רְכוּב
𐤓𐤊𐤅𐤁
rᵉkûwb
H7398 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A vehicle designated for riding, especially one drawn by animals and used for transportation or warfare. In biblical contexts, רְכוּב (rekûv) most often refers to a chariot, but may more broadly indicate any mounted conveyance suitable for carrying a person over land.
Semantic Range
vehicle, chariot, conveyance for riding (especially in military or ceremonial contexts), wheeled transport used by an Israelite or foreign army
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root רכב, whose core meaning is 'to mount, ride, drive.' רְכוּב is a noun formation from the passive participle, signifying 'that which is ridden,' i.e., a vehicle, usually a chariot.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רְכוּב occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is primarily found in texts from the monarchic period, where it consistently refers to military vehicles, particularly chariots. Its usage is narrower than the common noun רֶכֶב (rekhev), which often denotes 'chariot, chariotry, or a collection of chariots.' רְכוּב is specialized, describing the singular vehicle as a physical object, rather than the collective force or class of chariots. English translations nearly always render רְכוּב as 'chariot,' but this term may obscure more general applications to conveyance or to the act of being ridden. Later sources (including Second Temple literature) do not widely use the term; in post-biblical Hebrew, related forms emphasize 'carriage' or 'vehicle' in a broader sense. The term does not carry religious or ideological nuance and is not used to denote persons (such as riders or charioteers).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from passive participle of רָכַב; a vehicle (as ridden on); chariot.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רכב (r-k-b) — to mount, ride, drive
| 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
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7398-01 |
רְכוּב֑/וֹ | rekhuvo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
His chariot | his riding-vehicle | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7398-01 |
Psalms 104:3 | רְכוּב֑/וֹ | rekhuvo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
His chariot | his riding-vehicle |