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רְחַבְיָה

𐤓𐤇𐤁𐤉𐤄

Rechaveyah

H7345 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רחב to be wide, to broaden, to enlarge

Definition

A personal name meaning 'Yah(weh) has enlarged' or 'Adonai has made broad.' Refers to several individuals in Israelite genealogical records, typically denoting someone for whom the divine name Yah(weh) is credited with expansion—either of family, inheritance, or circumstance. The name may be expressive of hope or gratitude for divine blessing, especially regarding posterity or success.

Semantic Range

personal name, Yah(weh) has enlarged, one for whom God has granted expansion (of descendants, influence, prosperity)

Root / Etymology

From the root רָחַב (rachav, 'to be wide, broad, spacious, enlarge') combined with the theophoric element יָהּ (Yah, a shortened form of the divine name Yahweh). The name is a typical theophoric Israelite name expressing a prayer, hope, or testimony about YHWH's actions.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רְחַבְיָה appears in genealogies within the books of Chronicles (see 1 Chr 23:17, 24:21, 26:25) as a Levite descended from Moses, indicating a likely origin or use in the monarchic or post-monarchic periods where such genealogies were maintained. The use of the theophoric element יָהּ is typical of Israelite names from the First Temple period onward. The core sense of expansion or enlargement is linked to concepts of blessing—often referring to prosperity, numerous descendants, or broadened territory. English translations often render this as 'Rehabiah' or variants. Later English translations or traditions, especially in contexts after the Hebrew Bible, may use 'Jew,' but this is not applicable in the biblical context where the identity is genealogically Israelite and Levite. Similar names expressing divine action include רְחַבְיָהוּ (longer form) and Rechab (unrelated), highlighting the common pattern of divine-name compounds in ancient Israel.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or רְחַבְיָהוּ; from רָחַב and יָהּ; Jah has enlarged; Rechabjah, an Israelite; Rehabiah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רחב (r-ḥ-b) — to be wide, to broaden, to enlarge

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

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7345-02 רְחַבְיָ֣ה rechaveyah HNp Rehabiah Yah Has Enlarged 2
H7345-03 רְחַבְיָ֔הוּ rechaveyahu HNp Rehabiah Yah has enlarged 2
H7345-01 לִ/רְחַבְיָ֑הוּ lirechaveyahu HR/Np to Rehabiah to Yah-has-enlarged 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7345-02 1 Chronicles 23:17 רְחַבְיָ֣ה rechaveyah HNp Rehabiah Yah Has Enlarged
H7345-02 1 Chronicles 23:17 רְחַבְיָ֖ה rechaveyah-2 HNp Rehabiah Yah Has Enlarged
H7345-01 1 Chronicles 24:21 לִ/רְחַבְיָ֑הוּ lirechaveyahu HR/Np to Rehabiah to Yah-has-enlarged
H7345-03 1 Chronicles 24:21 רְחַבְיָ֔הוּ rechaveyahu HNp Rehabiah Yah has enlarged
H7345-03 1 Chronicles 26:25 רְחַבְיָ֨הוּ rechaveyahu HNp Rehabiah Yah has enlarged
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