רְחֹבוֹת
𐤓𐤇𐤁𐤅𐤕
Rechovot
H7344 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Name of locations, meaning 'broad places' or 'open spaces'; specifically, Rechovot designates one or more settlements or inhabited places. In narrative contexts, used to indicate either urban streets/plazas or, more commonly in proper noun form, a place name for particular sites in the Negev and near the Euphrates.
Semantic Range
broad places, open spaces, plazas, wide streets, urban squares, locality/settlement named for spaciousness, city or site (toponym)
Root / Etymology
From the root רחב (r-ch-b), which means 'to be wide, broad, spacious'. רְחֹבוֹת is the plural form of רְחֹב (broad place, plaza, open area within a city or settlement). The word is thus derived as a toponym meaning 'broad places' or 'open spaces'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Genesis 26:22, רְחֹבוֹת refers to a well dug by Isaac, after leaving disputes over water rights with inhabitants of Gerar; the name reflects a sense of relief and spaciousness—'YHWH has given us room.' The word also designates an Assyrian city on the Euphrates (Rechovot-Ir, Ezekiel 23:23) as well as a town in Edomite or Negevite territory (Genesis 36:37, 1 Chronicles 1:48). The use as a place name draws on the underlying notion of open or ample space, possibly referring to a characteristic feature of the locality (e.g., a broad expanse, plaza, or area with room to settle). In ordinary language, the singular רְחֹב denotes a broad street or plaza in a city, a space set apart from narrow alleys (cf. רְחוֹב חָצֵר 'open space of a courtyard'); in the plural, it can point to collective public areas or, when used as a name, to localities named for such spatial features. English translations sometimes render this as 'streets' or 'plazas', but in the context of place names, transliteration is preferable to translation to avoid confusion with ordinary city infrastructure. The later application of the name as a proper noun for cities or sites continues this spatial theme. The term is not exclusive to Israelite territory and is sometimes associated with regions beyond the historical land of Israel. The English 'Rehoboth' follows tradition but is best understood as a transliterated toponym whose sense is 'broad spaces.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or רְחֹבֹת; plural of רְחֹב; streets; Rechoboth, a place in Assyria and one in Palestine; Rehoboth.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רחב (r-ḥ-b) — to be wide, be broad, be spacious
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4800 | מֶרְחָב | in the spacious expanse |
| H7337 | רָחַב | cause to widen |
| H7338 | רַחַב | Rahab |
| H7339 | רְחֹב | in the broad-place |
| H7340 | רְחֹב | Wide-Place |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7344-02 |
רְחֹבֹ֥ת | rechovot | HNp |
Rehoboth | Broad-Places | 2 |
H7344-01 |
מֵ/רְחֹב֥וֹת | merechovot | HR/Np |
from Rehoboth | from Broad-Places | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7344-02 |
Genesis 10:11 | רְחֹבֹ֥ת | rechovot | HNp |
Rehoboth | Broad-Places |
H7344-02 |
Genesis 26:22 | רְחֹב֔וֹת | rechovot | HNp |
Rehoboth | Broad-Places |
H7344-01 |
Genesis 36:37 | מֵ/רְחֹב֥וֹת | merechovot | HR/Np |
from Rehoboth | from Broad-Places |
H7344-01 |
1 Chronicles 1:48 | מֵ/רְחֹב֥וֹת | merechovot | HR/Np |
from Rehoboth | from Broad-Places |