רָעָה
râʻâh · H7462 · Hebrew · 91 occurrences
Meanings
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to graze
Action by which animals are feeding on grass and other edible materials in the field, often extended to denote the way a king cares for his subjects or the way God cares for his people
ExamplesGenesis 41:2 And behold, from the Nile seven cows came up, fine-looking and fat; and they grazed in the marsh grass.
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to pasture, to feed, to shepherd
Causative action by which humans lead domestic animals to places where they can feed on grass and other edible materials in the field, often extended to denote the way a king cares for his subjects or the way God cares for his people
ExamplesGenesis 30:31 So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will again pasture and keep your flock:
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to pursue
Literally: to graze; hence: action by which humans are actively looking for a certain activity to engage in, as an animal is looking for food
ExamplesProverbs 15:14 The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
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shepherd
A male person who leads domestic animals to places where they can feed on grass and other edible materials in the field, often extended to denote the way a king cares for his subjects or the way God cares for his people
Examples1 Samuel 17:34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a sheep from the flock,
Psalm 49:14 Like sheep they sink down to Sheol; Death will be their shepherd; And the upright will rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no lofty home.
Song of Solomon 1:8 “If you yourself do not know, Most beautiful among women, Go out on the trail of the flock, And pasture your young goats By the tents of the shepherds.
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to associate, to make friendship
Action by which humans have some level of association with other humans
ExamplesProverbs 22:24 Do not make friends with a person given to anger, Or go with a hot-tempered person,
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Action by which humans have sexual relations with other humans (to consort (with a woman))
ExamplesJob 24:21 “He wrongs the infertile woman, And does no good for the widow.
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to enjoy
Literally: to associate (with an event); hence: process by which humans undergo a certain condition
ExamplesPsalm 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; Live in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
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friend, neighbor, companion, another person
Someone with whom a person has some level of association, for example, by geography, social or ethnic grouping, personal connection, or temporary circumstance
ExamplesProverbs 13:20 One who walks with wise people will be wise, But a companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 28:7 He who keeps the Law is a discerning son, But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.
Proverbs 29:3 A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad, But he who involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.
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to be the best man
Action by which one of the bridegroom's friends accompanies and assists the bridegroom during on his wedding
ExamplesJudges 14:20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion who had been his friend.
How it’s used In 9 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Who or what does itSubject
89 occurrences in 36 groups
- Not stated (participle) 15
- Not stated: they 14
- Not stated: I 7
- Not stated: you (one person) 7
- Not stated (infinitive) 7
- Not stated: he, she or it 6
- Other words · 28 groups that occur once or twice (31) 31
What it acts on, or what is saidObject
58 occurrences in 24 groups
- צֹאןflock, small cattle, sheep and goats 15
- הֶםthem 12
- עַםpeople 6
- Other words · 21 groups that occur once or twice (25) 25
With prepositionsPrepositional phrases
30 occurrences in 26 groups
- בin/on/with+ שׁוּשַׁןlily 3
- Other words · 25 groups that occur once or twice (28) 28
With adverbsAdverbs
12 occurrences in 5 groups
- לֹאnot 7
- אַלnot, do not 3
- עוֹדstill, again, yet 1
- עַתָּהnow 1
- שָׁםthere 1
Named alongside itApposition
2 occurrences in 2 groups
- עֹפֶרyoung stag 1
- וֹhim 1
What it doesIt is the subject
4 occurrences in 4 groups
- כָּלַםto be ashamed 1
- אָבַדto perish, to destroy 1
- פָּשַׁעto rebel 1
- רָעַעto do evil, to act wickedly, to do harm 1
What is done to itIt is the object
4 occurrences in 1 groups
- הָיָהto be, to become 4
What it is said to bePredicate
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- מְעַטfew 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
7 occurrences in 3 groups
- לto/for 6
- מִןfrom 1
- בin/on/with 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
In the other Testament 2 words
- βόσκω bóskō · G1006 · to feed, to cause to eat, to take care of
- Greek βόσκω (bóskō, G1006) focuses specifically on the pastoral act of feeding/pasturing livestock, while Hebrew רָעָה (râʻâh, H7462) encompasses the broader shepherding role including companionship, tending, and general care beyond feeding alone.
