רֵיחַ (H7381) — Hebrew Lexicon

רֵיחַ

𐤓𐤉𐤇

rêyach

H7381 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A scent or smell perceived through the sense of olfaction, whether pleasant (fragrance, aroma) or unpleasant (stench, odor). In biblical contexts, most frequently denotes a pleasing fragrance—especially in relation to sacrifices (symbolizing acceptability to God)—but can refer to any smell detected in the environment or associated with persons, places, or objects. Usage spans literal and figurative senses, including metaphorical references to reputation or effect.

Semantic Range

aroma, fragrance, pleasant scent, odor, stench, smell, repute (metaphorical)

Root / Etymology

From the root רוּחַ (r-w-ḥ), whose core meaning is 'to blow, breathe, emit air.' The noun רֵיחַ is formed by internal vowel pattern, signifying 'that which is sensed by smelling; a thing blown or carried on the air,' and thus 'smell, scent.' While both roots share the element of movement of air, רֵיחַ emphasizes olfactory perception, not simply the act of blowing or breathing.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רֵיחַ is frequently connected to cultic vocabulary, notably describing the 'pleasing aroma' (רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ) of burnt offerings and sacrifices, connoting their acceptance. The term is not restricted to ritual context: it can describe the pleasant scent of plants (Song 1:3; 2:13) or an odor associated with decay or impurity (Isa 3:24). Unlike more specific terms in neighboring languages or later texts, רֵיחַ remains a broadly used word in Hebrew, spanning both positive and negative connotations depending on context. English 'odor' can be negative, but biblical usage is frequently positive or neutral. The abstract or figurative use (referring to reputation or effect) appears especially in wisdom and poetic texts. During the monarchic period, the phrase רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ ('pleasing smell') became formulaic for offerings, reflecting evolving liturgical language.

Translation Consistency

primary "scent" 57 occurrences

Matches the dominant choice in existing renderings (39/58) and is a natural, concise English noun that covers the full semantic range (aroma/fragrance or odor/stench) while fitting the frequent sacrificial/pleasant sense in biblical contexts. Using a single, neutral-but-natural word like “scent” ensures consistency across all forms.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):

"fragrance" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from רוּחַ; odor (as if blown); savour, scent, smell.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רוח (r-w-ḥ) — blow, breathe, emit odor

Root רוח to blow, breathe, emit odor

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H7304	רָוַח	those given relief
H7305	רֶוַח	open relief-space
H7306	רוּחַ	I cause to smell
H7307	רוּחַ	wind-breath
H7308	רוּחַ	breath-wind of
H7309	רְוָחָה	breathing space
H7371	רַחַת	winnowing-shovel

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H7381-05`	רֵ֣יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of	30
`H7381-03`	לְ/רֵ֤יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of	16
`H7381-08`	וְ/רֵ֥יחַֽ	vereycha	`HC/Ncmsa`	and fragrance	and scent	and scent	4
`H7381-01`	בְּ/רֵ֖יחַ	bereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	as-a-fragrance	in scent of	in scent of	2
`H7381-02`	כְּ/רֵ֣יחַ	kereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	is as the smell	as scent of	as scent of	2
`H7381-06`	רֵיחֵ֗/נוּ	reychenu	`HNcmsc/Sp1cp`	our scent	our scent	our scent	1
`H7381-04`	מֵ/רֵ֣יחַ	mereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	from the scent	from scent-of	from the scent of	1
`H7381-09`	וְ/רֵיח֖/וֹ	vereycho	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	and his aroma	and his scent	and his scent	1
`H7381-07`	רֵיחֽ/וֹ	reycho	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	its fragrance	his scent	its fragrance	1

