kedar traded livestock with Tyre.
• New Testament: Among those at Pentecost who heard the apostles speaking in their own languages were "Arabians" (Acts 2:11). Paul writes that after his conversion he did not go up to Jerusalem but went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus (Galatians 1:17). He also likens Hagar to "mount Sinai in Arabia" (Galatians 4:25).

Background

The Arabia of the Bible does not designate any particular modern nation. It is a general term for the desert regions extending east and south of Israel and for the nomads and merchants who lived there, and its scope varies with period and context. The Arabians of the Old Testament were chiefly herders or traders in spices and gold. Tribes such as Kedar and Tema, presented as descendants of Ishmael (Genesis 25:13-15), as well as Midian, are associated with this region. The kingdom of the Queen of Sheba is commonly placed in southern Arabia, though its exact location has not been established.

In the New Testament period, Arabia commonly referred to the Nabataean kingdom. Nabataea was an Arab kingdom centered on Petra that extended its influence from what is now southern Jordan to the vicinity of Damascus. "Aretas the king" (2 Corinthians 11:32), whom Paul mentions in recounting his escape from Damascus in a basket, is generally identified as the Nabataean king Aretas IV.

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

In the Old Testament, Arabia appears among the nations outside Israel. At times its people appear as those who bring gifts to Solomon in his glory; at other times they appear as Israel's adversaries or as objects of judgment. In the New Testament, Arabia is included in the list of nations in Acts 2, forming part of the scene in which the gospel reaches people from many regions. It also appears as the place where Paul stayed immediately after his conversion. In Galatians 4, Paul speaks of Mount Sinai as located in Arabia and develops an allegory connecting the covenant of the law given at Sinai with Hagar and "Jerusalem which now is."

Interpretation and Issues

• What Paul did in Arabia: Galatians does not state Paul's purpose in going to Arabia. A long-standing and widely accepted view regards this period as a time of preparation in which Paul, in solitary meditation, reflected deeply on the revelation he had received. In recent times, the view that Paul preached the gospel in the Nabataean region has also been widely advanced. This view points to the attempt by the governor under King Aretas to seize Paul (2 Corinthians 11:32-33). Some interpreters combine the two views.
• Length of stay: It is commonly said that Paul spent "three years in Arabia." However, "after three years" in Galatians 1:18 refers to the time that elapsed before he went up to Jerusalem, and the text does not specify whether this refers to the time he spent in Arabia alone.
• Relationship to Acts: Acts 9, which records Paul's conversion, does not mention the journey to Arabia. Various interpretations seek to harmonize the two accounts, such as placing the journey between 9:19-22 and the "many days" of 9:23.
• Connection with Mount Sinai: Some have conjectured on the basis of Galatians 4:25 that Paul traveled as far as Mount Sinai, but the text says nothing of this. Scholars also disagree about the location of Mount Sinai itself. Some place it on the Sinai Peninsula, while others place it in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia, among other views.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, Paul's stay in Arabia is frequently cited as an example of a "wilderness season," a time of solitary preparation before God prior to beginning one's ministry. This, however, is an application based on one of several interpretations and is not something the text directly states.