רֵכָב
𐤓𐤊𐤁
Rekhav
H7394 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Rekab, used for multiple individuals in the Hebrew Bible, including both Israelites and non-Israelites. The name is likely derived from the root meaning 'to mount' or 'to ride,' suggesting a sense of 'rider' or 'one who mounts/ascends.' The word is used exclusively as a personal name and does not function as a common noun in Biblical Hebrew. There is no evidence that it directly signifies 'rider' as a vocation or status apart from being a name.
Semantic Range
proper name (personal name), designation of individuals from Israelite and Kenite backgrounds; possibly connotes 'rider' or 'one who mounts' in etymological origin but not as a direct descriptor in usage
Root / Etymology
From the root רכב (r-k-b), meaning 'to mount, ride, cause to ride.' The form רֵכָב is a proper noun derived from this root. In this context, the root's sense of riding or mounting is likely metaphorical or honorary, rather than literal.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Rekab (רֵכָב) appears in several contexts: (1) An Israelite, one of the murderers of Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 4:2–9); (2) A Kenite (non-Israelite), ancestor of the Rechabites (2 Kings 10:15, 23; Jeremiah 35); (3) Father of Malchiah, ruler of part of Beth-haccherem (Nehemiah 3:14); (4) Father of Jehonadab (2 Kings 10:15). The title 'Arabs' in the Strong's gloss is misleading—while one Rekabite group is identified as Kenites, a people connected to Midian, they are not described as Arabs in the biblical text. The term 'Rechab' came to be associated, particularly in later periods, with a distinct group (the Rechabites), known for their particular lifestyle choices described in Jeremiah 35. The English translation 'Rechab' preserves the Hebrew form as a proper name, but does not reflect the underlying Hebrew root, which carries the sense of mounting or riding. Not to be confused with the common noun רֶכֶב (rekhev, 'chariot'). Usage is restricted to personal names and lineage designations; it does not function as a general term for a rider or horseman.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָכַב; rider; Rekab, the name of two Arabs and of two Israelites; Rechab.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רכב (r-k-b) — to mount, to ride, to cause to ride
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1024 | בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת | House of the Chariots |
| H4817 | מֶרְכָּב | the riding-vehicle |
| H4818 | מֶרְכָּבָה | in the chariot |
| H7392 | רָכַב | I will cause to ride |
| H7393 | רֶכֶב | in the chariot |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7394-01 |
רֵכָ֗ב | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab | 12 |
H7394-02 |
וְ/רֵכָ֛ב | verekhav | HC/Np |
and Rechab | and Rekab | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
13 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7394-01 |
2 Samuel 4:2 | רֵכָ֗ב | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab |
H7394-01 |
2 Samuel 4:5 | רֵכָ֣ב | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab |
H7394-02 |
2 Samuel 4:6 | וְ/רֵכָ֛ב | verekhav | HC/Np |
and Rechab | and Rekab |
H7394-01 |
2 Samuel 4:9 | רֵכָ֣ב | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab |
H7394-01 |
2 Kings 10:15 | רֵכָ֨ב | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab |
H7394-01 |
2 Kings 10:23 | רֵכָ֖ב | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab |
H7394-01 |
Jeremiah 35:6 | רֵכָ֜ב | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab |
H7394-01 |
Jeremiah 35:8 | רֵכָב֙ | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab |
H7394-01 |
Jeremiah 35:14 | רֵ֠כָב | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab |
H7394-01 |
Jeremiah 35:16 | רֵכָ֔ב | rekhav | HNp |
Rechab | Rekab |