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רֶבַע

𐤓𐤁𐤏

rebaʻ

H7252 verb

SILEX Entry

Root רבע to lie down, to stretch out, to be recumbent

Definition

A period or act of lying down, especially in a recumbent or prone position, often associated with rest or sleeping. In biblical usage, רֶבַע refers to the specific act or state of being prostrate or lying stretched out, and can indicate a station of rest, most commonly sleep, but also other forms of repose.

Semantic Range

lying down, prostration, recumbency, sleep (by extension), resting position

Root / Etymology

From the root רבע (rbʻ), meaning 'to lie down, to stretch out, to be recumbent.' The noun רֶבַע is a substantive form indicating the state or event of reclining or lying prostrate.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רֶבַע occurs in poetic and narrative contexts to denote the act of lying down for sleep (e.g., 1 Samuel 26:7). Its usage is limited, contributing a nuance of deliberate or established repose (not sudden collapse, but purposeful recumbence). The root רבע is used in various forms in the Hebrew Bible, sometimes in relation to animal mating (to be in a recumbent position) and occasionally for human action. רֶבַע itself is distinct from terms like שָׁכַב (shakav, 'to lie, to sleep') or מִשְׁכָּב (mishkav, 'couch, bed, lying place') in that it always describes the posture rather than location. English translations often render the term as 'sleep' or 'lying down,' but may overlook the physical aspect highlighted by the original term. This word does not have significant shifts in meaning across periods, as its few attestations preserve the same general sense.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from רָבַע; prostration (for sleep); lying down.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רבע (r-b-ʿ) — to lie down, to stretch out, to be recumbent

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H702 אַרְבַּע four
H703 אַרְבַּע four
H7243 רְבִיעִי fourth
H7244 רְבִיעַי fourth (feminine)
H7250 רָבַע to lie-flat with her

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7252-01 וְ/רִבְעִ֣/י verivei HC/Vqc/Sp1cs and my lying down and my lying down 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7252-01 Psalms 139:3 וְ/רִבְעִ֣/י verivei HC/Vqc/Sp1cs and my lying down and my lying down
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