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רָקַק

𐤓𐤒𐤒

râqaq

H7556 verb

SILEX Entry

Root רקק to spit, to expectorate

Definition

To expectorate, to force saliva from the mouth, usually with intentionality and sometimes as a sign of contempt, rejection, or ritual action. The verb occurs in contexts signifying spitting either on the ground or toward a person, often as an expressive bodily gesture conveying disdain, disgrace, or fulfillment of ritual cleansing requirements.

Semantic Range

to spit (expel saliva from the mouth), to spit at or upon someone (as a sign of insult or rejection), to discharge saliva on the ground (possibly ritual or symbolic), to show contempt, to fulfill a ritual act involving spitting

Root / Etymology

The verb רָקַק derives from the root ר-ק-ק, which carries the core sense of 'to spit.' As a primitive verbal root in Semitic, it likely imitated the sound or act of spitting (onomatopoeic origin), with related cognate forms found in other Semitic languages (Arabic: raqqa, 'to spit'). The noun רֹק (roq, "spittle") is derived from this root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, רָקַק is used both literally (Deut 25:9) and figuratively (Num 12:14; Job 17:6; 30:10; Isa 50:6). The act of spitting could mark social humiliation, communal shaming, or ritual degradation, particularly in legal or purity contexts. The most explicit ritual use is in Deuteronomy 25 (the Levirate law), where spitting in the face reflects a public act of dishonor. The same root, in later periods, continued to denote literal spitting, but also came to symbolize contempt more generally in post-biblical literature. The act is not specific to any one ethnic or religious group and is attested across ancient Near Eastern cultures as a gesture of insult or disdain. English translations render 'spit' or 'to spit,' which adequately covers the literal meaning but sometimes obscure the weight of the gesture in social or ritual settings. The term is distinct from other gestures of insult (such as striking or pulling hair) but may be coordinated with them in expressions of rejection or disgrace.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to spit; spit.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

רקק (r-q-q) — to spit, to expectorate

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7534 רַק thin (feminine plural)
H7536 רֹק spittle
H7541 רַקָּה in his temple
H7542 רַקּוֹן and the Lean-Place
H7550 רָקִיק and thin wafer of

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7556-01 יָרֹ֛ק yaroq HVqi3ms he spits he will spit 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7556-01 Leviticus 15:8 יָרֹ֛ק yaroq HVqi3ms he spits he will spit
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