אֶרֶץ

“Earth” in Hebrew is Eretz (אֶרֶץ), pronounced “EH-retz.” Eretz is one of the most ancient nouns in Hebrew. Some scholars connect it to a root meaning 'to be firm' or 'solid ground.' Its dual function — meaning both the whole earth and a specific land — is central to biblical theology.

Eretz (אֶרֶץ) means “Earth, land, country” in Biblical Hebrew. Eretz appears over 2,500 times in the Hebrew Bible — one of the most frequent nouns in Scripture. It refers to the earth as creation (Genesis 1:1), the land of Israel specifically (Genesis 12:7), and various nations' territories. 'Eretz Yisrael' (Land of Israel) is the foundational promise of the Abrahamic covenant.

Eretz is pronounced “EH-retz.” The word comes from the Hebrew root א-ר-ץ.

Eretz Yisrael (אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל) means 'Land of Israel.' It's the biblical term for the specific territory God promised to Abraham and his descendants. This phrase carries enormous theological weight — it represents God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and the physical location where God chose to dwell among His people.

Unlike Greek philosophy which tends to devalue the physical world, Hebrew theology sees eretz as deeply good. God created the earth and called it 'very good' (Genesis 1:31). The promise to Abraham was not escape from earth but a specific place to inhabit. The final biblical vision is not souls floating in heaven but a renewed heaven and a renewed eretz (Revelation 21:1).

The phrase 'eretz zavat chalav u'dvash' (land flowing with milk and honey) appears 20 times in the Hebrew Bible describing the Promised Land. Milk represents pastoral abundance (flocks), while honey (likely date honey) represents agricultural richness. Together they paint a picture of a generous, fertile land — God's tangible blessing for His people.