Occurrences in Scripture

58 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H7381-05`	Genesis 8:21	רֵ֣יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Genesis 27:27	רֵ֥יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	the smell	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Genesis 27:27	רֵ֣יחַ	reycha-2	`HNcmsc`	the smell	scent of	scent of
`H7381-02`	Genesis 27:27	כְּ/רֵ֣יחַ	kereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	is as the smell	as scent of	as scent of
`H7381-06`	Exodus 5:21	רֵיחֵ֗/נוּ	reychenu	`HNcmsc/Sp1cp`	our scent	our scent	our scent
`H7381-05`	Exodus 29:18	רֵ֣יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-03`	Exodus 29:25	לְ/רֵ֤יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-03`	Exodus 29:41	לְ/רֵ֣יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 1:9	רֵֽיחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 1:13	רֵ֥יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 1:17	רֵ֥יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 2:2	רֵ֥יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	a aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 2:9	רֵ֥יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	fragrance	scent of	scent of
`H7381-03`	Leviticus 2:12	לְ/רֵ֥יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 3:5	רֵ֥יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-03`	Leviticus 3:16	לְ/רֵ֣יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-03`	Leviticus 4:31	לְ/רֵ֥יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for-aroma	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 6:8	רֵ֧יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	a-scent	scent of	a scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 6:14	רֵֽיחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	a fragrance	scent of	scent of
`H7381-03`	Leviticus 8:21	לְ/רֵֽיחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-03`	Leviticus 8:28	לְ/רֵ֣יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-03`	Leviticus 17:6	לְ/רֵ֥יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for aroma	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 23:13	רֵ֣יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	fragrance	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Leviticus 23:18	רֵֽיחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-01`	Leviticus 26:31	בְּ/רֵ֖יחַ	bereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	in-the-fragrance	in scent of	in scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 15:3	רֵ֤יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	a fragrance	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 15:7	רֵֽיחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 15:10	רֵֽיחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 15:13	רֵֽיחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 15:14	רֵֽיחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	of aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-03`	Numbers 15:24	לְ/רֵ֤יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-03`	Numbers 18:17	לְ/רֵ֥יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 28:2	רֵ֚יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	a fragrance	scent of	scent of
`H7381-03`	Numbers 28:6	לְ/רֵ֣יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a aroma	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 28:8	רֵ֥יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 28:13	רֵ֣יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 28:24	רֵֽיחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	a pleasing	scent of	scent of
`H7381-03`	Numbers 28:27	לְ/רֵ֤יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-03`	Numbers 29:2	לְ/רֵ֤יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-03`	Numbers 29:6	לְ/רֵ֣יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for a fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 29:8	רֵ֣יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 29:13	רֵ֤יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	of aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-05`	Numbers 29:36	רֵ֤יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	aroma	scent of	scent of
`H7381-09`	Jeremiah 48:11	וְ/רֵיח֖/וֹ	vereycho	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	and his aroma	and his scent	and his scent
`H7381-05`	Ezekiel 6:13	רֵ֣יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	fragrance	scent of	scent of
`H7381-03`	Ezekiel 16:19	לְ/רֵ֥יחַ	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	for-a-smell	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-05`	Ezekiel 20:28	רֵ֚יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsc`	fragrance	scent of	scent of
`H7381-01`	Ezekiel 20:41	בְּ/רֵ֣יחַ	bereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	as-a-fragrance	in scent of	in scent of
`H7381-08`	Hosea 14:7	וְ/רֵ֥יחַֽ	vereycha	`HC/Ncmsa`	and fragrance	and scent	and scent
`H7381-04`	Job 14:9	מֵ/רֵ֣יחַ	mereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	from the scent	from scent-of	from the scent of
`H7381-03`	Song of Songs 1:3	לְ/רֵ֨יחַ֙	lereycha	`HR/Ncmsa`	to the fragrance	for scent of	for scent of
`H7381-07`	Song of Songs 1:12	רֵיחֽ/וֹ	reycho	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	its fragrance	his scent	its fragrance
`H7381-05`	Song of Songs 2:13	רֵ֑יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsa`	fragrance	scent of	scent of
`H7381-08`	Song of Songs 4:10	וְ/רֵ֥יחַ	vereycha	`HC/Ncmsc`	and the fragrance	and scent	and scent
`H7381-08`	Song of Songs 4:11	וְ/רֵ֥יחַ	vereycha	`HC/Ncmsc`	and fragrance	and scent	and scent
`H7381-02`	Song of Songs 4:11	כְּ/רֵ֥יחַ	kereycha	`HR/Ncmsc`	like fragrance	as scent of	as scent of
`H7381-08`	Song of Songs 7:9	וְ/רֵ֥יחַ	vereycha	`HC/Ncmsc`	and-fragrance	and scent	and scent
`H7381-05`	Song of Songs 7:14	רֵ֗יחַ	reycha	`HNcmsa`	fragrance	scent of	scent

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