- ποιμαίνω poimaínō · G4165 · to shepherd, to take care of, to tend
- Greek ποιμαίνω specifically denotes shepherding/pastoral care (literal or figurative supervision), corresponding to the core shepherding sense of Hebrew רָעָה, though the Hebrew lemma covers a broader semantic range including companionship and feeding beyond strictly pastoral contexts.
Semantic domains 9 entries
- Ingest002001001025
- Genesis 29:7 and 30:36 both describe flocks being watered and "pastured"/"fed," directly attesting the sense of livestock feeding.
- Non-Whole002003001021
- This lexeme's gloss also covers a distinct "break" sense, though the sampled citations here (Genesis 29:7; 30:31, 36; 36:24; 37:2) all illustrate the shepherding sense rather than this breaking sense.
- Engage002003003011
- This lexeme's gloss also covers "keep company with" and "make friendship with," though the sampled citations here attest literal shepherding rather than this social-engagement sense.
- Move002002001012
- Genesis 29:7's instruction to "water the sheep, and go, pasture them" implies leading the flock to graze, attesting a sense of directed movement.
- Professions001001003009
- Genesis 30:31 has Jacob offer to "pasture and keep" Laban's flock, and 37:2 describes Joseph "pasturing the flock with his brothers," directly attesting the sense of the shepherding occupation.
- Associate002003002002
- This lexeme's gloss also covers "use as a friend" and "make friendship with," though the sampled citations here attest literal shepherding rather than this associating sense.
- Copulate002003001004
- רָעָה (râʻâh, H7462) means "to pasture, tend, shepherd." The quotation "Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks" at Genesis 30:36 shows this sense, which does not independently attest the "Copulate" domain; that classification is bundle-shared with רֹעָה (rôʻâh, H7465) and רֹעִי (rôʻîy, H7473) in the source data and is not confirmed by this lexeme's own occurrences.
- Friends001001003003
- רָעָה here denotes tending or shepherding, and by extension keeping company or fellowship with someone, illustrated at Genesis 29:7 ("go, pasture them") and Judges 14:20 (of Samson's "companion," the same root describing close association), spanning both its literal pastoral sense and its extended sense of companionship.
- Bad002001001006
- This lexeme's gloss also covers "evil entreat," though the sampled citations here (all ordinary, neutral accounts of pasturing flocks) do not themselves attest this harsher sense.
Word family 14 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H7462. ra 'ah I. רָעָה167 verb pasture, tend, graze (Assyrian rê°û, verb pasture, noun…
'ah I. רָעָה167 verb pasture, tend, graze (Assyrian rê°û, verb pasture, noun ruler, Tel Amarna ru—i (as Canaanism) WklNo. 181, 11; Arabic , Ethiopic Aramaic רְעָא, , all = Biblical Hebrew); —
Qal Perfect3masculine singular consecutive וְרָעָה Mic 5:3 +, 1 singular suffix consecutive זּרְעִיתִים Eze 34:13, Eze 34:3plural suffix consecutive וְרָעוּם Jer 23:4, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִרְעֶה Isaiah 27:20 +, jussive יֵ֫רַע Job 20:26, suffix יִרְעֶנָּה Psa 80:14, וַיִרְעֵם Psa 78:72 (׳וַיַּר
Hiph`il van d. H.), etc.; Imperative masculine singular רְעֵה Mic 7:14 +, suffix רְעֵם Psa 28:9; feminine singular רְעִי Son 1:8; masculine plural רְעוּ Gen 29:7; Infinitive construct לִרְעוֺת Gen 37:12 +, etc.; Participle רֹעֶה Gen 30:36 +, suffix רֹעִי Psa 23:1 +; feminine singular רֹעָה Gen 29:9; Pro 25:19, etc.; —
1 transitive
a. pasture, tend (pascere), literal, with accusative צאֹן Gen 30:31, Gen 30:36; Gen 37:12 (all J), Exo 3:1 (E), 1Sa 17:15; 1Sa 25:16; Isa 61:5, accusative of asses Gen 36:24 (P), kids Son 1:8; accusative (צאֹן) omitted Gen 29:7; Gen 37:13 (ב location) Gen 37:16 (all J), Son 1:7 (|| הִרְבִּיץ), Job 24:2 (ᵐ5 Me Siegf Bu וְרֹעוֺ); — metaphor יִרְעֵם לֹא וָיֶקֶב גֹּרֶן Hos 9:2, but read ᵐ5 יֵדָעֵם We Now GASm; יִרְעֵם מָוֶת Psa 49:15.
