רָחַף
𐤓𐤇𐤐
râchaph
H7363 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To move lightly, hover or tremble; to hover gently, as a bird might over its young, or as a subtle motion just above a surface; by extension, to flutter or vibrate gently.
Semantic Range
to hover lightly over something; to tremble or move with a gentle, fluttering motion; to flutter over or above, as a bird over its young; to vibrate gently; (by extension) to move in a sustained, gentle fashion over a surface
Root / Etymology
From the root רָחַף, denoting a soft, hovering or trembling movement. The core meaning of the root seems to be 'to move gently or lightly', often with a nuance of hovering or trembling motion. The derivation into the verbal form conveys the action of hovering, fluttering, or moving lightly above or over something.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רָחַף appears primarily in poetic and figurative contexts in the Hebrew Bible. In Genesis 1:2, it describes the Spirit of God (רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים) 'hovering' over the waters, suggesting a gentle, sustained motion rather than a creation in the sense of bringing forth substance. In Deuteronomy 32:11, the noun form appears in a simile for an eagle fluttering over its young, highlighting both protective and nurturing aspects. While later translations sometimes render this with heavy interpretive overlays (such as 'brooding' in Genesis 1:2, which imports zoological imagery), the Hebrew term itself focuses on the hovering or gently moving aspect. This word is distinct from terms meaning 'to fly' (עוף) or 'to rest' (שכן), emphasizing transient, continuous, hovering motion. Across biblical literature, רָחַף is rare, and its limited usage confines its semantic range, but the image is always of gentle, vibratory motion, never of forceful shaking or disruptive trembling. There are no clear shifts in meaning between preexilic and postexilic usage; however, in rabbinic and later Jewish interpretation, the Genesis 1:2 usage gained prominence in discussions of creation. English translations that render the Genesis use as 'brooded' risk importing ideas not native to the Hebrew term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to brood; by implication, to be relaxed; flutter, move, shake.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
רחף (râchaph) — to move lightly, hover, tremble, flutter
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7363-01 |
מְרַחֶ֖פֶת | merachefet | HVprfsa |
was hovering | fluttering | hovering | 1 |
H7363-02 |
רָֽחֲפוּ֙ | rachafu | HVqp3cp |
tremble | they hovered lightly | tremble | 1 |
H7363-03 |
יְרַחֵ֑ף | yerachef | HVpi3ms |
hovers | he flutters over | he hovers | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7363-01 |
Genesis 1:2 | מְרַחֶ֖פֶת | merachefet | HVprfsa |
was hovering | fluttering | hovering |
H7363-03 |
Deuteronomy 32:11 | יְרַחֵ֑ף | yerachef | HVpi3ms |
hovers | he flutters over | he hovers |
H7363-02 |
Jeremiah 23:9 | רָֽחֲפוּ֙ | rachafu | HVqp3cp |
tremble | they hovered lightly | tremble |