רָחֵל
𐤓𐤇𐤋
Rachel
H7354 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A female sheep, specifically an adult ewe; also used as a personal name, notably referring to Rachel, a matriarch in early Israelite tradition. The word commonly denotes an adult female sheep, distinct from other terms for sheep such as lamb (כֶּבֶשׂ kebes, טָלֶה taleh). Additionally, רָחֵל serves as a proper name, most memorably for the wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin in patriarchal narratives.
Semantic Range
ewe, adult female sheep; Rachel (a personal name); symbol/metaphor for gentleness, value, or fecundity
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root רחל, which refers to 'moving gently,' possibly echoing the soft movements or bleating of a sheep, but the exact etymology is debated. The derived noun רָחֵל designates an 'ewe', an adult female sheep. The usage as a personal name likely originates metaphorically, evoking gentleness or value, but the primary sense remains zoological.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, רָחֵל is found both in common and proper noun forms. As a common noun, it specifically identifies an adult female sheep, sometimes used metaphorically for character qualities such as gentleness or desirability. In the narrative context, רָחֵל as a personal name (Rachel) refers to the favored wife of Jacob and is closely linked to key events in the ancestral narratives of Israelite identity (Genesis 29–35). The use of animal names as personal names (e.g., Deborah 'bee', Jonah 'dove') is part of a broader naming pattern in ancient Semitic cultures. Many English Bible translations use 'Rachel' for the personal name and 'ewe' for the animal meaning; older translations and lexicons sometimes inadequately distinguish the two senses. The KJV and many later traditions render רָחֵל as 'a sheep' or leave the name unaltered, but the lexical evidence indicates that the animal sense is primary, with the personal name secondarily derived. Rabbinic and post-biblical Jewish tradition greatly elaborates on Rachel's persona, but these developments are not intrinsic to the biblical text.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as רָחֵל; Rachel, a wife of Jacob; Rachel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
רחל (r-ḥ-l) — to move gently, to go lightly; ewe, adult female sheep
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7353 | רָחֵל | ewes |
Word Forms
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7354-04 |
רָחֵ֣ל | rachel | HNp |
Rachel | Ewe | Rachel | 32 |
H7354-05 |
וְ/רָחֵ֣ל | verachel | HC/Np |
but Rachel | Ewe (Rachel) | and Rachel | 6 |
H7354-03 |
לְ/רָחֵ֑ל | lerachel | HR/Np |
to Rachel | to Rachel | to Rachel | 5 |
H7354-01 |
בְּ/רָחֵ֥ל | berachel | HR/Np |
for Rachel | in Rachel | in Rachel | 3 |
H7354-02 |
כְּ/רָחֵ֤ל | kerachel | HR/Np |
like Rachel | like Rachel | like Rachel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
47 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7354-04 |
Genesis 29:6 | רָחֵ֣ל | rachel | HNp |
Rachel | Ewe | Rachel |
H7354-05 |
Genesis 29:9 | וְ/רָחֵ֣ל | verachel | HC/Np |
Rachel | Ewe (Rachel) | and Rachel |
H7354-04 |
Genesis 29:10 | רָחֵ֗ל | rachel | HNp |
Rachel | Ewe | Rachel |
H7354-03 |
Genesis 29:11 | לְ/רָחֵ֑ל | lerachel | HR/Np |
Rachel | to Rachel | to Rachel |
H7354-03 |
Genesis 29:12 | לְ/רָחֵ֗ל | lerachel | HR/Np |
to Rachel | to Rachel | to Rachel |
H7354-04 |
Genesis 29:16 | רָחֵֽל | rachel | HNp |
Rachel | Ewe | Rachel |
H7354-05 |
Genesis 29:17 | וְ/רָחֵל֙ | verachel | HC/Np |
but Rachel | Ewe (Rachel) | and Rachel |
H7354-04 |
Genesis 29:18 | רָחֵ֑ל | rachel | HNp |
Rachel | Ewe | Rachel |
H7354-01 |
Genesis 29:18 | בְּ/רָחֵ֥ל | berachel | HR/Np |
for Rachel | in Rachel | in Rachel |
H7354-01 |
Genesis 29:20 | בְּ/רָחֵ֖ל | berachel | HR/Np |
for Rachel | in Rachel | in Rachel |