b. figurative of ׳י, accusative of person, Gen 48:15 (E) God, who shepherded me; with accusative of people, as flock Hos 4:16; Isa 40:11; Mic 7:14 (בְּשִׁבְטֶ֑ךָ), Eze 34:13 (pregnantly, with אֶל location), Eze 34:14; Eze 34:15 (+ הִרְבִּיץ), Eze 34:16; Psa 28:9.
c. figurative of ruler, and teacher, accusative of people, as flock, 2Sa 5:2 = 1Ch 11:2; 2Sa 7:1 = 1Ch 17:6; Psa 78:72; Jer 3:15; Jer 23:2, Jer 23:4; Eze 34:2-3, Eze 34:8, Eze 34:10, Eze 34:23 (twice in verse); Zec 11:4, Zec 11:7 (twice in verse); Zec 11:9; of teaching, צַדִּיק שִׂפְתֵי רַבִּים יִרְעוּ Pro 10:21; with ב of people Psa 78:71; absolute Mic 5:3; with accusative of person reflexive pastured (fed, enriched) themselves Eze 34:2, Eze 34:8, Eze 34:10.
d. especially participle רֹעֶה, etc., as substantive = shepherd, herdsman: (I) literal, רֹעֵה צאֹן Gen 4:2; Gen 46:32, Gen 46:34; Gen 47:3 (all J), בַּצּ ׳רֹעֶה Gen 37:2 (E), 1Sa 16:11; 1Sa 17:34; מִקְנֶה רֹעֵי Gen 13:7 (twice in verse) (J); ׳(ה)ר alone, singular Amo 3:12 Amo 3:7t. (all in simile); רֹעָה shepherdess, Gen 29:9 (J); אֱוִילִי רֹעֶה כְּלִי Zec 11:15 (see כְּלִי 2c), as symbol; plural (הָ)רֹעִים Amo 1:2; Exo 2:17, Exo 2:19 (J) 1Sa 21:8 (הָר ׳אַבִּיר; Gr Dr Bu Kit Löhr ׳א חָרָצִים; ᵐ5 LagBN 45 HPS הָעְַיָרִים אֹבִיל, but compare We) + 8 t. + Isa 31:4 (simile), Isa 38:12 (read רֹעִים for רֹעִי Perles29 Du CheHpt compare Di), compare (suffix) Gen 13:8 (twice in verse) (J); הָרֹעִים כְּלִי 1Sa 17:40 (see כְּלִי
3); — הָרִעִיס בֵּידעֵֿקֶד. (2) figurative of ruler (as often Assyrian; compare Greek (Homer) ποιμένα λαῶν), absolute singular Jer 17:16 **figurative of prophet (but Aq Symm ᵑ6 Gie Du Co מֵרָעָה); Zec 10:2; Zec 11:16; Zec 13:7b + 8 t. Jeremiah, Ezekiel; suffix of רֹעִי ׳י, Isa 44:28 (of Cyrus), Zec 13:7a.; Zechariah 13:17 (read הָאֱוִילִי רֹעִי We Now GASm); absolute plural Isa 56:11; Jer 2:8; Jer 3:15; Mic 5:4; Zec 10:3; Zec 11:5, Zec 11:8 18t. Jeremiah Ezekiel 34, + (of Assyrian leaders) Nah 3:18; יִשׂ ׳רֹעֵי Eze 34:2; רֹעֵי צאֹנוֺ Isa 63:11 (but read רֹעֵה [of Moses] ᵐ5 Targam Di Du and others). (3) epithet of ׳י י ׃ ׳רֹעִי Psa 23:1, יִשׂ ׳רֹעֵה Psa 80:2, יִשׂ אֶבֶן ׳רֹעֶה Gen 49:24 (poem in J; read construct רֹעֵה. compare Commentaries); אֶחָד מֵרֹעֶה Ecc 12:11 De Wild, < president of assembly of sages Siegf SS.
