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רְעוּ

𐤓𐤏𐤅

Reu

H7466 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רעה to associate, to be a companion, to befriend

Definition

Reu — a personal name referring to a postdiluvian patriarch, specifically the son of Peleg and father of Serug in the genealogies of Genesis and 1 Chronicles. As a personal name, it may be related etymologically to the noun meaning 'friend' or 'companion,' though the precise sense in the name is uncertain. The term itself is not used as a common noun, but exclusively as a proper name in biblical records.

Semantic Range

Reu (personal name), potential archaic sense of 'friend' or 'companion' as a name root, but exclusively used as a genealogical proper noun

Root / Etymology

From the root רעה (r-ʻ-h), which in several forms means 'to associate with, befriend, companion' (cf. רֵעַ reʻa, 'friend,' and רֵעֶה reʻe, 'companion'). The form רְעוּ (Rᵉʻûw) appears as a proper noun, likely constructed as a nominal form, though the detailed derivation is uncertain. It could carry a sense like 'friend' or 'companion,' but as a name its semantic content may be idiomatic or archaic.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The name רְעוּ appears in Genesis 11:18–21 and 1 Chronicles 1:25 as a link in the genealogy between Peleg and Serug, part of the line leading from Shem to Abraham. Its use as a personal name is restricted to these genealogical contexts and is not attested as a common noun or as a title elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible. While Hebrew personal names often draw from common vocabulary, the precise intent in this naming is not explicit. Later translations, such as the Septuagint, simply transliterate the name (Ῥαγαύ), and English translations continue this with 'Reu.' There is no evidence that the name Reu carried significant cultural or theological meaning beyond its genealogical function, nor is there indication of the development or shifting of this name’s usage across the Hebrew Bible. The connection to the noun for 'friend' or 'companion' is suggested by root association, but as with many ancient names, etymological transparency is not guaranteed. The term does not acquire additional connotations or broader usage in later periods.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

for רְעִי in the sense of רֵעַ; friend; Reu, a postdiluvian patriarch; Reu.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רעה (r-ʿ-h) — associate, be a companion, befriend

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

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7466-01 רְעֽוּ reu HNp Reu Reu 5

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7466-01 Genesis 11:18 רְעֽוּ reu HNp Reu Reu
H7466-01 Genesis 11:19 רְע֔וּ reu HNp Reu Reu
H7466-01 Genesis 11:20 רְע֔וּ reu HNp Reu Reu
H7466-01 Genesis 11:21 רְע֗וּ reu HNp Reu Reu
H7466-01 1 Chronicles 1:25 רְעֽוּ reu HNp Reu Reu
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