Arcturus

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Greek, answering to the Latin-named constellation Ura Major; Hebrew 'Ash , or 'Aish ( Job 9:9;  Job 38:32-33). The Great Bear always revolves about the pole, and to our northern hemisphere never sets. The Chaldees and Arabs early mimed the stars, and grouped them in constellations. Their nomad life, in tending flocks and traveling often by night, tended to make them observe the stars, marking the seasons by their rise and setting, and using them as their nocturnal guide. This throws light on "Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons (the three stars in its tail)?" Nay, thou art dependent on him for guiding thee ( Genesis 1:14;  Genesis 8:22).

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The word ash or aish has always been a difficult one to translate, the versions differing much; but it is now pretty well agreed that the allusion is not to the star known as Arcturus, but to the constellationknown as the Great Bear; 'his sons' are supposed to be the stars in the tail of the bear. In the northern hemisphere this constellation is seen all the year round, with its apparent ceaseless motion around the north star, which none but the mighty God can guide.  Job 9:9;  Job 38:32 . It is translated 'the Bear' in the R.V.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Arctu'rus. (Bear-Keeper). The Hebrew words, 'Ash and 'Aish , rendered "Arcturus" in the Authorized Version of  Job 9:9;  Job 38:32, in conformity with the Vulgate of the former passages, are now generally believed to be identical, and to represent the constellation Ursa Major , known commonly as The Great Bear or Charles' Wain.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Arcturus ( Ark-Tû'Rus ).  Job 9:9;  Job 38:32, in A. V., but the R. V. correctly reads "bear" in both passages. Arcturus is the name of a fixed star of the first magnitude in the constellation Bootes; but the Hebrew word in Job refers to the constellation Ursa Major, or Great Bear. The "sons" are probably the three stars in the tail of the bear.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Job 9:9 38:32 'Ash

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Job 9:9 Job 38:32

King James Dictionary

ARCTU'RUS, n. Gr. a bear, and tail. A fixed star of the first magnitude, in the constellation of Bootes.

Webster's Dictionary

(n.) A fixed star of the first magnitude in the constellation Bootes.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ARCTURUS . See Stars.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(the Latin form of the Gr. Ἀρκτοῦρος , Bear-Keeper, designating among the ancients the brightest star in the constellation Bootes, Cic. Arat. 99; also the whole constellation Bootes, Hes. Op. 564, 608 Virg. Georg. 1, 204; and hence the time of its rising in September, Soph. (Ed. Tyr. 1137; Thuc. 2, 78; Virg. Georg. 1, 68), put in the Auth. Vers. for the Heb. עָשׁ (Ash, for נְעָשׁ , Neash', Arabic the same,  Job 9:9, "[God], which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south," Sept. Πλειάς , Vulg. Arcturus), or עִיִשׁ (A'yish, a fuller form of the same, prob. signifying Supporter, Barrow,  Job 38:32, "canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons," Sept. ῞Εσπερος , Vulg. Vesper), is thought by most recent interpreters to denote the constellation of the Great Bear, Ursa Major, but on grounds not altogether satisfactory nor with unanimity (see Hyde, ad Ulugh-Beii, Tab. Stell. p. 22, 23; Michaelis, Suppl. p. 1907; Schultens on Job, p. 239). The older interpreters understand:

(1.) the Great Bear, or the seven stars of the Wain (Septentriones), so Saadias and Aben Ezra;

(2.) the Pleiades, so the Sept. (in one passage only, and there perhaps the terms have become transposed, as ῞Εσπερος and Ἀρκτοῦρος both occur in the same verse) and the Targum ( זִגְתָּ ‹ in the other pas sage, according to the Venice and Lond. editions, meaning, however, Hen, according to Bochart);

(3.) the Evening Star, Hesperus, Venus, so the Sept. (in the latter passage, and perhaps also in the first) and Vulg.;

(4.) the Tail Of Aries ( זכר טלה ) or the Head Of Taurus ( ראש דעגלא ), so the Talmudists (Berachoth, p. 586), apparently referring to the bright star in the eye of Taurus (Aldebaran), near the tail of Aries;

(5.) Arcturus, so the Vulg. (in chap. 9, and perhaps the Sept.);

(6.) the rendering Lyutha of the Syriac (in both passages, as likewise in  Job 15:27, for כֶּסֶל , and  Amos 5:8, for כְּסִיל ; comp. Ephraemi Opera, 2, 449 a), as this word is itself of doubtful origin and signification, if really genuine (see Anecdot. Orient. 2:37; Lach, in Eichhorn's Bibl. 7:341), but appears from the lexicographers to bear the general import of she-goat, referring to a star in the constellation Auriga. Laying aside those of these interpretations that are evidently mere conjecture (such as Arcturus, Venus), and others that are here out of the question (such as the Pleiades, which in Hebrews are called כִּימָה ), There remain but two interpretations:

First, that which identifies the Heb. Ash with the Great Bear, or Ursa Major, the Wain. The superior probability of this is sustained by the following considerations:

(1.) This is so conspicuous a constellation, and so famous in all ancient as well as modern astronomy, that the total silence in these astrological enumerations, otherwise; respecting it is unaccountable, especially as inferior constellations are not omitted;

(2.) The mention of the attendant stars ("sons," בָּנִים ) in the second passage of Job agrees with the ascription among the Arabs of daughters to Neish, the corresponding Arabic constellation (Niebuhr, Beschreib. V. Arabien, p. 114), these being the three stars in the tail of the Bear.

The other interpretation, namely, the goat, can only be sustained by a forced etymology from עֵד , a goat, and a lesser constellation is then referred to, namely, Auriga; and the reference to the attendant stars, to those in the right hand of this figure, is not only unnatural, but at variance with its late origin. Schultens (Comment. in loc.) derives the Heb. word from an Arabic term signifying the night-watcher, because Ursa Major never sets; while Kimchi refers it to the Heb. עוּשׁ , in the sense of a Collection of stars; and Led. de Dieu compares the Ethiopic name of the constellation Pisces; but the etymology first proposed above is preferable (see Bochart, Hieroz. 2:680; Alferg. p. 8, 63; Ideler, Unters. Ib. D. Stern- Namen, p. 3, 19; comp. Abulfeda, p. 375; Eutych. p. 277; Schultens, Imp. Joctan, p. 10, 32). — Gesenius, Thes. Heb. p. 895. (See Astronomy); (See Constellation).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ark - tū´rus  : The "Plough" or "Charles's Wain" is intended. See Astronomy , II, 13.