2 intransitive feed, graze:
a. literally of cows, sheep, etc.: with ב location Gen 41:2, Gen 41:18 (E), 1Ch 27:29; with accusative of pasture Isa 30:23; with עַל location Zep 2:7 (הַיָּם עֲלֵי for עֲלֵיהֶם ᵑ0, see Now); אֶלמֿוּל location Exo 34:3 (J); absolute Isa 5:17; Isa 11:7 (|| רבץ; but see רעה below) Isa 27:10 (|| id.), Isa 65:25; Jon 3:7; Job 1:14.
b. figurative of idolater, Isa 44:20 he feedeth on ashes (accusative); compare Hos 12:2 Ehpraimitic source feedeth on wind (acc); יִר כְסִילִים ׳מִּי אִוֶּלֶת Pro 15:14 (so Vrss Qr; Kt פני for פי) the mouth of fools feeds on folly (Toy; Buhl √ II. רעה, Gerber162 below III. רעה); in Canticles, with ב location, figurative of lover Son 2:16; Son 6:2-3, of breasts (like gazelles) Son 4:5.
c. figurative, of Israel as flock Isa 14:30 (|| רבץ), read (יַ֯) בְּכָרֹי in my pasture(s), for בְּכוֺרֵי ᵑ0, Koppe Ew Di Du (otherwise CheHpt, compare Marti); Zep 3:13 (|| id..); with עַלדְּֿרָכִים Isa 49:9; with accusative of pasture-land Jer 50:19; Mic 7:14; Eze 34:14b ( + אֶל location), Eze 34:18; Eze 34:19; hence crop, strip, i.e. devastate, of conqueror, with accusative of land Mic 5:6, cf; אֶתיָֿדוֺ Jer 6:3; so קָדְקֹד יִרְעוּךְ; Jer 2:16; accusative of Israel under figure of vine (subject foes, as beasts) Psa 80:14.
d. subject wind, with accusative of person Jer 22:22, i. e. drive them away; subject fire, with accusative of thing, יֵרַע Job 20:26, but read perhaps יֵרָע,
Niph`al (Ol Di Hoffm Siegf Bu; otherwise Du). עֲקָרָה֯ רֹעֶה Job 24:21 is difficult; Bu חֵרַע for ׳ר; more radical conjectures in Du.
Niph`al possibly Job 20:26, see 2d above
Hiph`il Psa 78:72 van d. H., see 1c above
רֹעֶה shepherd, רֹעָה shepherdess, see √ 1 d. above
II. [רָעָה] verb probably associate with (compare Schulth69ff. but also NöZMG iiv (1900), 154 f.; Assyrian ru°a, ruttu, neighbour, fellow (masculine and feminine; compare JägerBAS i. 483, 486); so Bedouin , master, owner, WallinZMG v (1851), 9 JayakarJA xxi. 851; Ethiopic marriage; Arabic , Ethiopic yoke; Late Hebrew רֵעוּת friendship is from Biblical Hebrew רֵעַ); —
Qal Imperative masculine singular אֱמוּנָה וּרְעֵה Psa 37:3 cherish faithfulness (Hup-Now RV Che Du Dr); > feed seocurely (Bae; I.רעה; feed on (his) faithfulness AmRV); Participle רֹעֶה כְסִילִים Pro 13:20 one associating with fools, so ר ׳זֹלְלְים Pro 28:7, ׳ר זוֺנוֺת Pro 29:3 (Thes and others think these figurative from I. רעה, see 2b).
Hithpa`el2masculine singular אָ֑ף אֶתבַּֿעַל אַלתִּֿתְרַע Pro 22:24 do not make companionship with a bad-tempered man; perhaps also 3 feminine plural תִּתְרָעֶינָה Isa 11:7 (LagOr. i. 21; Deceased Wife's Sister 399 Brd Du Che Hpt) cow and bear shall be each other's companions; + Infinitive construct הִתְרָעֹת Pro 18:24 (Toy, for הִתְרֹעֵעַ ᵑ0) there are [יֵשׁ, for אִישׁ] friends (merely) to be companions (see II. רעע near the end).
[רָעָה] verb denominative Pi`el be a special friend; — Perfect3masculine singular לוֺ רֵעָה אֲשֶׁר מֵרֵעֵהוּ Jdg 14:20 his comrade who had been 'best man' (GFM) to him.
רעה (√ of following; compare Biblical Hebrew III. רעה).
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 10 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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