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רָעֵב

𐤓𐤏𐤁

râʻêb

H7457 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Experiencing hunger; feeling or being in a state of needing food. In biblical usage, the adjective רָעֵב describes both literal physical hunger and, less commonly, metaphorical or existential deprivation.

Semantic Range

hungry (of a person), famished, starving, in want of food; at times, metaphorically deprived or longing

Root / Etymology

From the root רעב (ר-ע-ב), which means 'to be hungry' or 'to suffer hunger.' The form רָעֵב is the qal active participle serving as an adjective ('hungry').

Historical & Contextual Notes

רָעֵב is widely used in narrative, legal, and poetic contexts to describe the physical sensation of hunger, including the vulnerability to deprivation and famine. The term is most often employed in relation to individuals or groups lacking adequate food, sometimes highlighting social or covenantal responsibilities to care for the hungry (e.g., Exod 16:3, Deut 8:3, Isa 58:7). In some late or figurative usages, hunger can serve as a metaphor for emptiness or spiritual longing. In contrast to the noun רָעָב (rāʿāḇ, famine), רָעֵב as an adjective always refers to the condition of persons rather than an event or state affecting land or society as a whole. Standard translations sometimes narrow רָעֵב strictly to 'hungry,' but context may suggest a range from mild need for food to severe deprivation or threat to life. Later translations and traditions occasionally use the term more broadly in a metaphorical sense, but the core biblical usage is concrete and physiological.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from רָעֵב; hungry (more or less intensely); hunger bitten, hungry.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

רעב (râʻêb) — to be hungry, experience hunger, suffer want

Root רעב to be hungry, to suffer hunger, to lack food
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7456 רָעֵב I will hunger
H7458 רָעָב in the famine
H7459 רְעָבוֹן hunger-famine of

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7457-05 רָעֵ֛ב raev HAamsa is hungry hungry one hungry one 5
H7457-07 רְעֵבִ֣ים reevim HAampa hungry hungry ones hungry ones 3
H7457-02 לָֽ/רָעֵב֙ laraev HRd/Aamsa to the hungry to a hungry man to a hungry person 2
H7457-04 לְ/רָעֵ֣ב leraev HR/Aamsa to the hungry to a hungry one to a hungry one 2
H7457-06 רְ֝עֵבָ֗ה reevah HAafsa hungry hungry hungry 2
H7457-09 וּ/רְעֵבִ֖ים ureevim HC/Aampa and-hungry and hungry ones and hungry 2
H7457-01 הָ/רָעֵ֜ב haraev HTd/Aamsa the hungry [man] the hungry man the hungry man 1
H7457-03 לָ/רְעֵבִ֑ים lareevim HRd/Aampa to the hungry to hungry ones to hungry ones 1
H7457-08 וּ֝/מֵ/רָעֵ֗ב umeraev HC/R/Aamsa from the hungry and from a hungry one and from a hungry one 1
H7457-10 וְ/רָעֵ֑ב veraev HC/Aamsa and-hungry hungry one and hungry 1

Occurrences in Scripture

20 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7457-09 1 Samuel 2:5 וּ/רְעֵבִ֖ים ureevim HC/Aampa and the hungry and hungry ones and hungry ones
H7457-05 2 Samuel 17:29 רָעֵ֛ב raev HAamsa is hungry hungry one hungry one
H7457-07 2 Kings 7:12 רְעֵבִ֣ים reevim HAampa hungry hungry ones hungry ones
H7457-10 Isaiah 8:21 וְ/רָעֵ֑ב veraev HC/Aamsa and-hungry hungry one and hungry
H7457-01 Isaiah 29:8 הָ/רָעֵ֜ב haraev HTd/Aamsa the hungry [man] the hungry man the hungry man
H7457-05 Isaiah 32:6 רָעֵ֔ב raev HAamsa hungry hungry one hungry one
H7457-02 Isaiah 58:7 לָֽ/רָעֵב֙ laraev HRd/Aamsa with the hungry to a hungry man to a hungry person
H7457-02 Isaiah 58:10 לָֽ/רָעֵב֙ laraev HRd/Aamsa to the hungry to a hungry man to the hungry
H7457-04 Ezekiel 18:7 לְ/רָעֵ֣ב leraev HR/Aamsa to-the-hungry to a hungry one to a hungry one
H7457-04 Ezekiel 18:16 לְ/רָעֵ֣ב leraev HR/Aamsa to the hungry to a hungry one to the hungry one
H7457-07 Psalms 107:5 רְעֵבִ֥ים reevim HAampa hungry hungry ones hungry ones
H7457-06 Psalms 107:9 רְ֝עֵבָה reevah HAafsa hungry hungry hungry
H7457-07 Psalms 107:36 רְעֵבִ֑ים reevim HAampa hungry hungry ones hungry ones
H7457-03 Psalms 146:7 לָ/רְעֵבִ֑ים lareevim HRd/Aampa to the hungry to hungry ones to hungry ones
H7457-05 Proverbs 25:21 רָעֵ֣ב raev HAamsa is hungry hungry one hungry one
H7457-06 Proverbs 27:7 רְ֝עֵבָ֗ה reevah HAafsa hungry hungry hungry
H7457-05 Job 5:5 רָ֘עֵ֤ב raev HAamsa the hungry hungry one the hungry one
H7457-05 Job 18:12 רָעֵ֥ב raev HAamsa hungry hungry one hungry one
H7457-08 Job 22:7 וּ֝/מֵ/רָעֵ֗ב umeraev HC/R/Aamsa from the hungry and from a hungry one and from a hungry one
H7457-09 Job 24:10 וּ֝/רְעֵבִ֗ים ureevim HC/Aampa and-hungry and hungry ones and hungry
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