Ῥαχάβ
Rhacháb
G4477 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Rhachab (Rahab), a female personal name. Refers specifically to a woman from Jericho mentioned in Israelite tradition; her identity is associated with being a resident of Canaan during the time of Israelite entry into the land. In New Testament contexts, the name is also invoked as an ancestral figure within genealogical or exemplary narratives. The primary lexical meaning is as a proper noun identifying a historical or narrative individual.
Semantic Range
female personal name, name of a Canaanite woman from Jericho, name in genealogical lists, exemplary figure in didactic narratives
Root / Etymology
Greek adaptation of the Hebrew personal name רָחָב (Rāḥāḇ). The Greek form Ῥαχάβ (Rhacháb) is used in some manuscripts and contexts where the more common Ῥαάβ (Rhaáb) also occurs. Etymology traces ultimately to the Hebrew root רחב (rḥb), meaning 'to be spacious, broad,' though as a proper name, its precise semantic motivation is uncertain in the Greek context.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Septuagint, the form Ῥαάβ is predominant for referring to the woman from Jericho (cf. Joshua 2, 6). The form Ῥαχάβ (Rhacháb) emerges in Hellenistic Greek as an alternative spelling, and it is retained in certain New Testament passages (e.g., Matthew 1:5, James 2:25). The person identified by this name is depicted in Israelite tradition as a prominent resident of Jericho who assisted Israelite spies. By the Second Temple and New Testament periods, Ῥαχάβ/Rhachab appears as a figure of exemplary status, often cited in discussions of faith or genealogy, but without further ethnic or geographic terminology attached in the text. English translations traditionally render the name as 'Rahab,' but linguistic evidence suggests the pronunciation and spelling vary within Koine Greek manuscripts. This entry should be distinguished from Ῥαὰβ (Rhaáb), which may have overlapping referents in Greek texts. The word functions only as a proper name and does not carry additional lexical or descriptive meanings outside its use as a personal name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as Ῥαάβ; Rachab, a Canaanitess:--Rachab.
Root Family
Ῥαχάβ (Rhachab) — proper name, to be spacious
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4477-01 |
Ῥαχάβ | rachab | N GEN F SG |
Rahab | of Rhachab | Rhachab | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4477-01 |
Matthew 1:5 | Ῥαχάβ | rachab | N GEN F SG |
Rahab | of Rhachab | Rhachab |