רַעְיָה
𐤓𐤏𐤉𐤄
raʻyâh
H7474 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A female companion, intimate associate, or beloved, typically used of a woman in the context of affectionate or amorous relationships. The term emphasizes personal closeness and emotional connection, often within the setting of romantic love or friendship.
Semantic Range
female companion, beloved, mate, intimate associate, female friend
Root / Etymology
From the root רעʿ (רֵעַ), meaning 'to associate with, befriend, keep company with.' רַעְיָה is the feminine form, formed by adding the feminine ending -ָה to the masculine רֵעַ.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, רַעְיָה appears most notably in the Song of Songs, where it refers to the female beloved in poetic expressions of love and desire. Unlike the general word for 'woman' (אִשָּׁה) or 'wife,' רַעְיָה emphasizes emotional, romantic, or intimate companionship rather than formal status or marital role. Its use in the Song of Songs highlights the ideal of mutual affection and closeness between partners. Later translations, including Septuagint and translations influenced by the Vulgate, sometimes render it simply as 'beloved,' but this can obscure its nuance as a female companion—an active participant in the relationship, not merely an object of affection. The term is virtually absent outside poetic literature, and does not denote social or legal status. Its nuance differs from רֵעַ (reaʿ; 'friend, associate'), which is usually masculine and more general.
Translation Consistency
‘Beloved’ best captures the typical, affectionate/romantic sense of רַעְיָה while sounding natural in Biblical English. It conveys intimacy and emotional closeness (more fitting than the adjective ‘intimate’), is idiomatic for poetic and narrative contexts, and will read naturally as a consistent noun for all occurrences.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of רֵעַ; a female associate; fellow, love.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רעע (r-ʿ-ʿ) — associate with, befriend, keep company with
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1251 | בַּר | bad |
| H1254 | בָּרָא | bad |
| H1262 | בָּרָה | bad |
| H1283 | בְּרִיעָה | Beriyyah |
| H4828 | מֵרֵעַ | to his associate |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7474-01 |
רַעְיָתִֽ/י | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my love | my intimate companion | my intimate companion | 9 |
H7474-02 |
ו/רעית/י | vryty | HC/Ncfpc/Sp1cs |
and my friends | and my beloved companions | and my friends | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7474-02 |
Judges 11:37 | ו/רעית/י | vryty | HC/Ncfpc/Sp1cs |
and my friends | and my beloved companions | and my friends |
H7474-01 |
Song of Songs 1:9 | רַעְיָתִֽ/י | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my love | my intimate companion | my intimate companion |
H7474-01 |
Song of Songs 1:15 | רַעְיָתִ֔/י | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my darling | my intimate companion | my intimate companion |
H7474-01 |
Song of Songs 2:2 | רַעְיָתִ֖/י | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
is my darling | my intimate companion | my intimate companion |
H7474-01 |
Song of Songs 2:10 | רַעְיָתִ֥/י | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my companion | my intimate companion | my intimate companion |
H7474-01 |
Song of Songs 2:13 | רַעְיָתִ֥/י | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my love | my intimate companion | my intimate companion |
H7474-01 |
Song of Songs 4:1 | רַעְיָתִ/י֙ | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my love | my intimate companion | my intimate companion |
H7474-01 |
Song of Songs 4:7 | רַעְיָתִ֔/י | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my love | my intimate companion | my intimate companion |
H7474-01 |
Song of Songs 5:2 | רַעְיָתִ/י֙ | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my love | my intimate companion | my intimate companion |
H7474-01 |
Song of Songs 6:4 | רַעְיָתִ/י֙ | raeyati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my darling | my intimate companion | my intimate companion |