רִקָּבוֹן
𐤓𐤒𐤁𐤅𐤍
riqqâbôwn
H7539 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Physical or material decay, decomposition, or rot, especially of organic substances (such as wood, bones, or flesh). More generally, a condition or process of disintegration or putrefaction, whether literal or—by extension in some literary contexts—applied to a state of decline or destruction.
Semantic Range
decay, rot, putrefaction, bodily decomposition, condition of corruption; figurative moral decay or wasting
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root רָקַב (r-q-b), which means 'to rot, decay, become rotten.' The suffix ֹון (-ôn) is often used to form nouns indicating a state or condition. Thus, רִקָּבוֹן denotes the state of being rotten or decayed. The form is a substantive noun, not a participle or verb.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, רִקָּבוֹן is used to describe both literal decay (such as bodily decomposition in the grave) and, in poetic language, metaphorical rot (such as the wasting of bones due to envy or suffering). Its usage often appears in wisdom literature (e.g., Proverbs, Job) with an emphasis on mortality, the transience of physical life, or the consequences of destructive attitudes. It differs from related terms such as חֶרֶס (brokenness, shards) or תַּעֲלֻל (ruin), in that רִקָּבוֹן focuses on the process and condition of putrescence or internal decay rather than simply destruction or breaking. Later Jewish interpretive traditions might associate the word with moral or spiritual corruption, but this is a secondary or metaphorical extension rather than its core biblical sense. English translations typically render it as 'decay,' 'rottenness,' or 'putrefaction,' which generally captures its Hebrew sense.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָקָב; decay (by caries); rotten.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רקב (r-q-b) — to rot, decay, become decomposed
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7539-01 |
רִקָּב֣וֹן | riqavon | HNcmsa |
rotten wood | rottenness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7539-01 |
Job 41:19 | רִקָּב֣וֹן | riqavon | HNcmsa |
rotten wood | rottenness |