רַהַב
𐤓𐤄𐤁
Rahav
H7294 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun, used both as a personal name ('Rahab') and as a poetic or symbolic epithet. As a personal name, refers to a woman of Jericho prominent in the Joshua narrative. As an epithet, 'Rahab' is employed poetically to denote arrogance or pride and, figuratively, to personify Egypt as a mythical sea beast or monster associated with chaos and opposition to divine order. The term carries associations of haughtiness, tumult, or unbridled insolence in its figurative uses.
Semantic Range
personal name (Rahab of Jericho), mythic sea monster, poetic epithet for Egypt, personification of arrogance or tumult, symbol of chaos or opposition
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root רהב (r-h-b), meaning 'to act arrogantly, be proud, storm, behave boisterously.' The term רַהַב as a proper noun reflects the adjectival or nominal use of the root, either as a personal name or as a mythological designation. The epithetical use for Egypt draws upon the root's semantic nuances of arrogance and chaos.
Historical & Contextual Notes
As a personal name, רַהַב (Rahab) appears in Joshua 2 and 6, describing a woman of Jericho who played a pivotal role in Israelite entry into Canaan. In post-biblical interpretation, she is often identified as a convert to the Israelite community, though the Hebrew text does not specify this religious identity. As a poetic epithet, particularly in the Psalms (87:4, 89:11) and prophetic passages (Isaiah 30:7; cf. Job 9:13; 26:12), 'Rahab' serves as a symbol of Egypt or of untamed chaotic forces, likely alluding to Canaanite mythological motifs of the sea monster representing resistance to order. Later English translations sometimes use 'proud' or 'arrogant' instead of retaining the proper noun, sometimes narrowing the sense. In monarchic and exilic literature, the epithet reflects the power and perceived pride of Egypt as an imperial adversary, but is absent from the Pentateuch and found most often in poetic and prophetic texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as רַהַב; Rahab (i.e. boaster), an epithet of Egypt; Rahab.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רהב (r-h-b) — to act arrogantly, be proud, behave boisterously, cause turmoil
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7292 | רָהַב | they emboldened me |
| H7293 | רַהַב | Arrogant Chaos-One |
| H7295 | רָהָב | arrogant ones |
| H7296 | רֹהָב | and their stormy arrogance |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7294-01 |
רַ֖הַב | rahav | HNp |
Rahab | Arrogant-One | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7294-01 |
Isaiah 51:9 | רַ֖הַב | rahav | HNp |
Rahab | Arrogant-One |
H7294-01 |
Psalms 87:4 | רַ֥הַב | rahav | HNp |
Rahab | Arrogant-One |
H7294-01 |
Psalms 89:11 | רָ֑הַב | rahav | HNp |
Rahab | Arrogant-One |