רָטַב
𐤓𐤈𐤁
râṭab
H7372 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be moist or damp; to become wet with water or another liquid. The verb denotes a state or process in which an object or substance is saturated, softened, or otherwise affected by moisture, whether intentionally (e.g., watering or soaking) or through natural processes (e.g., dew or rain). In extended usage, can be associated with lushness or fertility as a result of moisture.
Semantic Range
to be wet, to become damp, to be moistened, to be saturated, to become lush due to moisture, to soften through wetness
Root / Etymology
From the root רטב, which in Semitic languages typically conveys the idea of moisture, wetness, or freshness. The Hebrew verb רָטַב is derived directly from this root and forms part of a wider Semitic lexical family (cf. Aramaic רְטַב 'to become wet,' Arabic رَطُبَ (raṭuba) 'to be moist, soft, fresh'). No evidence of borrowing; the form is native to Northwest Semitic.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רָטַב appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, with its occurrences focused on describing the state of objects becoming moist or being wetted. The word is used in prose and poetic passages and, although literal in meaning, may appear in texts with agricultural or ritual contexts, such as references to dew, rain, or the moistening of sacrifices. The semantic range does not extend to any specialized religious meaning or metaphoric extension to sorrow (as sometimes found in later periods or translations). It contrasts with יבשׁ (yavēsh, 'to be dry'), providing an antonymic pair. Later tradition may use the root in contexts of fertility or vitality due to moisture, but this is not prominent in biblical usage. English translations typically render the verb with 'to be wet,' 'to moisten,' or 'to be damp,' which captures the principal sense but may miss subtle connections to notions of freshness or liveliness inherent in the root.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to be moist; be wet.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רטב (r-ṭ-b) — moisture, wetness, dampness
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7373 | רָטֹב | fresh with sap |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7372-01 |
יִרְטָ֑בוּ | yiretavu | HVqi3mp |
they are wet | they become wet | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7372-01 |
Job 24:8 | יִרְטָ֑בוּ | yiretavu | HVqi3mp |
they are wet | they become wet |