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רַךְ

𐤓𐤊

rak

H7390 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Soft or tender in physical or figurative sense; denotes what is delicate, gentle, or easily affected—commonly describing physical texture, bodily constitution, or, in a figurative sense, qualities of temperament or emotion such as sensitivity, delicacy, or lack of harshness. Used both of objects (as in tender shoots or soft skin) and people (as of youth, physical vulnerability, or emotional gentleness or timidity).

Semantic Range

soft (in substance), tender (in age or constitution), delicate, gentle (in disposition), sensitive, inexperienced, faint-hearted, weak, susceptible, vulnerable

Root / Etymology

From the root רכך, which means 'to be soft, tender, or gentle.' The adjective רַךְ is a direct formation indicating the quality or state of being soft or tender. The root relates to physical softness as well as gentleness of character or temperament.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, רַךְ appears in a range of literal and figurative contexts. Literally, it describes physical softness or tenderness—such as the tender skin of children or the new shoots of plants (Genesis 33:13, Deuteronomy 28:54, 2 Samuel 3:39). Figuratively, it refers to persons who are gentle, delicate, inexperienced, or vulnerable, especially youth (1 Chronicles 22:5, Genesis 18:7). The sense may extend to emotional disposition, such as being tender-hearted or faint-hearted (Deuteronomy 20:8, Isaiah 47:1). In some military or social contexts, it can imply weakness or lack of fortitude, but does not inherently mean cowardice; rather, it emphasizes susceptibility or lack of hardness—physical, emotional, or moral. English translations often restrict the meaning to 'tender,' 'weak,' or 'soft,' but the term covers a wider spectrum involving both positive (gentle, sensitive) and neutral/negative (delicate, fragile, vulnerable) nuances. The meaning remains consistent across the biblical periods but its valence shifts with the context, being sometimes a mark of innocence or valued gentleness, at other times an indication of weakness or lack of readiness. Distinct from related words such as עָנָו (humble, meek) or חָלָשׁ (weak, feeble), which do not carry the connotation of softness or delicacy.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from רָכַךְ; tender (literally or figuratively); by implication, weak; faint((-hearted), soft, tender ((-hearted), one), weak.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רכך (r-k-k) — to be soft, to be tender, to be gentle

Root רכך to be soft, to be tender, to be gentle
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7391 רֹךְ and from softness
H7397 רֵכָה the Rekah-ites
H7401 רָכַךְ he made soft

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7390-04 רַ֤ךְ rakhe HAamsa tender soft tender 5
H7390-07 וָ/רָךְ֒ varakhe HC/Aamsa and tender and tender and tender 2
H7390-03 רַכָּ֖ה rakah HAafsa soft tender, delicate tender 2
H7390-08 וְ/רַ֣ךְ verakhe HC/Aamsc and fainthearted and tender and fainthearted 2
H7390-06 רַכּ֑וֹת rakot HAafpa soft words tender ones gentle words 2
H7390-02 הָ/רַ֣ךְ harakhe HTd/Aamsa tender tender, soft the tender one 1
H7390-05 רַכִּ֔ים rakim HAampa are tender tender ones are tender 1
H7390-01 הָ/רַכָּ֨ה harakah HTd/Aafsa the tender [one] the tender one the tender one 1

Occurrences in Scripture

16 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7390-04 Genesis 18:7 רַ֤ךְ rakhe HAamsa tender soft soft
H7390-06 Genesis 29:17 רַכּ֑וֹת rakot HAafpa were tender tender ones tender ones
H7390-05 Genesis 33:13 רַכִּ֔ים rakim HAampa are tender tender ones are tender
H7390-08 Deuteronomy 20:8 וְ/רַ֣ךְ verakhe HC/Aamsc and fainthearted and tender and fainthearted
H7390-02 Deuteronomy 28:54 הָ/רַ֣ךְ harakhe HTd/Aamsa tender tender, soft the tender one
H7390-01 Deuteronomy 28:56 הָ/רַכָּ֨ה harakah HTd/Aafsa the tender [one] the tender one the tender one
H7390-04 2 Samuel 3:39 רַךְ֙ rakhe HAamsa weak soft weak
H7390-03 Isaiah 47:1 רַכָּ֖ה rakah HAafsa tender tender, delicate tender, delicate
H7390-04 Ezekiel 17:22 רַ֣ךְ rakhe HAamsa tender soft tender
H7390-04 Proverbs 4:3 רַ֥ךְ rakhe HAamsa tender soft tender
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