רִסָּה
𐤓𐤎𐤄
Risah
H7446 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Rissah: a toponym referring to a specific site encountered by the Israelites during their wilderness journey, likely denoting a place characterized by loose, crumbling material or debris. The word is used exclusively as a place name in the biblical narrative.
Semantic Range
placename, site characterized by crumbling or ruin, Rissah (station in the wilderness journeys)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root רָסַס (rasas), meaning 'to crumble', 'to decay', or 'to break to pieces'. The form רִסָּה represents a nominal derivation, likely referring to a location notable for loose rock, debris, or ruin-like characteristics. The literal sense of the root is 'to crumble' or 'to break up', and this nuance informs the naming of the place.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רִסָּה occurs only in Numbers 33:21-22 as a station visited by the Israelites during their journeys in the wilderness. Its meaning as a placename is uncertain beyond the connection to the root suggesting 'crumbling' or 'ruin', possibly indicating a site defined by geological features such as scree, loose stone, or the appearance of disintegration. There is no evidence that רִסָּה referred to a settlement, fortified ruin, or inhabited site; it may designate a natural feature. The choice of English 'Rissah' reproduces the Hebrew toponym without clarifying its descriptive nuance; standard translations simply use the name. Unlike related words for 'ruin', such as חָרְבָה (charevah), רִסָּה does not connote a destroyed city but likely describes a distinctive aspect of the landscape recognized by travelers at the time. There are no occurrences outside the itinerary lists, and the site has not been securely identified archaeologically. Later translation traditions do not attach further meaning or develop anachronistic associations with the name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָסַס; a ruin (as dripping to pieces); Rissah, a place in the Desert; Rissah.
Bantu Hebrew
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רסס (r-s-s) — to crumble, to break to pieces, to shatter, to decay
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7446-02 |
מֵ/רִסָּ֑ה | merisah | HR/Np |
from Rissah | from Crumble-Site | 1 |
H7446-01 |
בְּ/רִסָּֽה | berisah | HR/Np |
at Rissah | in Crumbling-Place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7446-01 |
Numbers 33:21 | בְּ/רִסָּֽה | berisah | HR/Np |
at Rissah | in Crumbling-Place |
H7446-02 |
Numbers 33:22 | מֵ/רִסָּ֑ה | merisah | HR/Np |
from Rissah | from Crumble-Site |