רֶתַח
𐤓𐤕𐤇
rethach
H7571 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A boiling, intense bubbling caused by heat; refers specifically to the action or state of fluids in vigorous motion due to being brought to a high temperature. The term carries connotations of strong agitation and seething, often used to describe water or other liquids that are energetically boiling.
Semantic Range
boiling, vigorous boiling, seething with heat, fluid in active agitation due to heat
Root / Etymology
From the root רתח (r-t-ch), meaning 'to boil, seethe, be agitated.' רֶתַח is a nominal form derived from this verbal root, signifying the process or state resulting from the action of boiling. There is no indication that the root meaning diverges in this derivative.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רֶתַח appears in the Hebrew Bible only in Ezekiel 24:5, where it describes water that is heated intensely in a pot to cook meat, emphasizing the thorough and vigorous boiling required for the prophetic illustration. The word is rare and has no broader metaphorical or extended usage in biblical Hebrew. In later Hebrew, the root רתח remains associated with boiling or seething, but רֶתַח itself does not develop specialized theological or metaphorical meanings. English translations often render the word generically as 'boil well' or 'boil vigorously,' which accurately conveys the core lexical sense. The term differs from other Hebrew words for 'boil' (such as בשׁל), which focus more on the act of cooking or stewing, whereas רֶתַח emphasizes the physical process and intensity of the boiling action itself. There is no evidence the term was used idiomatically for anger or agitation in biblical contexts, though such metaphorical uses occur for the root in later periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רָתַח; a boiling; [idiom] (boil) well.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רתח (r-t-ḥ) — to boil, seethe, be agitated
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7570 | רָתַח | Boil vigorously |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7571-01 |
רְתָחֶ֔י/הָ | retacheyha | HNcmpc/Sp3fs |
its boilings | her boilings | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7571-01 |
Ezekiel 24:5 | רְתָחֶ֔י/הָ | retacheyha | HNcmpc/Sp3fs |
its boilings | her boilings |