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רִקְמָה

𐤓𐤒𐤌𐤄

riqmâh

H7553 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רקם to embroider, to decorate with needlework

Definition

A fabric or garment distinguished by intricate needlework, particularly embroidery featuring variegated patterns and colors. The term primarily refers to textile ornamentation achieved with needle and thread, resulting in decorative and often luxurious garments, coverings, or hangings, especially those denoting status or used in ritual contexts. The semantic range encompasses both the act and product of elaborate embroidery and, in some cases, refers broadly to 'embroidered materials' or 'embroidered work.'

Semantic Range

embroidery, embroidered garment, fabric with variegated color or pattern, needlework, decorative textile, richly ornamented cloth, costly raiment

Root / Etymology

From the root רָקַם (ר-ק-ם), whose core meaning is 'to embroider' or 'to decorate with needlework.' The noun רִקְמָה is a feminine formation denoting either the product or the process of embroidery, thus referring to an embroidered item or variegated needlework. The sense of 'variegation' is metaphorically extended from the visual complexity achieved by embroidery.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רִקְמָה appears in poetic, legal, and narrative texts, most notably describing garments or materials associated with wealth, high status, or religious significance (e.g., garments for priests, gifts, spoils of war). In Ezekiel and Psalms, embroidered cloth is a trading commodity or a luxury good. In narrative contexts (e.g., the garment of Tamar, 2 Sam 13:18–19), it connotes both craftsmanship and distinctive social identity. The English glosses such as 'broidered work' or 'needlework' capture part of the meaning, but the term can also refer to the specific decorative style rather than simply to any sewn decoration. The Septuagint often translates with ποικιλτός (variegated, patterned), highlighting the ornamental aspect. There is a slight overlap with other textile or weaving terms, but רִקְמָה is distinctly focused on embroidered decoration rather than weaving or dyeing. In post-biblical usage, the association with luxury and female artisanship continues. The later tradition sometimes retrojects 'needlework' into contexts unrelated to embroidery per se, but biblical contexts consistently involve visually elaborate ornamentation achieved through skilled decorative stitching.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from רָקַם; variegation of color; specifically, embroidery; broidered (work), divers colours, (raiment of) needlework (on both sides).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רקם (r-q-m) — to embroider, to decorate with needlework

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7551 רָקַם embroidering-one
H7552 רֶקֶם Reqem

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7553-08 וְ/רִקְמָ֔ה veriqemah HC/Ncfsa and embroidered work and embroidered fabric 4
H7553-04 רִקְמָ֑ה riqemah HNcfsa embroidery embroidered fabric 2
H7553-06 רִקְמָתַ֖יִם riqematayim HNcfda double embroidery double embroidered-work 1
H7553-03 לִ/רְקָמוֹת֮ lireqamot HR/Ncfpa in embroidered garments for embroidered textiles 1
H7553-05 רִקְמָתָ֖/ם riqematam HNcfsc/Sp3mp their embroideries their embroidered-work 1
H7553-02 הָֽ/רִקְמָ֑ה hariqemah HTd/Ncfsa the-embroidery the embroidered cloth 1
H7553-07 רִקְמָתֵ֖/ךְ riqematekhe HNcfsc/Sp2fs your embroidered your embroidered cloth 1
H7553-01 בְּ/רִקְמָ֤ה beriqemah HR/Ncfsa with embroidered work with embroidered cloth 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7553-04 Judges 5:30 רִקְמָ֑ה riqemah HNcfsa embroidery embroidered fabric
H7553-06 Judges 5:30 רִקְמָתַ֖יִם riqematayim HNcfda double embroidery double embroidered-work
H7553-04 Ezekiel 16:10 רִקְמָ֔ה riqemah HNcfsa with embroidered cloth embroidered fabric
H7553-08 Ezekiel 16:13 וְ/רִקְמָ֔ה veriqemah HC/Ncfsa and embroidery and embroidered fabric
H7553-07 Ezekiel 16:18 רִקְמָתֵ֖/ךְ riqematekhe HNcfsc/Sp2fs your embroidered your embroidered cloth
H7553-02 Ezekiel 17:3 הָֽ/רִקְמָ֑ה hariqemah HTd/Ncfsa the-embroidery the embroidered cloth
H7553-05 Ezekiel 26:16 רִקְמָתָ֖/ם riqematam HNcfsc/Sp3mp their embroideries their embroidered-work
H7553-01 Ezekiel 27:7 בְּ/רִקְמָ֤ה beriqemah HR/Ncfsa with embroidered work with embroidered cloth
H7553-08 Ezekiel 27:16 וְ/רִקְמָ֤ה veriqemah HC/Ncfsa and embroidered work and embroidered fabric
H7553-08 Ezekiel 27:24 וְ/רִקְמָ֔ה veriqemah HC/Ncfsa and embroidered work and embroidered fabric
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