מֵרֵעַ
𐤌𐤓𐤏
mêrêaʻ
H4828 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A person with whom one shares mutual familiarity, trust, or association; companion, associate, friend. The term primarily denotes a person joined by association, familiarity, or reciprocity, whether in private, communal, or ritual settings. While the prevailing sense is 'friend,' it can, depending on context, denote a broader social peer or companion, not always implying deep affection.
Semantic Range
friend; companion; associate; comrade; social peer
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root רֵעַ (רעע), which in its verb form (רָעָה) means 'to associate with, to befriend, to tend (as a shepherd tends).' The noun מֵרֵעַ is a masculine form indicating 'one with whom one associates' or 'an associate.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, מֵרֵעַ designates a companion, friend, or social partner. The sense ranges from close personal friendship (Proverbs 18:24) to simple association or neighborly relationship (Job 16:20). It appears in wisdom literature, legal texts, and narratives, sometimes overlapping with רֵעַ but distinguished from the more formal רֵעֶהוּ ('his fellow' or 'his neighbor'). The term does not always entail emotional closeness—legal and ritual texts often use it neutrally for any social peer, especially within the Israelite community. In post-exilic literature, related words take on more nuanced social meanings, but מֵרֵעַ retains its 'companion' sense. Later translations sometimes render the term as 'friend,' but this may overstate its relational closeness; context remains crucial to proper understanding.
Translation Consistency
“Companion” is a neutral, natural English noun that captures the primary sense of someone joined by association, familiarity, or reciprocity. It covers the range from friend to associate/comrade without implying undue intimacy, and matches the P2 renderings (including plural uses) while remaining idiomatic in English.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָעָה in the sense of companionship; a friend; companion, friend.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
רֵעַ (Rei) — to associate, to befriend, to tend
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7472 | רֵעִי | and Rêʻîy |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4828-03 |
מֵ֣רֵעֵ֔/הוּ | mereehu | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his friends | his associate | his companion | 3 |
H4828-01 |
לְ/מֵ֣רֵעֵ֔/הוּ | lemereehu | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
to his companion | to his associate | to his companion | 2 |
H4828-02 |
לְ/מֵרֵעֶ֑/ךָ | lemereekha | HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
to your companion | to your associate | to your companion | 1 |
H4828-04 |
מֵֽרֵעִ֔ים | mereim | HNcmpa |
companions | associates | companions | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4828-03 |
Genesis 26:26 | מֵֽרֵעֵ֔/הוּ | mereehu | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his adviser | his associate | his companion |
H4828-04 |
Judges 14:11 | מֵֽרֵעִ֔ים | mereim | HNcmpa |
companions | associates | companions |
H4828-01 |
Judges 14:20 | לְ/מֵ֣רֵעֵ֔/הוּ | lemereehu | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
to his companion | to his associate | to his companion |
H4828-02 |
Judges 15:2 | לְ/מֵרֵעֶ֑/ךָ | lemereekha | HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
to your companion | to your associate | to your companion |
H4828-01 |
Judges 15:6 | לְ/מֵרֵעֵ֑/הוּ | lemereehu | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
to his companion | to his associate | to his companion |
H4828-03 |
2 Samuel 3:8 | מֵ֣רֵעֵ֔/הוּ | mereehu | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his friends | his associate | his companions |
H4828-03 |
Proverbs 19:7 | מְ֭רֵעֵ/הוּ | mereehu | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his friends | his associate | his companion |