רֵעָה
𐤓𐤏𐤄
rêʻâh
H7464 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Female companion, friend, or associate; denotes a woman with whom one shares a recognized social connection, such as friendship, partnership, or association. Can refer to a close confidante, neighbor, or peer depending on context.
Semantic Range
female companion, female associate, fellow woman, female neighbor, female peer
Root / Etymology
From the root רעע (רֵעַ), meaning 'to associate with, to befriend.' The feminine form רֵעָה arises by the addition of the feminine ending -ָה to the masculine noun רֵעַ, indicating a female associate or companion. The core root רעע conveys the general sense of companionship or social relationship.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רֵעָה appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, functioning primarily as the explicitly feminine counterpart to רֵעַ, which generally means associate, friend, or companion without specifying gender. Use of רֵעָה often arises where the text wishes to highlight that a group of women are companions or associates, as in distinguishing female peers or friends. Unlike other feminine terms for peers such as חַבֵּרָה ('female fellow, companion') or יְדִידָה ('beloved friend'), רֵעָה has a more neutral social sense without explicit connotations of intimacy or emotional attachment. Contexts include descriptions of neighborly interactions, social groupings of women, or mutual acquaintances. In later periods, related forms were used in Rabbinic Hebrew with similar meanings. Standard English translations, such as 'companion' or 'female friend,' convey the primary meaning but may obscure its use as a technical or formal feminine counterpart to רֵעַ. The term is rarely used outside of direct pairings with רֵעַ or in contexts where gender distinction among companions is specified. No significant semantic shift across biblical periods is documented, but its limited occurrence restricts broader interpretations.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of רֵעַ; a female associate; companion, fellow.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רעה (r-ʿ-h) — to associate, to befriend, to accompany
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4829 | מִרְעֶה | in a grazing-place |
| H4830 | מִרְעִית | as their pasturage |
| H7200 | רָאָה | shepherds of |
| H7453 | רֵעַ | with his associate |
| H7454 | רֵעַ | to my intention |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7464-02 |
וְ/רֵעוֹתָֽ/י | vereotay | HC/Ncfpc/Sp1cs |
and my companions | and my female companions | 1 |
H7464-01 |
רֵעוֹתֶ֑י/הָ | reoteyha | HNcfpc/Sp3fs |
companions | her female companions | 1 |
H7464-03 |
וְ/רֵ֣עוֹתֶ֔י/הָ | vereoteyha | HC/Ncfpc/Sp3fs |
and her friends | and her female companions | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7464-02 |
Judges 11:37 | וְ/רֵעוֹתָֽ/י | vereotay | HC/Ncfpc/Sp1cs |
and my companions | and my female companions |
H7464-03 |
Judges 11:38 | וְ/רֵ֣עוֹתֶ֔י/הָ | vereoteyha | HC/Ncfpc/Sp3fs |
and her friends | and her female companions |
H7464-01 |
Psalms 45:15 | רֵעוֹתֶ֑י/הָ | reoteyha | HNcfpc/Sp3fs |
companions | her female companions |